Cloud Data Protection: A Buyer’s

Checklist
Multi-Cloud Environment Demands Updated Safeguards
Maksim Kabakou

What are the requirements for data protection in an IT environment that includes both
cloud and on-premises storage?

Today’s demands are different than they were a year ago or five years ago. Think of the
system – or systems – you purchased a few years back or inherited from an earlier IT
leadership group. Are they really still appropriate for the modern data protection needs
of your organization?

New requirements are being driven by multi-cloud demands, GDPR requirements and
regulations about the local storage of cloud-based data.

Evaluate cloud data protection products

What you need is a checklist to help you research data protection options. There is
help! Download this new asset, "A Checklist for Cloud Data Protection," for more.

The checklist is designed to help you and your buying team evaluate products against
seven important criteria for cloud-based backup, recovery and data protection.

1.  What does this data protection system support?

Older systems may require you to move between different user interfaces because the
functions are actually different products.

You need a data protection platform that can comprehensively support data backup,
recovery, management and e-discovery. A data protection platform should include
support for files, applications, databases, hypervisors, public clouds and private clouds.

2.
What is the breadth and depth of cloud support?
 Your organization chooses the storage options that best support your goals. Today
enterprises need a data protection strategy that supports on-premises data, more than
one public cloud and definitely more than one storage option within the clouds. 

Do you need archive storage? An option to support large batch data transfers?  Look for
a cloud data protection platform that can support your changing needs.

3. How flexible is this system for changing data migration needs?

Business needs change. If the CIO gives a mandate, the private cloud you choose
today can be replaced with a public cloud tomorrow. Be sure you have flexibility for data
migration to, from and across cloud storage locations.

Look for a data protection platform that saves time and costs during data migration. If
you can compress, deduplicate and encrypt data all in the same platform, you can
reduce transmission time to the cloud, saving on bandwidth and overall project costs.

4. What data protection capabilities are included?

Many data breaches are actually caused by human error. With today’s headlines
exposing organizations with breaches, make data protection a critical part of your
overall data management strategy.

Understand how to choose a data protection system that includes the automation,
orchestration and best practices that may prevent human errors.

5. What data management capabilities streamline day-to-day work?

 Regular data management helps the IT team be more agile in providing fast and
accurate responses to data requests from the business. IT needs knows what data the
business has, where it lives and what needs to happen with it. Consider how a data
protection platform can streamline your workflows.

6. How does the data protection platform support data use?

The whole goal of data backup and recovery is to be able to use data to make strategic
business decisions. Data needs to be recovered in a format that is usable. Time is an
important factor – data recovery must be fast and reliable.

Also, when people in your organization can perform their own data searches, IT is
relieved of a request. Look for a data protection platform that includes comprehensive
search of on-premises and cloud-based data.

7. How does the data protection platform support disaster recovery to, from and across
clouds?

When a disaster happens, your team needs speed, agility and a comprehensive view of
the data environments affected. Whether it’s a single down server, several servers lost
to a ransomware attack, or an entire data center impacted by weather, the disaster
recovery response needs to be efficient.  

Consider how a data protection system recovers workloads to the cloud, from the cloud
and across clouds.

Work through your own buyer’s checklist for cloud data protection

If your current data management product doesn’t fully support cloud and on-premises
data management, it’s time to refresh your data protection strategy.

Learn more about cloud data management solutions from Commvault.