The Status Quo

Data security, cloud computing and ways to send large files are questions business owners and companies are faced with in our modern age of rapid digitalisation, often called the age of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Digital data and ways to transfer and send sensitive digital data and documents have replaced physical forms like paper and postal means of transfer for decades now. 

But all positives come with a negative, while the amount of paper and storage room have decreased and data access has been simplified, the files themselves have become proportionately and increasingly larger, taking up vast amounts of memory storage.

Long gone are the days when files were small enough to fit on a floppy disc.

One has to bear in mind that not only data needs to be filed and transferred – it is video presentations, dossiers, company reports etc.

To send large files such as the aforementioned as well as storing them has become a major task and the use of cloud services provide a reliable option for many.

On paper regarding data security Europe and Germany are ranking highest in the world, however in reality there are more than enough pitfalls for businesses as well as private persons.

Those pitfalls may not only become rather costly but potentially be the death of a company.

Among these pitfalls that endanger data security are software that is not updated regularly, employees who are not professionally or ill trained in handling sensitive data, the lack of a back- up strategy, ill or completely unsecured network as well as untrustworthy service-providers.

Inherent to all of these is the danger of having data fall into the wrong hands or having data irrevocably deleted by a third party. 

Ensuring The Highest Possible Standard Of Security

In order to prevent data theft or data loss in any shape or form when transferring data, it is essential to work toward the utmost security possible. 

The basics here are ensuring end-to-end encryption, high password security and a hierarchical approval process. Companies that specialise in the sector of data transfer will tailor the software to the specific needs of their customers.

Furthermore, any business will benefit from hiring an external data security consultant who will analyse data security, perform several test on the network, as for example a penetration test, to find the weak spots and spot potential gateways for cyber criminals to invade and infiltrate a network.

They will optimise the way the company will send large files – be it internally or in a data exchange with a cooperation partner. Vigilance and optimising security are key – also here.

The Right Cloud Service

Once data is handed over to the cloud service so is its safety, therefore choosing a cloud service provider is not a decision that should be made lightly.

There are elements that help in separating the wheat from the chaff and aide in coming to a decision:

As with everything else like products we mean to buy, doctors we want to consult, hotels we plan to book, ratings by other users, in this case, other companies that have used the service, are a major source of information and reassurance.

Furthermore there are two essential points to be taken into consideration: first of all the location of the server.

Is the server located in the Caribbean or certain African states?

This should make anyone suspicious. A server in Europe or Germany is one of the signs of reliability.

Secondly, the prizing – if the offer sounds too good to be true it probably is exactly that. One should be very cautious of any provider that offers services way below the prices of their competitors.

By choosing the right provider companies benefit from being able to transferring all the maintenance work as well as being able to store endless amounts of data and files without overloading their own hardware.

Backups And Software Updates

In the last few months there has been an increased coverage on a potential blackout but it is not only the threat of a blackout that should entice companies to back up their data, it is the threat of being invaded posed by cyber criminals and hackers.

Data should be stored externally on a regular basis and in regular intervals.

For this at least two different types of media should be used, this way it can be ensured that all the data can be retrieved in the process of recovering from catastrophic data loss.

Furthermore software should be updated frequently, old and outdated software is literally an invite for criminals. The longer time has passed since an update the easier it is for third parties to get into a system.

Companies that use software-as-a-service products are in the advantageous position of automated updates.

Strategies For The Future

Technological progress is the motor here, its rapidness in cloud computing, networks and data transfer is something every company will have to keep pace with.

Processes will change dramatically and companies must prioritize ensuring that they are able to provide an IT environment that will allow this progress to take root, meaning they will have to invest time and effort into turning their IT infrastructure and network into a safe haven. 

Hand in hand with this goes a flexible IT strategy, a feature that is vital. Companies must monitor current trends closely and swiftly adopt fresh developments into their own strategies.

These measures will allow them to keep up with the rapid expansion and to maintain long-term competitiveness. 

More work is needed to permanently preserve the system the more complicated the organizational structures are.

For small to medium-sized businesses, flexible cloud solutions from reliable providers are an excellent approach to guarantee efficient and safe data storage and transmission while having internal IT departments and solutions is the way to go for large organizations and multinational firms.

 A future-, flexible, adaptable,  IT strategy is key in tackling the challenges of the future.