74% of Indian companies overwhelmed by data as security, sustainability challenges grow: Study

Nearly 74 per cent of Indian companies are overwhelmed by the amount of data they manage and 75 per cent are concerned their current infrastructure will be unable to adapt to meet their organization’s data needs, according to a new survey from Hitachi Vantara, the modern infrastructure, data management and digital solutions subsidiary of Hitachi. The Hitachi Vantara Modern Data Infrastructure Dynamics Report also revealed that most companies expect their data needs to nearly double in the next two years, and that both protecting and managing the rapid growth of data in an actionable and sustainable way are further complicating efforts. 

The company conducted a global survey of 1,288 C-level executives and IT decision-makers, including 82 in India, to quantify the extent to which organizations are struggling to manage their data infrastructure in a secure and sustainable way. Key India findings include:

• Leaders say that data is their most valuable asset but are concerned about the security and resilience of their data infrastructure; 68 per cent of leaders are concerned they cannot detect a data breach in time to protect data.
• 75 per cent of leaders are concerned over whether their organization’s data infrastructure is resilient enough to recover data from ransomware attacks.
• 21 per cent of respondents admitted that important data was not backed up and 27 per cent had experienced data inaccessibility due to storage outages.
• 76 per cent of IT leaders currently measure their data center’s energy consumption; however, 28 per cent acknowledged that their data infrastructure uses too much energy and 43 per cent admitted their sustainability policies don’t address the impact of storing unused data.
   

“While 79 per cent of the organisations stated that they stored every piece of data, on an average, 42 per cent of it remains as ‘dark data’ or unused. This clearly highlights the lack of establishment of strategy and data infrastructure tools to leverage data with maximum efficiency,” stated Hemant Tiwari, Managing Director- India, Hitachi Vantara. “To stay ahead of the market, it is essential for businesses to proactively adopt infrastructure modernization techniques that offer greater agility, speed, reliability, embedded AI/ML and protection of data, while requiring significantly less space and energy.”

A Hybrid Cloud World

The study also shed light on the future of data storage, with the hybrid cloud model leveraging a mix of public/private cloud, co-location and on-premises expected to persist. For India business leaders, the study found data stored in an already established hybrid cloud with percentages of data center workloads located almost evenly between the public cloud (26 per cent), private cloud (25 per cent), on-premises (26 per cent), and co-located/managed services (20 per cent). Notably, public and private cloud are both expected to rise slightly to 28 per cent in the coming two years with on-premises dropping to 22 per cent.

Prioritizing Infrastructure Modernization Makes a Difference

The results of the study also indicate most organizations recognize the importance of working with third-party vendors for security, storage, and application services. Among the India leaders surveyed, 50  per cent said they needed the most help improving cybersecurity, and 79  per cent want to see data infrastructure solutions providers use their expertise to actively aid in the environment. The report emphasized the significance of implementing a deliberate strategy for becoming a data-driven company. To achieve this goal, business leaders can take the following steps:

• Modernization is essential to overcome the bottleneck of legacy systems that hinder digital transformation. By adopting modern data infrastructure, IT leaders can dynamically scale their systems, improve performance efficiency, and optimize costs by paying only for what is utilized.
• Empowering users is crucial for quick decision-making based on available data. To address this issue, businesses are encouraged to establish a comprehensive security and access framework while providing training to employees to ensure responsible data usage.
• Limiting waste is vital to maximize the value of data. To combat data waste, bold leaders are advised to prioritize data cleanup initiatives and to streamline operations and enhance overall efficiency.

By embracing these three steps, business leaders can propel their organizations towards becoming data-driven, unlocking new opportunities for growth and success.