CloudM has top tips for organisations when it comes to managing leavers’ data in the off-boarding process. The UK-based vendor is a migration, backup and archiving software specialist.
As solutions architect team manager Sabreena Ali explains, data is a critical asset and significant liability if not correctly managed. Consequently, organisations can’t afford to forget potential traces of employees when they leave.
“Retaining [leavers’ data] indefinitely leads to security risks and unnecessary costs. To complicate matters, collaboration platforms like Google and Microsoft don’t always align with business needs,” she said.
“Google, for example, permanently deletes most data after 30 days, which may not be enough for compliance purposes.”
As one example, an HIPAA breach carries penalties of up to $68,000 (£52,418) per violation per year as well as civil lawsuits and criminal charges. UK GDPR leaks of personal data can cost even more.
“Therefore data should be purged upon request and after a defined period of time,” Ali said.
In addition, data storage also exposes organisations to cyber-threats. In 2023 alone, data breaches cost businesses an average of $4.45 million (£3.43m) per incident.
Data archiving may include multiple file types, including emails. Organisations may need to access the data in future to meet compliance requirements, for legal requests, or to track past events, she said.
Off-boarding tips – migrate, archive and manage
That means paying attention to archiving as well as striking a balance between data and information retention and jettisoning everything else for privacy, cost efficiencies, and lean practice reasons.
CloudM recommends solutions that reduce costs by automatically removing or reassigning user licenses. At the same time, automating retention policies can help.
At all times, organisations should be in control of data. Companies can host leaver data archives in their own storage, rather than only in the cloud, helping avoid vendor lock-in.
Of course, example off-boarding solutions include CloudM Archive, and CloudM Automate.
“Storing inactive user data on primary platforms can be expensive. Third-party tools can offer a cost-effective alternative, freeing up valuable resources while ensuring compliance,” Ali said.
Meanwhile, ever-evolving tech landscapes mean there is always a need for efficient and compliant data migration. Organisations today often still have data in legacy software such as Lotus Notes.
CloudM’s Migrate offering is aimed at easing the process of complying to new requirements while preserving institutional knowledge for future benefit.
CloudM Migrate data migration includes to Microsoft 365 (M365) and Google Workspace.
