Data Foundry Blog - Insights

When we think about what AI is today and what it will offer in just five years, the difference is drastic. Today we have algorithms that recognize images and interactive voice applications. In five years, digital personal assistants will likely be the norm, digital research assistants will scan documents and compile relevant data, medical assistants will help diagnose and treat patients, financial modeling of “what if” scenarios will grow increasingly complex and accurate, and repetitive tasks will become automated in multiple industries. So, what will the AI transformation mean for your data center or IT infrastructure model?

Does your company have multiple cloud environments with no communication between them? This is a typical scenario for many businesses on the journey to implementing a hybrid cloud architecture, resulting in a lack of visibility across infrastructure. The only way to cohesively manage these environments is with a cloud management platform. Gartner defines a cloud management platform as “products that incorporate self-service interfaces, provision system images, enable metering and billing, and provide for some degree of workload optimization through established policies.” Choosing the right cloud management platform can save a company time and money, as well as determine how quickly and efficiently they can develop new products and services.

As of this year, over 80% of North American and European companies have multi-cloud infrastructures. Despite rapid cloud adoption, few companies have achieved a truly functional hybrid cloud architecture. According to a March 2018 hybrid cloud report from 451 Research and NTT Communications, around 63% of firms have a formal strategy for hybrid infrastructure. In this case, hybrid cloud does not simply mean using a public cloud and a private cloud. It means having a seamless flow of data between all clouds, on and off-premises. In this blog post, we’ll look at some of the highlights of this report, including how companies are using hybrid cloud and their perceived top challenges and benefits.

“We build our computer systems the way we build our cities: over time, without a plan, on top of ruins.” – Ellen Ullman

If this sounds like your data center, it’s time for a change. That bird’s nest of cables costs you a little bit more every day in energy and productivity. Here’s why:

Ensuring you have a backup and recovery plan in place before the season’s hurricanes hit is essential for companies worried about business continuity. The last thing you want is to permanently lose data, or to experience several hours or days of downtime due to a power outage. If you don’t already have a backup system in place, there’s no time like the present to get started. Read our blog post on choosing a backup strategy for more information on how to begin. If you have a backup strategy, keep reading to see if your plan is sufficient to properly restore your systems and applications in the event of a local disaster. Just because you regularly perform backups does not necessarily mean your systems will be properly restored when the time comes.

As many cybersecurity professionals are aware, the Internet of Things (IoT) is proliferating without any established legal framework or regulatory guidelines. According to a Forbes article, the IoT market is expected to reach $457 billion by 2020, up from $157 billion in 2016. The interconnectivity of network-enabled devices makes the IoT a can of worms when it comes to legal liability. U.S. regulatory agencies, such as the Department of Commerce, the FTC, and the FCC are a long way from establishing clear standards for IoT devices. Could the business that owns a connected device be held responsible for carelessness in the event of a data breach or an attack, or does liability fall only to the manufacturer or the software provider?

Whether erasing or destroying data to meet compliance, recycle resources or to decommission old equipment, many companies choose to outsource asset disposal to third parties to minimize cost. Choosing an IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) service can be difficult. Making the wrong decision could mean facing a costly data breach incident and fines for not meeting regulatory compliance. Regardless of your industry, there are a few best practices you can follow when choosing an ITAD service provider to dispose of sensitive data.

Most in the IT world have heard about the EU’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and know that it comes into effect this year, but many U.S. companies have yet to make the necessary changes to be compliant. A study by TrustArc says 61% of U.S. companies surveyed had not yet begun implementation of GDPR compliance at the end of last year. The majority of those who are unprepared are smaller companies. What you may not know is that if your company has a website, the GDPR will likely affect you. Here’s a quick overview to get your company going in the right direction.

According to the 2018 Thales Data Threat Report, which was compiled based on responses from over 1,200 senior security executives, 46% of U.S. companies experienced a data breach last year, nearly double the amount reported in 2016. After analyzing cybersecurity predictions and reports by CSO, MIT’s Technology Review, Infosecurity, Thales Security and 451 Research, we’ve compiled what we consider the top five threats to data security that cybersecurity professionals should monitor in 2018.