Data protection encompasses a wide array of practices, including not only data security but also backup and disaster recovery, secure data storage, business continuity, resilience, and adherence to data privacy regulations. Furthermore, data protection platforms play a crucial role in proactively managing and overseeing data, ensuring its availability and accessibility for advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning initiatives.

For hybrid cloud environments, data protection integrates security solutions and cloud management tools, alongside strategies that merge both areas of expertise.

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In the past, organizational data was typically safeguarded within the physical boundaries of a data center. However, today, data is distributed across various internet of things (IoT) devices, remote endpoints, edge locations, and multiple cloud service providers. According to the Thales Group, a technology firm specializing in defense, security, and aerospace, 60% of corporate data is now stored in the cloud, a significant increase from 30% in 2015. Moreover, 80% of enterprises have embraced a hybrid computing model.

Here are the primary reasons necessitating data protection platforms in hybrid setups:

Ransomware: Unlike other types of malware that aim to disrupt network operations, ransomware specifically focuses on data theft. If a ransomware attack is carried out successfully, it can encrypt essential corporate data, causing business operations to come to an abrupt stop. Even more concerning is the fact that attackers might extract and sell this data on the dark web. The best defense against ransomware involves maintaining multiple backups of data, stored securely in the cloud.

Unplanned outages: While outages due to natural disasters are not new, the growing effects of climate change have intensified the threats. Therefore, organizations should act wisely by utilizing cloud-based disaster recovery solutions to mitigate the risks posed by such natural events.

Privacy: Global government regulations regarding data privacy are becoming increasingly stringent. Customers and employees alike expect companies to safeguard their data and offer means for data owners to manage how their information is utilized.

Misconfigurations: In the public cloud landscape, major players like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure handle the security of their infrastructures. However, enterprises utilizing these services must take charge of configuring and managing their own data effectively. A frequent cause of breaches in cloud data security stems from simple misconfigurations, such as those found in Amazon S3 storage buckets. Using tools designed for cloud security posture management can assist in pinpointing these misconfigurations and addressing other associated risks.

Artificial intelligence: Many organizations are eager to harness the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence, including innovative generative AI technologies. Yet, for these advanced analytics to be effective, they must be grounded in data that is not only secure but also reliable and easily accessible.

Volume: The amount of data being generated is surging, along with its significance to businesses. This reality places an increasing strain on enterprise IT departments to ensure the protection of all types of data, whether it originates from IoT devices, individuals, or generative AI.

Data protection solutions should encompass essential features and capabilities that effectively safeguard this valuable asset.

Data discovery/classification: This process precisely identifies the data an organization possesses and categorizes it based on sensitivity and relevant regulatory requirements. Through data discovery and classification, organizations can implement suitable levels of data protection tailored to various data types.

Vulnerability assessment: This procedure uncovers potential weaknesses within the database infrastructure, including configuration errors and other security vulnerabilities.

Data protection: This involves the implementation of layered security strategies, such as encrypting data both at rest and during transit, employing data masking, and utilizing methods such as CASB, DLP, along with strategies like air gapping and ensuring data immutability.

Monitoring and analytics: This function monitors performance, offering real-time alerts and reports by providing comprehensive visibility across hybrid cloud environments.

Access control: This management based on policy limits access to data resources, identifies and obstructs suspicious activities, and oversees user privileges.

Audit and compliance: This establishes a clear separation of responsibilities, facilitates forensic analysis and compliance evaluations, and offers reporting functionalities across on-premises, public cloud, and SaaS environments.

Performance and scalability: This ensures that data protection measures do not create bottlenecks that hinder business operations. The data protection framework should be designed for scalability and resilience.

Automation: This minimizes the need for manual involvement, reduces errors, allows staff to focus on more complex tasks, and accelerates processes, such as recovery times following outages.

Data protection can be implemented through on-premises appliances or via cloud solutions. Organizations have the option to manage their data protection systems independently or utilize a managed service.

The direction is evident: as applications and data increasingly migrate to the cloud, data protection is also following suit, largely because of the scalability, flexibility, and accessibility offered by cloud environments.

