Top 5 Information Governance Challenges: The Impact of Cloud
This is the second article in a series adapted from the AIIM eBook titled, Minimize Business Risk that focuses on five key areas Information Professionals and business leaders can teach employees in regards to the the importance of IG and align the organization to support your IG initiatives, policies, and practices.
Does your IG program address cloud?
Storing data in the cloud plays a role in every organization today, whether you realize it or not and whether it is sanctioned or not. Your information governance (IG) program must address use of the cloud as a data repository and as a collaboration tool for sharing information between individuals. It is important to identify who is responsible for maintaining your corporate data stored in the cloud, how it is organized and the approved processes and technology for migrating data.
One of the things that we learned is many companies implement cloud but never truly address how to deal with migration and deletion of content from their network drives and file-shares. This results in massive amounts of duplication across the enterprise. Here are a few things you need to ask in relation to cloud:
- What information do you have and is there any confidential information to be concerned with?
- What criteria should be used in selecting a cloud solution?
- What steps should be taken to migrate to the cloud and eliminate redundant, outdated and trivial (ROT) content?
The most effective approach to cloud use is one that is proactive and forward thinking rather than reactive and short sighted.
What information do you have and is there any confidential information to be concerned with?
Take inventory of your information assets. Especially with any PII, identify who is responsible for it, how it is being used, and how it is being shared.
What criteria should be used in selecting a cloud solution?
Select a cloud solution that will provide the right security and access controls and train your user base on how to use it properly.
What steps should be taken to migrate content to the cloud and eliminate ROT?
Formulate and implement a migration strategy and timeline to eliminate ROT. Monitor the migration activity to ensure that the strategy is being implemented efficiently and cost effectively.
Closing Thoughts
Cloud is here and in use, whether approved or unapproved. The best approach is to embrace cloud use, include it in your IG program and provide guidance as to how it should be used, what should be stored in the cloud, and how to properly dispose of content that is moved to the cloud.
There are many resources available to help if you do not have the expertise available in-house. There are consultants, contractors, and even closer than you may think, your solutions providers. These are folks who work with their customers every day to ensure their business needs and requirements are met, and have been involved in many operations worldwide. Seek their advice as well. You can also download the latest eBook on this topic titled “Minimize Business Risk – Top 5 Information Governance Obstacles You Must Tackle Now” to get some great insight on steps you can take today.
By Bob Larrivee, Vice President and Chief Analyst of Market Intelligence, AIIM
Produced in Partnership with Canon Business Process Services
Available for download with permission.