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UK companies not prepared for a data loss


A new study for Iron Mountain, conducted by MacArthurStroud has highlighted that 1/3 of UK companies recognise that data loss would seriously impact their business, but 40% fail to test their disaster recovery (DR) systems more than once per year.


The loss of email for four hours might result in administrative disruption, inconvenience, lost productivity and decreased customer satisfaction. The loss of transactional or production data for a similar duration could have a catastrophic impact on operations and profitability.


PRACTICAL STEPS TO IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE DATA STORAGE 1. Take back up offsite If your back-ups are on site, anything that affects your physical premises is likely to affect your back-ups too. Your business may not have a suitable facility or it may not be cost-effective to maintain one, so look for outsource partner that has; £A clear, end-to-end chain of custody and audit trail £ Secure transportation under lockdown, using fit-for- purpose vehicles £Appropriate offsite storage facilities: climate-controlled, access controls and video surveillance, trained/ background checked staff £Good physical tape management practices and a proven track record in recovery £A wide range of media, tapes, containers and supplies from leading manufacturers


2. UNDERSTAND YOUR RISKS Perform a risk analysis of your entire back-up process to identify security vulnerabilities. If your analysis exposes a serious likelihood of data falling into the wrong hands, consider whether encryption is justified. Understand what files and databases are considered commercially sensitive or valuable enough to warrant the additional cost. Be clear about where that data lives, including duplicates, across your estate.


If your company doesn’t have a policy or procedures in place to give you this visibility, implement one. If you lack the tools, methodologies or knowledge in-house, consider bringing in external expertise.


3.REVISIT YOUR DR PLAN REGULARLY Circumstances change so fast that an annual review of your DR plan is no longer appropriate. As your company grows, your information needs change and your DR practices and processes are likely to evolve with them.


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The ideal frequency is monthly. Clearly assign accountability, responsibility and authority to all those who will execute your DR plan. Divide duties where data is highly sensitive, so the person authorising access isn’t the same individual that is responsible for the execution. Once you’ve developed your plan, it needs to be communicated clearly to everybody involved. Test the process once it is in place against every conceivable threat. Consider a partner who can guide you through the process and identify any gaps in your plan and implement best practice.


4.GET READY FOR THE CLOUD


Using a private Cloud for storing back-up data, known as “electronic vaulting”, bypasses the need to transport data on physical media. Its accessible 24 x 7 x 365 while satisfying the primary requirement of keeping your back- up offsite.


Data security can be addressed with encryption. Choose from full, differential or incremental back-ups. For very large volumes of data, consider transporting the data on tape to the Cloud provider’s primary data centre. In the event of a disaster, the entire customer data centre can be switched to the cloud until systems can be recovered. When looking for a Cloud provider, ensure they have a strong pedigree and can offer an a strong Service Level Agreement (SLA).


Outsourcing also offers the advantages of a managed service (OPEX rather than CAPITAL) model and technology refresh. Over time, there will be an inevitable migration away from tape to other media, specifically the cloud. Working with a strategic supplier that can support your DR plans across multiple platforms will be key to managing the transition and ensuring your business is ready for anything.


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