It’s that time of year to reflect back on 2015 and set new goals. Are you one of the 45% who chose to set resolution goals? If so, did you honestly stick to your goals? Congratulations if you did! Only 8% were successful in achieving resolution goals.
I barely managed to meet my goal of improving my rankings as a triathlete. In a moment of insanity, I signed up for a half-ironman. Several months and a few hundred hours of training later, I was race ready. However, my race had a few glitches, and I wasn’t prepared for the unexpected.
A Triathlon involves swimming, biking and running – in this order. Each triathlete is typically stronger at one of the 3 sports. For me it is biking. It is beneficial to know the strengths of the other athletes before race day. Let me give you an example of why.
The day before the race, we setup our transition areas, which includes, putting our running gear at the location where we dismount our bikes. I strategically placed my gear to ensure I had a quick exit for my run. Despite that planning, another athlete had researched my previous race results, and learned biking was my strong sport and moved my running shoes. I got off the bike in first place but it took me three minutes to find my hidden shoes! This gave her a competitive advantage. She finished a couple of minutes ahead of me and won the race.
I learned a couple of lessons in that race that we can apply to Data Protection.
- I should have held the athlete accountable by turning her into the officials. Data Protection solution needs to be accountable, ensuring data is recoverable no matter what happens or where it lives.
- One minor mishap affected the overall outcome of my race. A mishap in your Data Protection solution can be detrimental to your business. Reliable Data Protection is more than backup and recovery. It includes protection across the continuum, continuous data protection, and centralized analysis and monitoring.
- The other athlete was committed to win, albeit unfairly. It is important that your Data Protection vendor be committed to your success for years to come.
Let me ask you, is your Data Protection solution prepared for whatever might happen?
WSFS Bank knows all too well the importance of implementing a Data Protection solution that will meet unexpected demands. They found their corporate assets were growing rapidly and they struggled to complete backups on time. They found the need to review their current environment and set new goals.
As a result, WSFS implemented a new Data Protection solution that reduced backup times by 30% and recovery timeframes by 60%, enhancing the quality of customer service.
Are you redefining your backup goals? Analysts findings provide objective insight into Data Protection solutions to ensure that you are. Perhaps ask yourself a few key questions: Can you recover your systems no matter what might happen? Is your data protection vendor committed to your long-term success? What is your Data Protection strategy for 2016? Do you have one??
For me, I have a new strategy in 2016, and it will be interesting to watch the other athlete run barefoot as her shoes may disappear.