The global data protection market was valued at $136 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $610 billion by 2022, as reported by Spherical Insights and Consulting. Data protection as a service (DPaaS) represents a rapidly expanding segment within the overall data protection landscape, fueled by organizations that have embraced hybrid cloud strategies and require safeguarding of data hosted by hyperscalers and SaaS providers, alongside locally stored data. In 2024, the DPaaS market was estimated at $25 billion and is anticipated to experience a growth rate of 33% per year, reaching $100 billion by 2029, according to research findings.

Phil Goodwin, a research vice president for the Infrastructure Systems, Platforms, and Technologies Group at IDC, notes, “Data protection as a service remains a very important route to market for data protection software vendors. In some cases, this involves data protection software vendors selling directly through DPaaS solutions, while in other instances it occurs through cloud services providers. Regardless, [DPaaS] represents the fastest-growing consumption model and opportunity in the data protection sector.”

The range of vendors offering data protection solutions is extensive and continues to expand.

For companies looking to create a multivendor approach:

For those in pursuit of a singular vendor solution that encompasses both data security and backup/restore services, the 2023 Radar Report from GigaOm for Hybrid Cloud Data Protection points to Cobalt Iron, Cohesity, and Commvault as the leading providers.

In addition, GigaOm recognizes four other vendors as leaders due to their comprehensive data protection platforms and innovative capabilities: Dell, Druva, HYCU, and Veritas. The primary challengers are identified as Rubrik and Veeam. Furthermore, GigaOm lists other vendors, including Arcserve, Atempo, Bacula, IBM, and Unitrends, whose solutions are regarded as more established but less innovative.

Here are brief overviews of the top contenders:

Amazon Web Services: In line with its shared responsibility framework, users in AWS are tasked with safeguarding and managing their data, while AWS provides tools for managing identity and access, ensuring compliance, conducting audits, overseeing governance, and handling encryption and key management.

Cisco Systems: Cisco presents a wide array of data protection solutions, some of which are created in-house and others provided through partnerships. While its primary expertise lies in security, Cisco also offers consulting services to assist clients in creating a robust data protection strategy.

Cobalt Iron: Cobalt Iron delivers effective data protection as a service, featuring robust ransomware defenses, sophisticated analytics, and extensive support for different workloads, including Kubernetes. Nevertheless, disaster recovery solutions depend on integrations with external partners.

Cohesity: The Cohesity Data Cloud Platform offers ransomware defense through unchangeable snapshots of enterprise data, backups, ongoing data protection, a robust Zero Trust module, automated threat intelligence, and assistance with compliance needs.

Commvault: Commvault’s Complete Data Protection portfolio includes solutions for data security, management, backup, and disaster recovery. Clients can select either a self-managed, on-premises setup or a completely managed service option.

Dell: Dell’s PowerProtect Data Manager and APEX Backup Services ensure data protection, backup, disaster recovery, and extended data retention in both single- and multi-cloud setups.

Druva: The Druva Data Resiliency Cloud offers a cloud-native, fully managed service for data protection and management.

HPE: HPE presents DPaaS as part of its extensive GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform. The GreenLake managed data protection service assists organizations in modernizing their backup systems, automating various processes, safeguarding against data loss and ransomware threats, and efficiently recovering from disasters.

HYCU: HYCU provides seamless integration with both on-premise and cloud data platforms via its agentless, application-aware solution. The company excels in disaster recovery, offering an automated service that guarantees a specific recovery time objective (RTO).

IBM: IBM’s Security Guardium delivers capabilities for data discovery and classification, monitoring data activities with analytics, near real-time threat response workflows, and automating compliance auditing and reporting processes.

Oracle: Oracle features a variety of data protection products and managed services that include data classification, encryption, key management, and backup and restore functionalities across hybrid environments.

Rubrik: Rubrik excels in the realm of data security. The Rubrik Security Cloud provides a detailed analytics platform that prioritizes metrics and the detection of anomalies.

Veeam: Veeam delivers a versatile data protection platform through a modular suite of products, encompassing a wide range of enterprise workloads. Additionally, it provides backup as a service via third-party vendors.

Veritas: Enhancing its Net Backup data protection services, Veritas has introduced the Alta cloud policy engine, which features ransomware protection along with data immutability and recovery options.

Given the unique nature of each enterprise and the intricate variations in hybrid cloud data management, it is essential to thoroughly understand your distinct needs, capabilities, and resources prior to engaging potential vendors and selecting appropriate data protection solutions.

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