Safe storage is a cornerstone of cybersecurity. Where and how businesses store their data is important not only to protecting their own data, but that of their customers, too. To that end, IBM’s FlashSystem has added a new protection mechanism called Safeguarded Copy.
Read on to learn more about what this system includes, how it works and tips for setup.
Safeguarded Copy defined
IBM’s Safeguarded Copy is designed to prevent the data vulnerabilities that would otherwise compromise a system, either intentionally or accidentally. As the name suggests, it makes frequent copies of production environments, to provide backup should there ever be a data breach. Whereas FlashCopy made copies every one to two weeks, Safeguarded Copy makes a duplicate every hour or few hours.
Incorporating these copying features into your technology stack is a key part of a proactive cybersecurity plan. Safeguarded Copy works with the IBM FlashSystem to copy the data stored and save it to another tightly secured location.
Faster recovery
In the case of a cyber attack, data can be stolen, held for ransom or even destroyed. These situations can put companies at the mercy of the ransomware thieves and cost them significant sums. While an ideal solution would be to protect data to the point of zero weaknesses or chances for attacks, the reality is that attacks happen all the time.
That’s why fast recovery is essential for a successful cybersecurity plan.
The SafeGuarded Copy system uses backup capacity, production volume, and recovery volume. Let’s explore more details on what the entails.
Backup capacity
As data is being copied, the backup capacity feature offers safeguard pools inside of the storage system. Back up any size data source without worrying about how much space is available or where the source will be stored.
Production volume
As developers write new code and more data is collected from customers, the production volume will copy the data into mirrored, remote-copy operations. Because data is created on a single volume, production volume systems like Metro Mirror or Global Mirror by IBM will create duplicate data. If data is separated by a significant distance, the production volume will create a primary and secondary copy in the case of a disaster like a system failure or an attack.
Recovery volume
A recovery volume is used to store a backup while production continues to run on its own volume. It’s useful in preventing data loss. For example, after a cyberattack has been made, the recovery volume can securely grant a host access to a backup.
While data is being copied or restored, the Safeguarded system can also identify vulnerabilities to attacks, diagnose production issues and validate each data copy.
Hybrid cloud storage
IBM’s new Storage as a Service system offers the opportunity to protect your data stored on the cloud with the same amount of security as if it were stored locally. The Safeguarded Copy has the capability to store data in a special location that is not connected to any servers. It cannot be deleted or tampered with unless this was predetermined during setup.
The system will help you determined where to best recover your files in the case of an attack to ensure every active participant knows what to do and what their plan of defense should be.
Storage virtualization in FlashSystem can help exaggerate the functions of Safeguarded Copy to more than 500 different storage systems.
With more flexible storage functions that are backed up by functional safety measures like Safeguarded Copy, your data infrastructure can grow with confidence. As your teams become more confident through proactive cybersecurity plans, your business can grow without the lingering fear of an attack.
Learn more about proactive approaches and hybrid cloud storage functions on our blog or reach out to us directly for more information.
