Mastering the Art of Backing-Up

Data backup software is an application used to create a duplicate copy of data to safeguard it and enable recovery in the event it is lost, corrupted or infected by malware. Data protection management (DPM) on the other hand is the administration of backup processes to ensure that tasks run on schedule, and that data is securely backed up and recoverable. Good data protection management means having effective processes and methodologies in place to maintain data integrity.

ITP’s CHANNEL Middle East latest feature from Editor Manda Banda looked at modern backup and data protection management tools and opportunities for solution providers in the backup and data protection segment in the Middle East.
Read here what VAD’s Sr. Solution Architect Jithin Varghese (JV Initials) had to say in his Interview with the Editor:
 
KEY QUESTIONS:
1.         What are the modern trends shaping the progression of the backup and data protection market in the Middle East?
JV: The solution should be Hybrid (on-premise and in the cloud). From the licencing perspective, a Managed Service Provider license, in addition to the standard licensing for data center  should be available.
 
2.         What is the current state of the backup and data protection sector in the region?
JV: The importance of data protection is rising and inevitable and it’s important to have a reliable, certified backup solution which provides granular restore options for a variety of applications and hypervisors.
 
3.         What is the estimated size of the backup and data protection market in the Middle East?
JV: As of a KBV research the data protection market size should have a market growth of 14,7% CAGR during the forecast period (2017 – 2023).
 
4.         What are some of the challenges facing solution providers in the backup and data protection sector in the Middle East?
JV: They need a reliable, powerful and certified backup & recovery solution which covers a wide range of platforms, applications and hypervisors combined with progressive technologies like deduplication. Also important is a comprehensive 24x7 support for them to keep their business running.  In terms of Business Continuity Management, and excellent Disaster Recovery Solution on Bare Metal is a must.
 
5.         How is backup convergence and copy data management easing data protection woes?
JV: It gives any business and organization ease, efficiency and effective support to ensure the business continuity.
 
6.         How should solution providers make their case to the CIO and other C-level executives on which backup and data protection strategy they need to adopt in their organisation?
JV: The reason for backup is to ensure data protection and business continuity. So they need a solution which supports their business and keeps their information alive in case of a disaster. A solution they can trust on, which is certified with important applications like SAP, which is reliable and can deliver a granular disaster recovery when necessary.
 
7.         What skills sets do solution providers need to build to play successfully the backup and data protection?
JV: It is a must to understand the customers’ needs  proactively responsibly advise them for preventative measures for data protection and business continuity and provide a reliable and available data protection solution which can cover the wide range of complex customer environments.
 
8.         What criteria for vetting should solution providers use to select the backup and data protection systems?
JV: It’s important to use a solution which is certified with the different applications, and security compliance and platforms to reach the highest security level with an excellent technical and commercial vendor support. And in addition to this it’s very useful to use a solution which can deliver disaster recovery during operation failure for whatever cause, including reporting in physical environments and in virtual environments.
 
9.         Does hyper-converged infrastructure cloud backup have more benefits than traditional ways of backing up data?
JV: It has the advantage to be more independent from the hardware but it depends on the requirements of a company, the infrastructure and which data you want to give out or not and which recovery times must be reached. So, on-premise is still a proven reliable important solution.
 
10.       What will drive growth in the backup and data protection segment in the Middle East in the next 12 to 24 months?
JV: For Middle Eastern companies which are dealing with the EU the General Data Protection Rule is important. So they have to comply to make their IT infrastructure including Backup & Recovery ready for this law and to use a backup solution which can support the GDPR requirements is now a MUST.  Growth coming from GCC, in particular the construction of the Mega City of KSA will play an important role in shaping data protection in a region, The UAE and Qatar now plays important roles in pioneering data protection for their valuable private and public data but still not to the western level of compulsory compliance.  Also, Data protection is now becoming a pre-requisite for globalization.
 
The full Feature and the June2018 Edition of Channel Middle East English can be found here:
http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?eid=e11b61f3-bccc-40f5-962a-885e9311d78a
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