| Data storage and protection has become an integral | | | | The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure mandate how |
| part of nearly every business going forward through | | | | electronic data has to be maintained in light of legal |
| the 21st century. A global, digital economy had | | | | actions. All data, including e-mail, instant messaging |
| practically mandated the adoption of information | | | | chats, documents, and any other electronically stored |
| technology resources and data management in order | | | | information, has to be stored in its native file type |
| to stay competitive and meet compliance. The | | | | along with meta data describing each piece of |
| transfer and use of sensitive data, including that of a | | | | information. IT assessments will take all regulations |
| financial, medical or personal nature, requires effect | | | | into consideration when designing IT systems. |
| data protection solutions to secure information. | | | | Compliance and Certification |
| Technology implementations can be complicated in | | | | Beyond eDiscovery, there are many other types of |
| order to meet business needs, but any company can | | | | government or industry standards and regulations. |
| still benefit from them with IT assessment services. | | | | Data protection solutions can be tailor made to meet |
| Using ten metrics, these comprehensive IT | | | | any and all retention guidelines for sensitive and |
| assessments can enable a company to implement | | | | personal data. Medical and legal firms are prime |
| and utilize highly effective and secure data systems. | | | | candidates for turnkey systems set to meet those |
| Utilizing Assets | | | | guidelines. Automated backup, retention, and archival |
| IT assessments measure all assets that are available | | | | routines ensure comprehensive solutions. |
| to a company in-house, how they are currently used, | | | | Archiving and Retention Requirements |
| and where change would be most effective. Existing | | | | The most basic approach to managing data |
| systems are checked for data center colocation for | | | | protection is to simply save everything. While |
| remote backup services, extra data security, and | | | | effective, this method is highly inefficient and carries |
| improved efficiency. | | | | extraneous costs. Systems can be delineated with |
| Efficient Operation | | | | multiple priority levels to specify retention time |
| One stumbling block that many companies will face is | | | | frames, degree of access required, or any other |
| inefficient IT resources that lead to unnecessary | | | | metric. Reducing the data size footprint will translate |
| expenses. Typically, it requires a firm that specializes | | | | into direct IT cost savings. |
| in technology to be able to develop top efficiency | | | | Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and Mission |
| data protection solutions. Utilizing such a company is | | | | Critical Data |
| the best way to have that know-how disseminated | | | | Robust contingency plans are included in any fully |
| in order to effectively leverage cost savings. IT | | | | specified system. Data can be lost to natural |
| assessments will identify the best way to achieve a | | | | disasters, equipment failure, power loss, and even |
| client's needs, whether the solution is in-house, | | | | simple accidents in the case of stored tapes. Disaster |
| remote servicer, or data center colocation. | | | | recovery can be extremely expensive in both |
| Distributed Locations and Remote Options | | | | recovery costs and lost income and opportunities. |
| Offering flexibility, data center colocation is often one | | | | Data center colocation and virtualization are utilized to |
| of the best methods for efficient systems. This | | | | great effect in ensuring mission critical data is always |
| process allows for virtual servers and remote backup | | | | available even in crisis situations. |
| services to consolidate data onto a high-efficiency, | | | | Recording Sensitive Data |
| secure storage medium. Utilizing distributed locations | | | | Data can be categorized under multiple priority levels |
| also safeguards against natural disasters, equipment | | | | to match sensitive data to the appropriate retention |
| of housing failures, and even blackouts. Managed IT | | | | time, recovery time, and associated storage cost. |
| services can be coordinated from a central firm that | | | | Some data needs to be stored and accessed on |
| does not have to be physically located with the | | | | regular basis, and is stored on disks for easier access. |
| stored data. | | | | Long-term archival data that does not require |
| Virtual Systems | | | | frequent use can be stored on cost efficient media |
| The ability to separate IT applications from its | | | | with longer recovery times to minimize costs. |
| underlying hardware is the inherent quality of the | | | | Forecasting Information Growth |
| virtualization paradigm. A powerful option, IT | | | | When it comes to IT, corporate information is |
| infrastructure including networks, software, | | | | growing at a steady pace from fifty to eighty |
| applications, hardware, and even operating systems | | | | percent per annually. This quickly growing demand |
| can be offered remotely. Virtual setups can remove | | | | puts pressure on even newer systems in order to |
| capital investments and change the entire cost | | | | cope. Professional IT assessments will take all growth |
| structure into solely operating expenses, paid on a | | | | opportunities into consideration to create systems |
| per-use basis. Virtualization is also a common method | | | | that can scale with future demands, but not be over |
| for quickly expanding existing capabilities, as virtual | | | | specified in the meantime. |
| resources are identical and compatible to traditional | | | | IT assessments will uncover any client's exact needs |
| infrastructure. | | | | by using these ten comprehensive metrics. |
| Electronic Discovery | | | | |