Importance of Data Resiliency in Today’s Digital World 

Data has become the cornerstone of organisational success in today’s data-driven business environment. From customer analytics to financial reporting and intellectual property, data empowers decision-making, fosters innovation, and enhances operational efficiency. As companies increasingly rely on data to navigate complex markets and gain a competitive edge, the imperative for data resiliency has never been more urgent. 

Data resiliency refers to an organisation’s ability to ensure business continuity despite unexpected disruptions like data breaches, hardware failures, or various forms of data loss. It allows for quick implementation of recovery plans, efficient restoration of lost assets, and proactive data protection measures. Resilient data can’t be accessed or modified by unauthorized entities. 

In this article, we will explore the multifaceted importance of data resiliency, examining its role in protecting valuable assets, enhancing operational stability, and fostering trust among stakeholders. We will also discuss best practices and strategies that organisations can adopt to build a resilient data framework capable of withstanding the challenges of today’s digital environment. 

Why data resiliency is crucial to BizOps

Data resiliency is a critical component of modern business operations. Organisations can maintain continuity during challenges by investing in the right technologies, such as cluster storage and data backup and recovery solutions, and effective strategies, like simulating business disruptions, to evaluate resiliency.  

A well-implemented data resiliency strategy prompts critical questions: If a data centre, server, or network experiences an outage, will users or applications relying on that data still have access to essential services? An illustrative example is Facebook’s 2014 initiative, where the company intentionally shut down one of its data centres to test the platform’s resilience. This proactive approach highlighted potential vulnerabilities and demonstrated the importance of preparedness in maintaining service availability during unforeseen disruptions. 

 Here are additional reasons why data resiliency is vital: 

The rise of cyberattacks: The frequency of cyberattacks is on the rise. Experts believe it’s not a question of if but when an organisation will experience one. In 2021, there were over 2,600 ransomware attacks, marking a 93 percent increase from 2020. Organisations need to prioritise data security and resiliency to defend against these threats. 

Data outage challenges: Data resiliency is crucial because the effects of data outages can be severe and multifaceted. When data becomes inaccessible, it disrupts business operations and can lead to immediate financial repercussions. For instance, outages can prevent customers from completing purchases, resulting in lost sales and dissatisfaction. Similarly, for service-oriented companies, data outages can hinder customer support representatives from accessing vital customer information, causing delays and increasing frustration for staff and clients. 

Protect reputation: Mitigating the damage from cyber-attacks and threats is a significant challenge. Data resilience helps protect an organisation from public backlash, regulatory fines, sudden sales drops, or even worse, the risk of losing the business altogether. 

Key elements of data resiliency 

Organisations need to understand their current situation to make data resiliency strong. This means looking at their existing data protection methods, finding any weak spots, and figuring out how well they can recover from data problems. Here are some key elements of data resiliency: 

• Prioritising data protection: Risk profiling and categorisation are important for planning, designing, and creating data protection systems. By regularly analysing and classifying business data based on risk levels (like very important, sensitive, regulated, or private), organisations can better protect their data and prevent problems. 

• Evaluating data backup strategies: Organisations must regularly review and assess their data backup and recovery strategies to ensure effective data protection. This involves evaluating the frequency of backups, the reliability of storage solutions, and the data recovery speed. Organisations can ensure they are prepared to recover from data-related incidents by identifying and addressing any weaknesses. 

• Remote data replication: Remote data replication involves creating copies of data or systems at a different location. This process can be synchronous, meaning replication occurs in real time as data is created or modified. Alternatively, replication can be asynchronous, making copies at set intervals or scheduled times. 

• Disaster recovery testing: Testing disaster recovery plans is important to find problems and ensure everyone knows what to do if data is damaged. This can help organisations respond quickly and effectively to data-related incidents. 

• Resilient workplace culture: A resilient company culture is essential for success. Organisations can create a workplace where employees are prepared to handle challenges by encouraging awareness, accountability, and teamwork. Regular training and practice help employees learn and improve, strengthening their resilience. 

• Data encryption: Encrypting all backups is important to protect data. Using military-grade encryption, such as AES, and following the 3-2-1 rule can help keep data safe. The 3-2-1 rule means having three copies of data, two on different types of storage and one separate from the main system. This helps prevent data loss. 

Object storage: Your data’s unsung hero 

Data resiliency ensures that your information remains protected from unauthorized modifications. This is where cloud storage systems often utilize object storage, which automatically replicates data and distributes it across multiple devices and locations. Such a system safeguards against outages, prevents data loss and supports effective disaster recovery planning. 

At its core, object storage, or object-based data storage system, is designed to manage large volumes of unstructured data. Unlike traditional storage methods, it treats data as individual units, each accompanied by metadata and a unique identifier for easy retrieval. 

These data units, also called objects, can be kept on local servers or, more commonly, in the cloud. This allows for convenient access from virtually any location. Object storage is highly scalable, meaning it can grow with demand, and it generally offers a more cost-effective solution for storing large amounts of data compared to alternatives like block storage. 

Distilled 

We hope this guide has provided you with a comprehensive understanding of the critical importance of data resiliency in today’s digital world. As information becomes increasingly valuable and vulnerable, organisations need to have robust measures in place to protect their data. When faced with equipment failures, power outages, or other challenges, a strong and well-tested data resiliency strategy can help organisations achieve their data recovery goals and minimize disruptions to their operations.