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How to solve four common challenges when outsourcing records to the cloud – Part 2

Posted by TAB on

In last week’s blog post we explored some of the common challenges faced by organizations when storing records in the cloud. We learned that when looking for a cloud storage provider, you need to consider issues of compliance and legal control over records. In part two of our post, we explore two more challenges and how you can overcome them. We will look at: retention and disposition of records, and privacy and security.

Challenge 3: Retention and disposition issues

As with any storage scenario, you need to ensure that records are kept as long as needed and disposed of properly once they are no longer legally required.

Some cloud storage solutions make these tasks difficult, creating extra work to stay compliant and avoid retention related risks.

To avoid these challenges:

  • make sure your cloud storage solution supports both time-based and event-based records retention periods
  • be sure that your records will exist in a readable format for the duration of the retention period. This is especially important for retention periods longer than 15 or 20 years, given the rapid rate of technological change.
  • make sure that any backup copies or mirrors are also deleted with the original records

 

Challenge 4: Privacy and security issues

Outsourcing records to the cloud introduces a brand new set of security and privacy risks.
The main issue is that all of your records information, from sensitive corporate records to personal information about clients, is now stored outside of your company firewall. This means that it is now at greater risk for hacking and other forms of unauthorized access and misuse.

To address this risk you should:

  • find out the security measures used by your cloud service provider
  • ensure that your organization is able to put in place your own security controls and protocols
  • determine how often your security protocols will be carried out

This list of challenges may make outsourced cloud storage seem like a risky prospect, but it can also be a highly valuable tool for your organization. It is important to remember that all of these challenges can be managed by asking the right questions ahead of time, allowing you to reap all of the benefits.

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