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EDITOR’S QUESTION
KATE MOLLETT,
REGIONAL MANAGER
FOR AFRICA, VEEAM
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T
he growth of data, and the
expectation for it to always be
available, combined with a startling
number of global cybersecurity breaches
have helped refocus efforts around data
management. Not having an effective
business continuity plan in place to
safeguard data from loss, theft, or corruption
could see an organisation suffer significant
financial and reputational damage.
The 2019 Veeam Cloud Data Management
Report highlights that the quest for data
availability is putting pressure on decision-
makers to rethink their management
strategies. Most organisations (73%) admit
that they are unable to meet user demand
for uninterrupted access to data and services,
costing the typical company almost R300
million annually.
Here are five key principles to help businesses
understand their data, manage it and
improve its protection:
Conduct a data audit
Every business should know what data it
holds, where it’s stored, how, and where
it came from and who has access to it;
especially personal data. They also need
to know why they’re holding it and how
they came to have it. Organisations have
to justify the legal basis behind their data
processing activities.
Make sure everyone is aware of
its value
business advantage. Just consider how much
data is generated by customers on social
media, how much data is stored in cloud
environments, and the data created by ‘as-a-
service’ solutions. Even though the volume of
data available today presents management
challenges for businesses, there are also
incredible opportunities. Decision-makers are
recognising the importance of data in both
high-level business strategy as well as on the
operational side of their business.
Review personal privacy rights
The evolving regulatory environment has
had a massive impact on data management
strategies. One of the big changes the
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
brought about is greater awareness of
rights when it comes to personal data.
Beyond the right to be forgotten, people
are able to access data, or to request it for
themselves (in a format they can digest).
The complexities around data governance
needs to be carefully considered in an age of
the Protection of Personal Information Act
(POPIA) and the GDPR.
Have a plan for data breaches
Under the rules of the GDPR, organisations
must report data breaches to the relevant
supervisory authority within 72 hours of
discovery. It is key to make sure you have the
right plans in place, which will allow for the
detection, reporting and tackling of a data
breach, should one happen.
Keep learning
Given how much data has become available,
companies must not only be able to
accurately capture and store it, but they also
need to understand the relevance for real
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Always leave room for continued
improvement. Particularly where the
availability, quality and safety of data are
concerned; it pays to evolve with the times and
to test, trial and adapt to the latest technology.
Businesses that have achieved success in their
data management strategies indicate four
core attributes – cloud, capabilities, culture
and confidence. When it comes to the cloud,
over three-quarters (77%) of respondents
globally report using Software-as-a-Service
(SaaS) platforms. Additionally, many are
using the cloud for their backup and recovery
services, reflecting the business benefits of
embracing a multi-cloud approach when it
comes to data management.
INTELLIGENTCIO
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