Protecting Your Information

Network, Web & Network, Web & eSecurityeSecurity SolutionsSolutions

Protecting Your InformationProtecting Your Information

How Valuable is Your Data?• Consider how much it costs to create the

data initially and how much it will cost to replace. Can it be replaced?

• Backup media and devices will ALWAYS be cheaper than replacing data

Data Access• Define a structure to how project /

company information is organized

• Indexing & searching for quick access to hard to find information

• Archiving to protect closed projects

Data Protection• Allow only the necessary file and folder access

to users. Don’t leave everything open.

• File protection to retrieve deleted files

• Version control to maintain a history of particular documents

• Antivirus and Spyware

Backup Media• DVD

• Hard drive

• Tape

Backup to DVD• Ideal for project archives and file

distribution

• Pros: cheap media, readily available, easily accessible

• Cons: storage limits, poor backup automation

Backup to Hard Drive• Quick, simple alternative to tapes for large

data backup

• Pros: readily available, cheaper every day, easily transferable between computers

• Cons: not the most portable, mechanical failure

Backup to Tape• Best solution for large, frequent data

backup and offsite copies

• Pros: widely supported, easy to automate, large storage capacities

• Cons: higher initial costs

Tape Options• Travan – up to 20 GB • DAT / DDS – up to 36 GB• DLT – up to 800 GB • LTO – up to 400 GB

• Above values all native data per tape. Understand reported compression sizes which always assumes 2:1 compression.

Offsite & Redundant Backup• Have multiple offsite backups – monthly,

quarterly, yearly

• For critical items, make redundant backups (e.g.) accounting data, project archives

Common Failures• No regular backup

• No verification and validation

• Lack of structure / organization

• Open file access

Data Access Assessment• Are files and folders properly protected

from improper access?• Does the business have a standard way of

organizing project documents?• Is project email organized for team

members to share?• Can project documents be searched?• Is remote access available? If so, are

proper security barriers in place?

Data Protection Assessment• Is there live data protection? (RAID 1 or RAID

5)• Are scheduled backups done? When? Full?

Differential? Incremental?• Are offsite backups maintained?• Are redundant backups done for critical data?• Are backups checked?• Are backups tested?• How long will it take you to retrieve lost / deleted

files?

Questions