Disaster Recovery: Challenges CIOs need to consider to protect data

Sharath Kumar

BANGALORE,INDIA: Did you know that 60 percent of data loss incidents happen due to malware or human error, and one in every five data recovery operation usually fails!

In such a scenario coupled with increasing targeted cyber attacks,CIOs are tasked with protecting critical business data. So what makes a complete Disaster Recovery solution, how do organizations go implementing the right DR solution? All this and more came up for discussion at the CIO breakfast meeting organized by Dell Software and CIOL here at an exclusive event.

A expert from Dell Software in his presentation, quoting a Forester study, said that CIOs when asked if their organizations were capable of recovering critical business systems shortly after a security event, showed a surprising graph with only 27 per cent with confident replies and 73 per cent saying they were somewhat confident to very confident. But resuming business when it matters the most is the important thing for many organizations.

Do we have a one -size-fits-all solution? Are your protection strategies tied with the application value?

The Dell Software expert points out that in a typical organizational set up 15 per cent of data is mission critical (data which is critical to revenue), 20 pc of data is business critical (less official revenue opportunities), 25 pc is business important (Support systems) and 40 pc of data is related to references.

"This is a stage where customers have the say and being available 24/7 for business is a necessity for any organization. Yet data protection is still like moving bricks," he lamented.

According to the expert, further the rate of data growth continues to be relentless, ranging from 40 to 60 percent annual growth. But data protection remains a daunting task for organizations and is often an error-prone activity. Moreover, the IT budgets are not growing.

Is there a way out? What if you could match your backup to your business?

The Dell Sofware expert stressed that any meaningful data protection is one that can ensure timely back-up. Dell provides portfolio of Backup and Recovery solutions like Image-based Backup (AppAssure software, DL4000 appliance), File-based Nigtly Backup (NetVault Backup Software) and Backup to Disk with Deduplication) DR appliance with integrated NetValue Backup and RDA technology). These solutions are fast proven and provide comprehensive backup, he said.

 

The meeting began with opening notes from Thomas George, head, Cyber Media Research, who mentioned about the increasingly challenging business landscape where business are not let alone. Security attacks on organizations have been increasing day by day and in Q3, 2013 there has been 33 per cent increase in malware attacks.

Use of multiple devices, demand for accessing corporate information on personal devices are throwing up new security challenges and CIOs have to be cautious in protecting corporate data than ever before.