Tag Archives: Data Security

Should you Trust your Data to the Cloud?

October 6, 2016 Damien Garvey

For those who are extremely nervous about entrusting their valuable mission-critical data to strangers over the Internet, Backup Technology Limited (BTL) Cloud Backup is a very reliable option! You can trust your data to BTL professionals without a qualm. BTL has years of experience and a proven track record in data security. The client testimonials and partner stories say it all. If you are still not convinced, here is how BTL works on data security for you.

Your data is secured against access in three ways:

Data is encrypted once at the point of transmission and again at the point of storage. This double encryption makes unauthorised access difficult and even fruitless.
BTL uses superior technology to ensure that your data is backed up quickly and efficiently, and optimally.
Your data is made highly available by replication/mirroring for disaster recovery.

Encryption:

BTL protects data by deploying a 256 bit cryptographic, powered by Asigra, an industry leading cloud backup technology.

The 256 bit cryptographic feature is installed when the BTL software agent is installed on server or computer you want to backup. The installation process prompts the user to input several character strings. The string is then, converted into a 256 bit encryption key and is made available only to the user. It is never transmitted over the Internet and is not stored on the servers of the company. Users are expected to secure this key against deletion and access by unauthorised personnel. Since the data is stored in an encrypted format on the server, the availability of the key is an imperative. Loss of the key implies loss of access to data stored on the servers.

BTL software kick starts when you begin to transmit information over the Internet for secure, encrypted storage on BTL servers. The agent software installed on your computer communicates with the BTL server, using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology that deploys its own encryption protocol. This results in a double encryption of the data you finally store. This technology is similar to the technology that is used by banking companies to secure bank accounts of their customers.

High Availability

BTL ensures that customer data is stored securely for high availability and disaster recovery. They monitor the data centres 24/7 with advanced bio-metrically controlled access. Backup generators and redundant Internet connections are used to ensure that customers are never locked out of the server storage if the encryption key, user name and password are available with them. Files in storage are constantly reviewed for ease of restoration, maintenance of user logs, and optimisation of versioning controls.

Software Features

BTL’s technology backs up data, differentially or incrementally at the block level after the first full backup. Users can configure the software to apply to specific data sets as per company policy or on the basis of the importance of the data. This enables users to backup more files during an available backup window and optimise on storage space. Users can also set BTL Cloud Backup and Recovery solution to backup a number of versions of files for compliance and archiving regulations.

Whether you run a big corporation or a small business or you are an IT service providers, BTL offers a secure cloud based data backup solution, combined with a robust partner program, the efficiencies of full web-based account management, and an industry leading technical support team. Visit: www.backup-technology.com

Tips to Follow Before Transferring Data to the Cloud – Part II

September 8, 2016 Kris Price

In Part I of our series, we did list some tips to follow before transferring data to the cloud. Below, in Part II, we will further discuss additional points:

5 – Move First and then Renovate

It is critical to test the migration first and then make a thorough plan. Cloud users are capable of controlling the economies of scale of the cloud, reduce capital spending and save time through selecting cloud just like an application design centre, instead of re-architecting the existing applications and to make it suitable for the cloud. Therefore, it is recommended to refine and improve cloud applications after developing the necessary basic constituents of the cloud.

6 – Crunch the Numbers to Understand Costs

The primary reason to transfer data to the cloud is to save money. It is quite simple to get costs of infrastructure by calculating the used money on vendor support, servers and licenses. However, it is challenging to get an estimate of time spent by the most expensive members of the team. How much time does it take to carry on the legacy systems, solving problems, deleting HR records manually, double entering payroll information, troubleshooting and fixing the application errors on various desktops, and restoring data from backups? If a company has a clear sense of all these types of associated costs, then it is possible to make an assessment of SaaS and hosted solutions; and as a result, the path to the cloud will be very clear.

7 – Security Should be Considered

Security is a huge concern while considering a move to the cloud. In order to stay compliant, you need to look into industry standards. Use third-party sources, such as the Cloud Security Alliance Consensus Assessments Initiative Questionnaire [1] to guide you through the process of understanding potential security pitfalls.

In addition, you need to select cloud storage services that are certified by standards, such as FIPS-140. These solutions offer multiple layers of security and are impossible to hack. Choose a service provider that is well known and respected in the industry, that enforces audit policies on apps and all data stored in its cloud.

8 – Secure your Management Console

The cloud computing console is the life-line of your entire data centre. This means, the management console must always be protected at all times, or else it could be hacked for ransom, as in the case of Code Spaces, which was forced to close after the hackers deleted all of its data when the ransom was not paid.

Points to Consider Before Selecting the Best Cloud Backup Provider

August 4, 2016 Rob Mackle

Cloud backup has become popular in the cloud technology space due to its automation capability, effectiveness and reliability. Advanced cloud backup technology offers a variety of services to customers and businesses. Therefore, it has become essential to consider basic factors before selecting a backup service provider. Businesses must know the relevant questions to distinguish between business grade and customer-focused services in order to meet their needs.

