3 Potential issues to watch out for during virtualization
Virtualization can boost operational efficiencies like never before, but you have to understand that the benefits aren’t always immediate. As valuable as it is, it does come with flaws to those who don’t know how to properly adopt it. Here are a few concerns that can become an issue in virtualization adoption. Backing up data can be such a hassle Incorporating a robust backup system in a virtualized setting can become a huge challenge. This is because you have to determine which data you want to store and how often it should be backed up, then you have to decide whether you should back up all your virtual machines or just some vital ones that have important apps and data. In short, the amount of data that needs to be backed up can be overwhelming. The only way to overcome this is to integrate a powerful virtual backup solution offered by a reputable managed services provider (MSP). Ensuring security complicates the virtualization process Security concerns are more complicated in a virtualized setting since you have to monitor security on a couple of tiers: virtual machine security and physical host security. If a physical host server is compromised, let us say by someone plugging in an infected USB drive into one of its ports, it will affect every virtual machine running on it. In a similar way, a compromised virtual machine may disrupt the physical server and may affect other virtual machines residing on the same host. To address this, you need to set up strong network defenses, including firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, antivirus software, and virtual machine security tools. Beyond these, you also need a hardened physical security system comprised of surveillance cameras, locks, biometric scans, and security guards. Of course, if you don’t have the funds to set these up, it may make more sense to leave it to a security-conscious MSP. Monitoring your systems is resource-intensive Since your team has to oversee both virtual machines and physical servers to ensure you have a fully operational environment, they’ll experience a couple of pain points. First, running monitoring software on a physical host server is likely to impede the performance of the virtual machines on that server since the former takes up precious processing power and memory. You’ll practically have to monitor your monitoring system to ensure that it’s not hogging the resources of your servers. Second, keeping tabs on your virtual machines and making sure they’re secure and running at all times is a full-time job. So unless you have a team of professionals in-house, you’ll definitely need some help from the outside. Without a doubt, virtualization brings a lot of benefits to the table, but you have to know how it affects every aspect of your business. Let us show you how you can use it to its full potential. Just give us a call today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Data Protection Laws and PIIs
Data Protection Laws and PIIs Last week we discussed the overall concept of “Data Protection Laws,” which govern the handling and securing of specific data. While these laws are wide ranging, most of these laws reference Personally Identifiable Information (PII) This “refers to information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, either alone or when combined with other personal or identifying information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual.” (https://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104256) For example, if you possess an individual’s first initial and last name and store it with their credit card number, bank account, SSN or driver’s license number, that becomes a PII. At the Federal level, the United States doesn’t have any overarching and comprehensive data protection laws of the sort that most European nations do, but they do exist and primarily affect individual sectors, such as healthcare. Presently 48 states in the US have some laws requiring private or governmental entities to notify anyone whose data has been breached. In other words, if you possess personal data, you may have a regulatory responsibility to report the breach to both a government entity and the individual victim. Failure to do so may mean you’re in violation of these laws and subject to fines and penalties. So what does this mean for a small business? You need to be aware of the likelihood that you are regulated by such laws and that you have some responsibility to show that you have taken reasonable measures and put in place procedures to maintain the security and integrity of outside data. As a responsible business owner, you have an obligation to be aware of any applicable laws, keeping in mind that your client or prospect data may include PII from those in other states or countries. You also have an obligation to protect that data. Keeping up with the best practices for protecting your important data from hackers and data thieves is an important responsibility of every small business. Contact a Managed Service provider to learn how they can support your business with a complete cyber protection plan.