Data growth is explosive. That is no great secret and certainly nothing new. Yet, as our Future of Operations study reveals, SMBs across the APAC region are investing in AI and analytics to unlock the full value of their data.
As data volume and value grows, the more critical it becomes to protect against associated cybersecurity threats, operational disruptions and punitive regulatory actions.
Although commonly associated with data backup and recovery, the very definition of Data Protection is changing as the rapid uptake of AI and an accelerated shift to hybrid cloud architectures expand the threat surface.
Cybersecurity and continuity are converging in platforms and in practice, and this has implications for how partners approach Data Protection strategies, solutions and services.
Our new Data Protection Playbook series is designed with this in mind.
In this post, I’ll explain why partners need new playbooks, and where you can get them.
From the café owner storing loyalty program details in the cloud, to the regional accounting firm managing thousands of client tax records, data is the lifeblood of a business’ ability to grow and innovate.
Data feeds essential business applications driving everything from finance and payroll to inventory management and marketing. Continuous availability of data underpins business survival in the digital world. In addition, well-structured, good quality data is essential to AI initiatives that can give businesses a competitive edge.
The reality is that every SMB is sitting on more data than they think, and more risk than they may realise. Whilst not all data may be thought of as valuable enough to protect, every byte can represent the missing piece of a puzzle that solves a problem for the business, or that unlocks a new attack vector for a malicious third party.
The inherent value of business data is what makes it the #1 target for cybercriminals. From ransomware that halts operations to accidental (or intentional) leaks that invite fines and create reputational damage, the threats are multiplying.
Too many SMBs remain unaware and exposed, vulnerable to the wrong click, a long data access outage, or an unanswerable question from a regulator.
Some SMBs already know they need help, although too often this realisation comes after a ransomware scare, a failed restore test, or a near miss with a compliance audit.
As Artificial Intelligence enters the mainstream, it has shone a harsh light on the lag and gaps in SMB data strategies, from infrastructure and architecture, security and continuity, through to management, compliance and governance.
Today, data is both a catalyst for growth and innovation, and a significant inhibitor to the uptake of emerging technologies that are needed to drive those outcomes.
As a result, SMBs are shifting gears and prioritising investments that enable both better use and better protection of their data assets.
This is evident in the data from Crayon’s Future of Operations study which shows the solutions they will adopt to support their business strategies:
All of this signals a growing need, and that data protection should be on the agenda for your next customer meeting, (if it’s not already).
The data shows that many SMBs are already moving to address gaps between their cybersecurity and continuity platforms and processes.
For partners, this presents a prime opportunity to position Data Protection plays that encompass both.
Crayon’s Data Protection Playbook series is designed to help you take these conversations to market, quickly and confidently.
Spanning four stages of customer and partner maturity, the Data Protection Playbook series guides partners through the customer maturity lifecycle, from the fundamentals of secure backup and recovery to orchestrated, AI-driven assurance.
Establishing reliable backups, secure storage and foundational governance.
Reducing tool sprawl, hardening the environment with immutability, and introducing automation to drive efficiencies, remove complexity and reduce compliance burden.
Advancing automation into use of AI-driven solutions that link protection, performance and cost control.
Creating closed-loop, self-healing systems of data protection that deliver continuous, certifiable assurance.
Each Playbook tracks how your scope as a partner expands across the customer maturity lifecycle, providing practical approaches you can use to steer the conversation over time.
Download the first Data Protection Playbook: Pre-Adoption and Exploration today!
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