Most businesses didn’t have the time or foresight to build a long-term plan around data governance and managing the influx of data created by remote workers because of the sudden technological transition in the last two years. As a result, new issues arose in the area of data sprawl. If left unchecked, data sprawl can result in a slew of issues, including rising IT expenses, bad user experiences, data access issues, and increased security concerns.
Businesses want to use AI to increase the value of their data while also ensuring that it is accessed securely and compliantly. Those efforts have turned into a battle to prevent data sprawl and transform data into actionable insights that help businesses make better decisions and outperform the competition.
Edge computing and the Internet of Things are at the heart of this massive, rapid revolution. As IoT devices grow more intelligent and pervasive, the data environment becomes significantly more complex, as enterprises seek to integrate IoT data into analytics or operational systems.
Now that enterprises have adjusted to remote operations and are looking to get the most out of their technological investments, it’s time to implement a long-term data management and governance strategy. To overcome data sprawl and reap the full benefits of cloud technology and solutions, a strategic approach is required. Here are three long-term solutions for strengthening IT environment and reducing data sprawl.
Create a data governance strategy
Any time businesses are moving data or consolidating IT resources, it’s a good idea to implement a governance strategy. Businesses should use of this opportunity to develop their governance strategy.
The mission, supporting objectives and goals, and key KPIs should all be included in an effective data governance framework. It should also state who is in charge of data management and processes, and which people or teams are in charge of them. Businesses must select a data governance lead to implement best practises and ensure data governance is a long-term strategy once the plan is completed.
Also Read: Data Remediation – Why Enterprises Need it
So that organizational leadership is aligned with data governance principles and processes, this function should report to the CTO or CIO. The lead can provide insight on the best technology for the company to use when it comes to data management. In addition, the data governance lead should be tasked with training internal teams on governance processes, such as making data decisions and data access.
Keep track of the expenses of data sprawl
Businesses must attempt to track the costs associated with data sprawl from a time and monetary aspect in order to demonstrate the damaging and wasteful effects of data sprawl. Measuring the financial impact will demonstrate the importance of data control and the long-term harm that sprawl causes to a company. Tracking the real cost and expenditure of IT resources to manage sprawl can also make the concept less abstract and more tangible for company leadership, which can aid in the implementation of quick, effective governance measures.
Remove any data or licenses that are no longer needed
Assessing the data that companies have is necessary for getting the IT environment in order. Companies must examine and arrange their data, removing anything they no longer require. Compliance standards must be taken into account, as different compliance rules apply to companies depending on their industry, and these rules will influence what data must be preserved.
As employees leave the organization, they can leave behind useless and outdated data, as well as unused software licenses. With the Great Resignation still going on, businesses may see a higher amount of staff turnover than in past years. An excess of idle permits might add unneeded costs and contribute to sprawl. It is critical to conduct a software license audit to ensure that all licenses are current and to remove those that are no longer in use.
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Prangya Pandab is an Associate Editor with OnDot Media. She is a seasoned journalist with almost seven years of experience in the business news sector. Before joining ODM, she was a journalist with CNBC-TV18 for four years. She also had a brief stint with an infrastructure finance company working for their communications and branding vertical.
