How enterprises can build a strong data resiliency strategy

Lost data can lead to financial losses, wasted time, severed business relationships, and in extreme cases, even business closure. Experts believe that a robust data resiliency strategy is crucial to ensure that vital data remains secure, accessible, and protected at all times.

Data resiliency refers to the ability of a system to withstand failures and continue functioning with minimal disruption. Its goal is to ensure that critical information is not lost and is always recoverable, — even in the event of an interruption or failure. This is achieved through a combination of factors including redundancy, backup and recovery, cyber security and disaster recovery strategies. That said, being data resilient is much more than just backing up your data, which focuses on creating copies of data and restoring it in case of loss.

Building data resiliency

“In today's rapidly evolving landscape of cyber threats, data resiliency is no longer an optional consideration but a fundamental component of a successful business strategy,” cybersecurity analyst and field CISO at cyber security firm SentinelOne Prateek Bhajanka said.

He stressed that while safeguarding data has always been crucial, integrating data resiliency with traditional features like reliability, redundancy, and cybersecurity is the logical next step that enterprises cannot overlook.

Balwant Singh, Chief Information Security Officer at DS Group, a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) firm, said that data is an organisation's most valued asset and yet, organisations today are the most vulnerable to data breaches. Moreover, inadequate visibility leads to unidentified assets and undetected vulnerabilities, leaving organisations vulnerable to potential attacks. It is here that a proper data-resilient strategy makes sense, he said.

Singh highlighted the importance of conducting regular risk assessments to pinpoint vulnerabilities, threats, and risks, enabling organisations to prioritise security efforts and allocate resources effectively.

While data backup and security today cannot be seen in isolation – both key components of data resiliency, a study published in June by data backup company Veeam Software shows that 60-70% of organisations still treat security and data protection as separate strategies. This is problematic because 95% of attacks target backup copies, knowing that secure backups are crucial for data recovery.

Beni Sia, General Manager & Senior Vice President, of APJ at data backup company Veeam Software, said, the data resiliency strategy should be specific yet adaptable, involving the right individuals, processes, and technologies. “To maximise overall effectiveness, data resiliency should be integrated with complementary processes such as zero-trust security, malware detection, and regular recovery testing,” he said.

He also suggests that CISOs should coordinate with leaders in various departments such as business, legal, security, governance, risk management, compliance, and IT teams to ensure a comprehensive approach. Regular staff security training should be implemented to enhance cybersecurity risk awareness, he said.

Paving the way for a secure digital future

The rapid adoption of AI platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT has significantly impacted the data backup and protection landscape. Software vendors are integrating AI capabilities into their products, including backup solutions, to help IT professionals identify protection gaps and enhance data security. AI can also aid in data resiliency through ransomware recovery by pinpointing encrypted files and reducing data loss during the recovery process.

Remus Lim, SVP Cloudera APJ, emphasizes the importance of trusting data. He stresses that despite enterprises need to establish data governance frameworks to ensure accuracy, completeness, consistency, and compliance with government regulations in their datasets.

Sandeep Bhambure, vice president and managing director for Veeam Software India and SAARC, underscores the significance of adhering to fundamental practices, such as the 3-2-1-1-0 protection rule. This rule entails having three data copies on two different media, with one copy stored offsite and one immutable. The 'zero' component emphasizes the importance of testing backup copies during non-crisis periods to ensure timely restoration.

As organisations embark on the next phase of their data-driven journey, it is clear those who embrace proactive data resiliency strategies will pioneer a new era of data resilience, thus paving the way for an innovative and secure digital future, said Bhambure.