World Backup Day highlights need for strong data resilience
As World Backup Day approaches on 31 March 2025, the focus on data resilience and cybersecurity has never been more pertinent. The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in business operations has been accompanied by increasing concerns over data reliability, security, and recovery strategies.
Matthew Hardman, Chief Technology Officer, APAC at Hitachi Vantara, emphasised the need for businesses to reconsider their backup and recovery procedures in the context of AI's expanding role. "AI models in Asia produce accurate outputs only 32% of the time," Hardman stated, highlighting issues such as data inconsistency and accessibility as barriers to fully realising AI's potential. According to Hitachi Vantara's survey, 42% of enterprises in Asia now view AI as critical, but irregular data reliability remains a significant challenge.
Hardman cautioned that the 2024 global IT outage exposed the frailties of outdated backup strategies, underscoring the necessity for more resilient data infrastructures. With expected data growth of 123% in Asia over the next two years, traditional methods are seen as unsustainable. He further noted the evolving threat landscape where ransomware attacks are not only increasing in sophistication but also in their ability to compromise backup repositories.
In his commentary, Hardman advocated for a paradigm shift towards AI-powered backup integrity to detect and neutralise threats before they can impact data systems. He suggested that enterprises adopt immutable storage and zero-trust security models to bolster data protection, ensuring that backup systems are agile enough to handle unpredictable events like cyberattacks or human errors.
Supporting this perspective, Steve Sandford, Partner in Digital Forensics & Incident Response at the cybersecurity consultancy CyXcel, reiterated the importance of robust backup strategies for data protection and business continuity. He advised businesses to adhere to the 3-2-1 backup rule, which specifies keeping three copies of data, stored on two different media, with one copy offsite. "Regularly backing up your files is crucial," Sandford stated, warning of the risks posed by data loss, downtime, and financial damage from ransomware attacks or hardware failures.
Sandford also recommended automating backups and encrypting data, as well as employing immutable storage to prevent data tampering. "Regular integrity testing also ensures recoverability when needed," he added, stressing that a well-structured backup plan is vital for reducing risks, ensuring compliance, and strengthening disaster recovery protocols.
As companies increasingly operate across hybrid and multi-cloud ecosystems, integrating these strategies becomes essential not just for compliance, but for the broader need to ensure continuous business operations. The advice from industry experts emphasises that while AI is a transformative force in business, its success is heavily reliant on the robustness of underlying data systems. Next week's World Backup Day serves as a reminder that investing in data resilience now will fortify businesses against future challenges posed by technological and cyber threats alike.
Overall, embracing these enhanced backup strategies is viewed as critical for organisations seeking to maintain competitive in a rapidly digitalising world. As digital transformation continues apace, businesses that align their AI projects with robust infrastructure and comprehensive safeguards are expected to thrive, leveraging AI not just as an operational tool, but as a driver of innovation and security.