Versatility and Performance

Companies could reduce data backup time if they choose a cloud backup services. It is a specialty service that provides not only faster backups, but also faster restores as compared to traditional options, like tape.

There are many backup service providers that offer remarkable figures to show how helpful their procedure is in minimizing the data volume that is backed up on daily basis. The statistics differ in various environments, so it is essential to get proof of advertized statistics. In addition, the service must support different type of platforms and apps like Mac, UNIX, Linux, Windows, Oracle, Dynamics, SharePoint, SQL Server, VMWare, Hyper-V, and Microsoft Exchange.

Questions to Ask:

1/ How does the duplication process work? Is the process file level or block level?

2/ What is the type of applications and operating systems that are supported by this technology?

3/ Is it possible to use a customized service to meet business needs?

4/ Is it a hybrid cloud supported service?

Compliance and Security

When companies manage confidential information, it is obligatory to consider compliance and security measures. Many service providers give guarantees of encrypted data at all stages. They make sure that the encryption key is not accessible by employees or other third party service providers.

Some service providers are ISO certified, perhaps ISO 9001 and ISO 27001. These certificates give proof that the service provider has serious intentions towards data protection and management.

Some companies are unwilling to backup their data outside of Europe or USA due to security concerns and legislative issues. Before selecting a service provider, companies need to check as to where the data will reside.

Questions for Comparing Service Providers

1/ How does this service provider encrypt data?

2/ Does the provider focus on consumers or is it a business solution?

3/ What are the types of data centers in which data will be stored?

4/ Will the service provider deduplicate data? If so, what is the procedure of deduplicating encrypted data?

5/ Is the provider certified for an ISO? (ISO 9001 and ISO 27001)

Pricing

Pricing is an important factor for businesses while considering a backup service provider. Transferring expenses from CAPEX to OPEX model is a significant factor; as many companies have a preference for CAPEX for accounting purposes. Some service providers can give high value and quality service with reasonable rates that can meet business needs of all customers.

Questions to Ask

1/ Does the provider charge for download and upload of data?

2/ Does the price depend on licensing or cost per GB?

3/ Are there any extra charges?

4/ Does the provider send quarterly, monthly or annual bill with arrears or in advance?

Availability and Service Levels

To select a reliable platform, get some references from existing customers in similar industry. Companies can ask about assurances related to uptime, downtime, the type of disk to save data (age, RAID and drive specification), nature of resilience in network, location of the support team and their availability through email and telephone.

Vendor lock-in

Before finalizing a provider, ask about their shortest contract period and the level of services they provide. Inquire about restrictions regarding terminating the service, cost and procedure for accessing and downloading data after cancelling the agreement.

Is it Safer to Backup Data in the Cloud?

July 11, 2016 Rob Mackle

Data backup and protection is an important matter; and it becomes more sensitive when you try to backup data to an offsite server with the help of cloud based services. Although the concern is understood, cloud based data is automated, very safe, efficient, and the data is backed up to geographically dispersed locations, typically far away from the origin. As a result, natural disasters, such as tornadoes, wild fire, floods, etc. won’t affect it. The system is also efficient because it doesn’t require hardware changes and more storage space is always available for the users. But, is it safe for everyone? Is there any chance of hacking? I will give answer of these questions below.

Keep in mind that not all cloud backup services are the same. They differ in technology, years of experience, and management. But, one thing is clear that you must know your wants and needs when it comes to protecting your data.

Where is the Data Stored?

The cloud has become more popular, but most don’t seem to know what it actually means. Most of the people have concept that using the data storage service is risky because they think that all the data in the cloud usually go to a cyberspace where hackers can easily go and access it without any problem.

Well, this could be true if you are not using reliable data storage services. Cloud is a very simple service with data servers in data centres, connected with the main storage and user’s personal account. Internet is a network of servers that carries the data to and from data centres, just like a highway is for vehicles.

Data centres are very protective areas where highly skilled and reliable workers are appointed for the management of servers. In most of the cases, only a few reliable persons are given access to these data centres. The workers are allowed to access the data centres with several physical security options and with the permission of users, who provide the secret PIN to open the storage vaults. Video surveillance system is used for 24x7x365 in order to ensure security of data. Many do not label their data centre as “Data Centre”, for security reasons; they are just typical buildings that blend with the neighbourhood buildings.

Data centres can not be physically robbed. We have never heard such stories. However, it has a cyber-based system linked to the computers of users. No doubt that there is a minimal risk of cyber-crime or data hacking, but it is very rare, because cloud backup companies have come up with sophisticated systems that can keep hackers off their servers.

Hackerproof?

Is backing up in the cloud really hackerproof? The simple answer is yes and no. If the technology used is a sub-standard, hackers can get access to the data centres with the help of specialised hacking protocols. However, the latest security systems have made it very difficult. For instance, multiple security levels (using emails, phone numbers, and physical statements) have made it almost impossible for hackers to access and compromise data.

Your data is much more secure being backed up in the cloud, where it is handled by qualified security experts than it is in the basement of your home. Modern security applications and tools are implemented in order to ensure that there will be no risk. On the other hand, users are also encouraged to monitor the activities.

