31 July 2023

Manikandan Thangaraj, vice president, ManageEngine

Through the cloud, companies are generating more and more data, so effective and efficient data backup and recovery strategies have become increasingly critical. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as powerful tools in this field, helping to revolutionise the way organisations approach data backup.

The growth in cyberthreats is also a recognised concern and robust data backup and recovery systems have become critical to organisations in dealing with the ever-growing threat landscape.

So, how are AI and ML technologies helping to make data backup solutions more efficient?

Reducing risk with predictive analytics: One key advantage of AI and ML in data backup is their ability to identify and mitigate potential data loss risks before they occur. By analysing historical data patterns and predicting future trends, these technologies can proactively identify areas of vulnerability and implement measures to prevent data loss.

Greater efficiencies with automated backups: Another benefit is their ability to automate repetitive and time-consuming backup tasks, freeing up IT resources to focus on more strategic initiatives. This can ensure that data backups are frequently taken and stored in secure locations, which not only improves productivity, but also reduces the risk of human error, improving data quality and accuracy.

Intelligent disaster recovery: AI and ML technologies can help with the intelligent recovery of data by, for example, switching to a disaster recovery site when a primary site fails. They can prioritise which data set needs to be restored first, and determine which backup copy is unaffected by a cyberattack to use for restoration. This can minimize downtime and speed up recovery time in the event of a disaster.

Building trust in digital working: Flexible working is emerging as one of the biggest cybersecurity threats for modern businesses. Emerging tools like enterprise data replication (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR) can help promptly detect and remediate threats. Paired with a data loss prevention solution that monitors and prevents leakage of sensitive corporate data, these tools can form the basis of a more robust security posture. To further support this, security teams should also implement a Zero Trust Network Access model, allowing employees to access corporate data anywhere, from any device or app—but only after verification and authorization.

Regardless of the data backup technology used, the data must be securely stored. Because backed-up data can be stored in a variety of storage devices, data storage systems play a critical role in the backup infrastructure. The AI-driven storage market is projected to reach $162.5 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 26.7% from 2022 to 2031.

AI and their growing importance for data storage systems

Storage systems with AI capabilities support real-time monitoring of multiple storage devices and help manage them efficiently with limited human intervention. Here are the top five reasons why they are crucial for organizations today:

· In backup storage devices, AI helps predict and remediate potential hardware faults before they occur to prevent downtime and device failures.
· The predictive capabilities of an AI system help detect anomalies, such as insufficient storage capacity and improper configuration of storage devices, which helps administrators provide effective resource planning.
· An AI-powered data deduplication system can significantly reduce the amount of storage required for backups by identifying and eliminating redundant data, helping to lower hardware costs.
· Using machine learning algorithms, AI can automate data classification and retrieval, making it easier to identify the most critical files and restore them quickly.
· AI helps businesses stay compliant with industry regulations by providing automated compliance monitoring and reporting tools.

It's also important to note that AI-driven backup systems require significant hardware resources, such as high-performance CPUs and GPUs, to support the computation requirements of the AI algorithms. This is a one-time investment that enables organizations to reap the overall benefits of AI.

Businesses that embrace AI in their data management and storage systems are more likely to gain a competitive advantage as they leverage the power of data to drive business growth and innovation. Overall, the rise of AI and ML in data backup presents a significant opportunity for organizations to improve their data resilience and ensure business continuity in an increasingly data-driven world.

However, it’s no good having all the latest AI defences in place if employees don’t know how to work with them. Regular training should be organised to make sure staff are advised of the latest attack campaigns and potential breaches – and equipped to avoid accidentally enabling a breach. Prevention is better than a cure, after all.