The evolving world of data protection
In my role, I get to speak to many people regarding their backups and data protection strategies. I have increasingly been noticing gaps—sometimes significant gaps—in these areas across both small and large companies. This is driven by the changes we have made due to the adoption of cloud technologies and the increased and evolving threats we face. I invite everyone who is reading this to take a moment and really think about their backup strategy. Don’t assume you are doing enough; instead, step back and do a thorough review of what you are doing and why you are doing it. Below are just some of the areas that are top of my mind.
Know where your data lives
First and foremost, do you actually know where all your data is stored? It’s important to understand the location and nature of your data. How much is mission-critical or sensitive and are you taking the right steps to protect it? I recommend creating a comprehensive service catalogue of your business services and their corresponding data. This will not only help in mapping out your data landscape but also in identifying what needs stringent protection. Make sure you establish your Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs). These metrics are crucial in shaping an effective data protection strategy.
Unified view of your data
With data now fragmented over multiple systems and locations, it’s important to question whether your backup technology allows you to have a single, unified viewpoint of your data. What intelligence does it provide by bringing all this dispersed data together?
Your backup technology is probably the only place where all your data comes together, making it an ideal platform for gaining valuable insights. A robust backup solution should not only store your data but also provide actionable intelligence that helps in managing and protecting it.
Expect more from your data protection solutions
Building on the previous point, we should demand more than just backup capabilities from our data protection solutions. Given that these solutions offer a consolidated view of all your data, they should also strengthen your security posture. They should provide insights into security risks and help safeguard your data during security incidents.
In many cases, your data protection solutions should be able to spot security risks before any other systems do. This proactive approach can be a game-changer in mitigating potential threats before they escalate.
Meeting the minimum standards
Ensure that your backup strategy meets the minimum industry standards. This includes the 3-2-1 backup rule (3 copies of your data, 2 different media, 1 offsite copy), having an air gap to protect against ransomware, insider protection to guard against admin account takeovers or rogue employees, and a rigorous test procedure.
Do you really have the time?
Do you have the time to manage all this effectively? Whilst backup is one of the most important tasks for an IT team, it is often an area that can get overlooked. Are your backups truly working and doing their job, or do you need to patch or upgrade the software? If not, maybe it’s time to get some external help to ensure it is taken care of.
This is exactly how we at Kascade can help you. Not only do we reduce the day-to-day pain of managing backups, but we also implement a next-generation backup service that addresses all these areas and more. If this sounds of interest, please get in touch.
There we have it. Just a few of my thoughts from someone who has been involved in data protection for over 20 years! Make sure you regularly review and update your backup strategies. It’s important to get the most out of your investments in these areas and ensure that it is providing you the protection that your business needs!
Ready to take your data protection to the next level?
Want to review your current strategy and see how you can enhance it? Book a data protection workshop with our specialists today, and let us help you build a stronger, more secure solution tailored to your business needs.
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