Mitigating Security Risks in the Cloud

July 1, 2016 Kris Price

Many understand the importance of data and agree that data should be protected in an efficient manner. Companies are also realising that moving essential services to the cloud — from CRM to voice to communications — has many advantages. In order to develop an efficient data protection, storage and transfer protocol, most rely on the cloud. The Cloud based models are more flexible, efficient, scalable, and integrated. These have great potential to save money. On the other hand, careless, unplanned migration to the cloud could bring its own issues and risks, and therefore, a careful well thought after plan is needed before migrating to the cloud.

Data breaches have become a daily global occurrence these days. Leading organisations, associations and groups are facing security threats on a daily basis. So, how do you minimise the chances of data loss or breach?

The cloud enables the users to store data in multiple locations for easy access and restore in case of a disaster. It is very important to have all your security related questions answered from the vendor you are planning to use. Here are some tips for users who want to reduce the risks while moving to the cloud.

Get Answers to your Security Questions:

Get connected with the online representatives and ask the basic security questions. It would be better if you discuss the concerned security matters with the experts and find out if they align with yours. In most cases, the clients ask following questions:

What type of data protection strategies does your company use to avoid data loss?

Is customer support available for 24/7?
What are the modern techniques (feature sets) being used to protect my data?
Any data breach at your company? If so, tell me how you handled it?
Do you have a security checklist template that we can check?

Partnering with a cloud based service provider has added benefits, as the provider has its own experts in house that can monitor up-time, implement security measures, monitor services around the clock, and implement necessary protocols to protect and backup the data.

Always check the proper security facilities and features. This can be done by checking the history of a cloud service provider (for instance, by talking to present and former clients, reading reviews online).

Consider the following four factors to evaluate cloud service providers:

Secure facility for storage: The cloud service provider should provide details about the security of their storage facilities. While digital security is important, security of the actual physical premises and the employees who work there are also very critical.

Preventive activities: As hackers are becoming creative to be successful in breaches to access data, service providers must have security protocols in place to stop potential risks before they actually happen. The cloud service providers should satisfy the client, for instance, by showing that they encrypt the data during its flight and at rest; monitor any risks 24/7; and inform the clients when security is a concern.

Privacy of data: Data stored in the digital data centres should be treated with high degree of security, as they are important for the users. It is required to check how a service provider maintains the privacy of data. All types of materials such as files, folders, video conferencing data, and call recording data should remain safe and secure, with encryption technologies.

Data loss protection:In case of a sudden data loss, the service provider should have an efficient data recovery system to quickly restore the data. Alert systems help in achieving an efficient data recovery.

Seven Things to Consider When Choosing a Cloud Backup Service Provider

June 22, 2016 Rob Mackle

The best approach to fully protect your data (and restoring it after a big disaster) is by simply replicating all data to a secured data centre to an off-site location.

Cloud backup is done automatically with the help of the Internet. As a matter of fact, it is very important for every company to protect their personal or official data by using a good cloud backup service by choosing an appropriate service provider.

Seven Important Features in a good cloud backup service

With thousands of cloud backup companies offering what seems to be the same services, companies looking for these services become overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. From a glance, they all all look the same. But, the fact is, they are all different. Clients need to have a service that is more efficient, reliable and cost effective. They also prefer to choose the backup service provider having efficient mechanism for the data protection and recovery from the main data centre. Clients also do not want to pay exuberant amount of money; they want a fair price.

Never choose the cloud backup service provider if he doesn’t meet the given requirements:

Data Seeding Options:Data seeding reduces initial backup time and enables the user to transfer data easily. If you have a large amount of data to backup, start the backup by sending the data in an encrypted external media.

Overnight Data Shuttle:You should ask if the company will be able to provide you with overnight shipment of critical data in case of network outage. This service is preferred by big organisations.

Security for Storage and Transfer: You need to ensure that your data is safe with the service provider. After all, it is your data. Don’t choose a company if it is unable to offer security.

There are several government agencies dictating how data storage companies handle, protect and transfer data. Is the company HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, Gram-Leach-Bliley and etc. compliant? Compliance to these regulations confirms the standing of the cloud backup company you are considering.
Ensure that all types of data transfers are fully encrypted with SSL protocols. This helps to minimise the chances of data hacking.
Check where the service provider stores the data. Ask what kind of procedure is in place to access the data centre. Does it have some kind of ID systems and video surveillance facilities?

Geographically Dispersed Data Centres: Allows redundant copies of your data in more than one location in case of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. Ensure that the data centres are at least 3,000 Km away from each other.

Data Recovery with Different Devices:The service needs to be device agnostic. Today, everyone has laptops and other gadgets such as tablets. It is necessary to choose a backup service that allows recovering the data from different devices other than the one used to backup the data.

Technical Assistance:A backup service provider must offer technical support in order to solve any issues. You should demand this feature in order to get the support you need to protect your data and perform recovery when needed.Daily Reports: This is for the information and record purposes. It is necessary to see the activities related to your data. You can easily see when and where data was transferred.