Cybersecurity issues are increasingly becoming a significant risk to data and IT environments worldwide, placing stress on not only IT teams but also business owners concerned about their revenue stream. As traditional methods of protecting information continuously change to meet emerging challenges, global IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group has published a new industry blueprint, Data Backup Moves Closer to Data Protection, to help businesses modernize their data protection strategy for the current and evolving climate.
Data backup has traditionally been in the operational domain of IT, while security teams have been responsible for threats to data from malicious attacks. As these attacks have become more sophisticated, backups have come under threat and vendors have had to incorporate new features into their software to address attacks and protect data.
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With many backup and recovery companies now referring to themselves as data protection (DP) platforms and with a list of new terminology and features representing a new paradigm in the backup world, staying on top of the new terms and features is complex. As well, repeated references to data security and data protection compliance make it difficult for IT teams to understand the impacts on the business and data protection strategy.
“There was a time when backing up data required separate premises-based infrastructure to ensure protection from data loss,” says Darryl Levesque, principal research advisor at Info-Tech Research Group. “However, things have changed with modern data centers today. It is time to stop thinking about data backup and start thinking about data protection. Newer technologies are making backup redundant.”
Info-Tech’s blueprint explains that understanding where backup stops and data protection starts can be difficult as the products evolve. Although many vendors now provide numerous additional product features, it can be challenging for an organization to determine which product is best for their environment or whether there is a need for a combination of products.
The firm recommends that technology leaders keep up and understand the changes in the backup marketplace, considering what the new features can offer in terms of additional functionality. Info-Tech also stresses the importance of recognizing which of those functions suits the appropriate needs and then comparing the offerings of the different vendors to determine the best fit.
Info-Tech recommends that the new features offered by backup vendors be used as additional tools in the data protection armory rather than replacements for existing tools such as endpoint protection or effective security practices. To do this, organizations should consider the following key data protection features:
SOURCE: PR Newswire