By Stacey Farrar, product marketing manager at BitTitan
In the wake of a tumultuous 2023 marked by high-profile data breaches and security incidents, data governance takes center stage in companies’ annual planning. These incidents highlight the need for a proactive data governance approach right from data’s inception or collection in the source systems.
Heading into 2024, these lessons are a stark reminder that data governance is no longer a choice but a necessity. It’s a linchpin for data security, compliance, and resilience in an increasingly data-driven world.
IT pros will ramp up data security and compliance.
With ransomware costs almost doubling in the past two years, reaching an average of $26,000 per incident and affecting businesses with costs ranging between $1 to $2.25 million, it’s no wonder IT pro will tighten security.
Companies must focus on integrating advanced security measures from the outset. Data governance helps ensure data management complies with regulations and organizational requirements by defining data ownership, categorizing data, and establishing retention guidelines. It also supports the creation of data privacy and compliance policies, data quality and accuracy standards, access controls, and security measures.
Another part of enhancing security includes employee training and awareness programs to educate staff on security threats. Human error contributes significantly to security violations, with over 74% of total breaches happening with common attacks like phishing. Training will also need to extend beyond in-house teams to third-party vendors since about 98% of organizations have at least one vendor that had a breach in the last two years.
With documented processes, ongoing training, and monitoring, data governance facilitates the implementation and enforcement of these policies. This approach ensures everyone, from internal teams to external partners, is aligned and well-versed in these security protocols.
Rapid cloud adoption will continue.
Cloud adoption surged last year, with forecasts predicting business spending will exceed $1 trillion for the first time in 2024. In part, cloud systems’ popularity soared as companies deployed hot technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs).
Governance must be integral to companies’ cloud adoption from the onset. At its core, a data governance framework synchronizes data across diverse systems, from on-premises infrastructure to cloud services. Transforming data governance into a strategic asset means stakeholders must align with the overarching business strategy to achieve scalability, cost-effectiveness, and agility.
Creating a governance framework will also involve meticulous vendor management and compliance to ensure cloud service providers meet organizational standards for security and privacy. A comprehensive governance framework includes requirements to ensure the company and the cloud provider fulfill their responsibilities and commitments. This can involve setting clear expectations and requirements for the cloud provider in the Service-Level Agreement (SLA) and defining the provider’s responsibilities regarding data management, security, compliance, and other relevant aspects.
The governance framework should establish mechanisms for monitoring and verifying that both parties meet their obligations to ensure a smooth and secure cloud adoption process. Additionally, governance addresses the change management aspects of cloud adoption, including employee training and managing the cultural transition to new technologies.
Remote and hybrid work will influence security standards.
While the pandemic has already set the stage, remote work numbers are expected to rise to 32.6 million Americans by 2025. The rise in remote-flex work models means IT pros must adapt infrastructure and technology to support secure access as companies adopt more cloud-based services.
Communication and collaboration tools like Google and Microsoft 365 will be where most remote work occurs. Effective governance ensures that employees are not just equipped with these tools but also well-informed about their proper use in line with security and compliance standards. This dual focus on tool proficiency and governance awareness is critical to safeguarding data in a remote work environment.
And as workers log in from various locations worldwide, sticking to regional data laws gets trickier. Governance frameworks will help IT pros establish protocols and standards tailored to manage these complexities. Consider data access, usage, and security policies that are flexible enough to accommodate diverse regional legal requirements.
Lastly, governance frameworks must include security standards for accessing company information remotely, such as safeguarding access with data encryption and multi-factor authentication. Create specific policies and guidelines for remote work and cover acceptable technology use, data handling processes, and protocols for managing and reporting incidents related to security breaches or data leaks.
Accelerated Migrations
As we move into 2024, we can’t ignore the significant trend shaking up the IT landscape – accelerated migrations. Recent data reveals that 70% of companies have fast-tracked their cloud migrations in the past year. This trend reflects a dynamic shift in technology adoption and the pivotal role IT governance will play.
Governance wears multiple hats in this context. As companies transition from one system, platform, or technology to another, a governance framework can ensure migrations occur seamlessly while minimizing disruptions to business operations.
First, it ensures that migration aligns with the organization’s strategic goals. Conduct a thorough analysis of the organization’s strategic objectives and assess how the migration aligns with these goals. The evaluation includes considering the potential benefits that migration can bring, like increased efficiency, cost savings, improved security, and regulatory compliance.
It also evaluates the potential risks associated with migration, which could include data loss, system downtime, or compatibility issues. This proactive approach involves creating comprehensive mitigation plans and strategies to minimize disruptions during the migration process.
Governance extends to determining resource allocation as well. IT pros will need to consider budgeting for and sourcing the right migration tools, considering the recruitment of additional expertise if required, and planning for any infrastructure upgrades essential to support the migration journey.
Finally, in the world of migrations, testing and validation are indispensable, and IT governance ensures that these phases are meticulously carried out. This involves conducting tests, including performance assessments, compatibility checks, and rigorous security assessments. The end goal is to guarantee a smooth transition without compromising functionality or security.
As organizations continue to accelerate their migrations in 2024, governance remains the reliable co-pilot, guiding the process, mitigating risks, managing resources, and ensuring that the show goes on without a hitch.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stacey Farrar is a product marketing manager at BitTitan, where he oversees go-to-market strategy and product messaging for MigrationWiz. His areas of expertise include cloud automation, SaaS, product marketing and management, digital marketing, customer engagement, and business development.
