In this special guest feature, Dr. Werner Hopf of Dolphin Enterprise Solutions Corp. outlines several reasons to undertake an archiving initiative during corporate transformations. Dr. Hopf is Dolphin’s CEO and Archiving Principal. He has more than 20 years of experience in the information technology industry and specializes in SAP Data Volume Management initiatives. Founded in 1995, Dolphin works exclusively within the SAP ecosystem. As the one partner that manages both data and processes, it leads the way in business performance improvement. To learn more, visit www. Dolphin-Corp.com.
Corporate transformations through mergers and acquisitions, or divesting business units, are increasingly common in today’s business environment. However, Big Data is adding a layer of complexity to an already complicated process. Oftentimes, the process happens quickly and needs to be executed on a tight timeline. When divesting a business unit, it’s essential to protect corporate intellectual property (IP), and while executing a merger or acquisition, organizations will need to consolidate systems, possibly modernizing or introducing a new ERP, such as SAP, altogether. Both can be difficult, but a well-planned and executed data archiving strategy will make the transition more efficient from both a cost and performance perspective. Here are three more reasons to undertake an archiving initiative during corporate transformations.
Prioritize Data
Data is expensive to store, but an effective archiving strategy requires an organization to organize data by order of importance. By prioritizing data, it can be assigned to a storage level consistent with its business value. It will also paint a clearer picture as to which data can be purged and which should be retained for compliance purposes. Once this is completed, it will facilitate a speedy transfer for organizations that are modernizing legacy systems or migrating to cloud-based repositories. During a divestiture, having a firm understanding as to where data is stored and its level of importance will make it simpler to carve out and transfer necessary data.
Mitigate Risk
There are a number of risks involved during corporate transformations. Corporate IP may accidentally be shared, or sensitive personal identifying information (PII) could be exposed. Effective archiving will ensure that extraneous data that is no longer needed has been purged, while other sensitive information can be masked or encrypted to prevent accidental exposure to unauthorized individuals. Implementing an archiving strategy safeguards the corporation against losing track of sensitive information that could result in the embarrassing, and costly, exposure of a wide range of information, such as analytics, pricing and vendor lists, or PII.
Move the Business Forward
The theme of corporate transformation is change, and it is important to start the organizations’ new chapter by moving in a positive direction. Data archiving is one way to push this movement forward. Retaining old data storage habits and keeping legacy data in the system serves to perpetuate old company methods and perspectives. In the case of a merger, it can put two very different methods used by each company at odds, creating friction. Making an archiving initiative a top priority will allow organizations to create newer and more efficient methods of handling information.
Corporate transformations, whether it be a merger, acquisition, or divestiture, present a critical opportunity for an organization to not just transform who they are, but also, how they operate. Not only will an effective data archiving strategy help the transformation take place as smoothly as possible, but it will also allow the new organization to better prepare to scale processes quickly and adapt as new business requirements emerge.
Sign up for the free insideBIGDATA newsletter.
Speak Your Mind