With less than two months to become compliant with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the CEO of UAE-based IT infrastructure and information management consultancy and solutions provider Condo Protego, Andrew Calthorpe outlines a 3-step process for GDPR compliance.
Going into effect on 25 May 2018, GDPR says that any organization that does business with the European Union needs to secure, identify, and delete data. Non-compliance risks fines of 20 million Euros or 4 percent of revenue. However, nearly half (47 percent) of organizations will not be GDPR compliant in time, and one in five (21 percent) fear closure, according to a recent report from Veritas.
Here are the three steps of discovery, sorting, and taking action that CIOs can follow:
1. Data Discovery
First step is for organizations to understand their data. More than half (54 percent) of an organization’s data is considered “dark” –unclassified or unable to be easily analyzed, according to the Veritas “Databerg” report. To search, discover, and review data, UAE CIOs need to rapidly modernize their information management and IT infrastructure.
2. Data Sorting
Nearly half – 42 percent – of organizations cannot determine which data should be saved, Veritas reports. This is an issue, as GDPR requires organizations to retain data while still being used for its original purpose, but deleted afterwards. Data security and protection go hand-in-hand with data classification.
3. Taking Action
UAE organizations immediately need to take a proactive approach to GDPR, and are increasingly adopting the VERITAS 360 Data Management for GDPR solution.
This solution helps organizations to assess their GDPR compliance, then deliver a holistic organization-wide strategy to become compliant. These same data analytics and protection can also enable new digital business models and customer experiences.
GDPR-related solutions will be on display at the major technology event Veritas Vision Solution Day UAE on 30 April, bringing together the region’s Veritas customers and partners. Condo Protego will serve as the event’s lead Platinum-level sponsor.
