Businesses need to build strong disaster recovery plans for if ,or when, their data is compromised. This includes the use of data back-ups and measures to revert to the last good version of the data.
If a system does not exist, such a system should be implemented one based on the organization’s operations, internal policies and industry rules and regulations.
Methods to achieve this include snapshots, data retention policies, plus consistent or tertiary sites, like the cloud. Best practice dictates these measures are contained within disaster recovery plans.
Achieving these aims will involve and be based on the organization’s operations, internal policies and industry rules and regulations.
To better safeguard data, Michael DePalma, Senior Channel Development Manager, Datto, outlines an effective strategy.
According to DePalma: “At a minimum, companies need to follow the 3-2-1 rule when addressing their backups.”
By this, DePalma means: “Three copies of your data, on two different media, with (at least) one copy off-site. Businesses need to also ensure they are vetting the security of the backup vendors they are working with.”
Keeping abreast of security developments is also important, DePalma explains: “The cyber threats are evolving rapidly and we know the criminals are looking to target backups to make the restoration process as painful as possible. Proactively addressing any security gaps will save companies a lot of headaches when a breach occurs.”
While “backups are clearly a necessary piece of any company’s cyber resiliency plan”, DePalma acknowledges that firms need to become more sophisticated in addressing present or potential threats.
Here DePalma notes: “But the conversation is shifting from traditional backups to business continuity. Backups are critical, but they are only as good as the speed in which a business can recover that data and get back up to a true production environment.”
These considerations are additionally important because business data growth is not slowing down, with the risk that the quantity of data growing in the business system could outpace the IT team’s ability to back up and protect it.
