intelligent

WHILE INNOVATIVE

AND SEEMINGLY BULLETPROOF

DATA PROTECTION AND SECURITY

SOLUTIONS ARE A MUST , THEY ARE NOT ENOUGH AS MALWARE IS NOW ALSO TARGETING

BACKUPS .

While the definition of ‘ usual ’ may have morphed over the past year , a more disciplined approach to planning may be back on the table . And , for IT in particular , instead of putting out the many fires that the events of 2020 ignited , 2021 promises to provide an opportunity to get back to more strategically planned Digital Transformation initiatives .

So , where to begin ? In 2021 , Digital Transformation strategies must first focus on two foundational areas : data mobility and data protection .

If organisations cannot move their data from point A to point B ( and to C , D , E and so on ), Digital Transformation is basically at a standstill . Unfortunately , data migration , data replication and data synchronisation can be complicated endeavours that result in creating obstacles , instead of delivering the strategic business value , IT benefits and budgetary advantages for which they were intended .

For instance , data mobility has become a key issue for IT teams as they work to accelerate their integration of multiple cloud providers alongside existing infrastructure . What is now necessary is for SMEs to employ data mobility solutions that enable seamless data migration , data replication and data synchronisation across heterogeneous platforms and cloud environments . In doing so , SMEs will be able to eliminate data silos and move data to the platform or environment best suited to meet their IT , business and budgetary requirements , thereby dramatically simplifying data management , while ensuring maximum ROI on all current and future IT investments .

Next , one of the key lessons SMEs learned in 2020 was the importance of data security and protection . In the face of what could be described as nothing short of chaos , bad actors swooped in to exploit and profit from resulting vulnerabilities with ransomware and other malware .

SMEs were of particular attraction for many cybercriminals , as SMEs often do not have the same level of protection that enterprises with more generous budgets possess . In 2021 , SMEs must recognise that cybersecurity , data protection and what many pundits refer to as ‘ unbreakable backup ’ are intertwined and another key foundational Digital Transformation priority .

While innovative and seemingly bulletproof data protection and security solutions are a must , they are not enough as malware is now also targeting backups . By incorporating unbreakable backup solutions , SMEs can ensure that even in the face of a successful data breach , they can recover , maintain operations and avoid paying ransoms . �