Soarsoft International focuses on controlling information governance and data storage costs at 2014 CIO Challenge

Information volumes continue to grow at an unprecedented rate, particularly randomly generated and unstructured data belonging to the modern information worker. This is also a result of the way we interact and transact with the many new business and electronic platforms on mobile devices, cloud-based infrastructure and services.  This increases complexity with regards to managing information and risk as well as gaining control of the retentions and disposition in accordance with legislation and the new privacy requirements around personal information. As a result, information governance requires a new ‘in-place’ mind-set around the management of data and where it lies. Fortunately, it may not be as difficult to implement as it seems. 

‘Intelligent’ Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) has become a critical tool for organisations, allowing them to make the most of their data without the requirements for old fashioned heavy lifting, centralisation or platform heavy ‘move to manage’ scenarios. Soarsoft International will be taking part in the CIO Challenge in October and provide an in-depth discussion of how these issues are affecting many organisations and how to manage information governance and data storage costs. 

ILM is essential in assisting organisations to gain an understanding of what data they have and what data can be safely or ‘defensibly’ deleted in a controlled process, while also preventing storage costs from spiralling out of control. Having the appropriate policies, processes and technologies to drive the management and defensible deletion of Redundant Obsolete or Trivial (ROT), and often ‘risky’ information is essential to maintaining good corporate governance and control over personal or information that may pose a risk.   

Furthermore, hoarding data indiscriminately beyond its usefulness and even beyond its required retention periods, is a costly exercise. This cost includes not only the storage space required, but the costs of backup, redundancy and network connectivity, as well as the potential hidden risks within the redundant data. Without proper information governance, this risk is impossible to control. As a result of recent legislation such as the Protection of Personal Information (PoPI) Act, there is also a growing requirement to ‘tighten’ up data governance and the policies and practices around data within an organisation. 

The information landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, and ILM tools and processes need to adapt to meet these changes. Intelligent ILM, information governance and data management solutions are vital for giving visibility to what data organisations have out there “in the wild” and giving the ability to report, monitor and take action on data wherever it may be, onsite or in the cloud.   

Visit Soarsoft International at the CIO Challenge on 29 and 30 October 2014 at Protea Hotel Balalaika in Sandton to find out more about the changing information landscape, how ILM tools need to change and adapt to these challenges and how intelligent ILM solutions are vital to prevent data storage costs.  

Editorial contacts:

Soarsoft International

Chris Hathaway

Director

Tel: 021 200 2393

Email: chrish@soarsoft.co.za

Evolution PR

Lesley Rencontre

Tel: 011 462 0679

Email: Lesley@evolutionpr.co.za