Cloud data protection is one of the most important considerations for any business transitioning into the new age of unified communications. As the digital world continues to evolve and old-fashioned communication systems (like the PSTN network) disappear, investments in the cloud are growing.
The UCaaS market is expected to reach $118.8 billion by 2031 as companies embrace cloud solutions and software-as-a-service technologies for agility and business continuity.
However, while migrating your communications systems to the cloud can deliver many benefits, it's not without risks. More applications and processes in the cloud mean more data for companies to protect. Failure to implement the right cloud data protection program puts companies at risk of significant reputational damage, massive fines, and security issues.
So, how do companies leverage the right data protection strategy in the cloud communications space? Here’s everything you need to know as you plan the next stage in your UC journey.
Why Companies Need Cloud Data Protection
Companies in today’s digital world are regularly producing, gathering, and storing large volumes of sensitive data. UCaaS platforms and CCaaS and CPaaS solutions are home to vast amounts of valuable information, from trade secrets to customer details.
As the shift to cloud-based processes continues, more companies are hosting and managing most of their data within the cloud ecosystem. Call recordings are stored in hybrid, cloud, and SaaS solutions. Messaging and meeting data sit in platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Companies are even creating huge file libraries to empower and educate hybrid workers.
Unfortunately, these growing cloud environments introduce a variety of security difficulties. When operating in the cloud, businesses face challenges with:
- Lack of visibility into where applications and their data are stored
- Third-party hosting limitations on data access and sharing
- Inconsistent security policies and data management standards
- Increasingly complex multi-channel data compliance regulations
Without the right cloud data protection plan, companies risk non-compliance with regulatory guidelines and the loss or theft of essential information.
The Challenges of Data Protection in the Cloud
The rising popularity of cloud communications and UC systems has prompted an increase in vendors implementing stronger security standards in their tools. However, companies still face several challenges with cloud data protection, particularly during the initial migration process.
Systems must be designed with secure access controls to ensure the wrong people can’t leverage specific tools and resources. Companies in highly regulated industries must consider data sovereignty and provide information collected and stored in suitable environments.
Additionally, new policies need to be implemented for sharing and managing data, focusing on improving visibility into data for crucial use cases while preserving compliance standards. Unfortunately, different cloud vendors' security policies and solutions can vary.
This places companies under increased pressure to audit, evaluate, and optimize their communications strategy according to their specific needs. The right cloud data protection strategy will often vary for each business based on its regulatory environment, risk landscape, and communication tools.
At the same time, cybersecurity threats are growing as criminals continue to target the data available on UC and contact center platforms. As threats become more sophisticated, companies must invest in ever-more intelligent and intuitive tools to detect, reduce, and mitigate breaches.
The Benefits of Investing in UC Cloud Data Protection
While building and implementing the right cloud data protection strategy for your unified communications ecosystem can be complex, it does pay dividends. Security is now the top concern of many companies leveraging UCaaS systems and collaboration tools for multi-channel data sharing.
Perhaps more than anything else, a good plan for UC cloud data protection provides companies with the peace of mind they need to defend their most valuable assets. However, a stronger security strategy for cloud data can also offer:
- Greater visibility: Strong methods for cloud data security allow companies to maintain visibility into essential data. They also highlight the workings of the cloud landscape and which team members access resources.
- Better business continuity: Cloud data security tools and solutions often have features to automate and standardize backups. This frees teams from manual backup and recovery processes and allows companies to restore data in minutes.
- Enhanced compliance: While compliance regulations vary from one industry to the next, most require a focus on solid data protection. A cloud data protection program can help businesses to reduce their risk of non-compliance with regulations.
- Reduced costs: A strong strategy for cloud data security can reduce the total cost of ownership of a cloud platform. It helps minimize administrative and maintenance expenses. Some providers even offer automation tools to streamline security workflows for teams.
- Advanced threat detection: The latest tools for cloud data protection can help companies automatically scan for suspicious activity. This helps to accelerate responses to threats and reduce the impact attacks have on business operations.
UC Cloud Data Protection Best Practices
Ultimately, the right strategy for data protection in the cloud communications environment can vary for each company. Every business has its threat vectors and compliance guidelines to consider. However, many cloud vendors are implementing features that help companies protect essential data.
Here are some best practice tips to start you on your UC cloud data protection journey.
1. Evaluate the Security Features of your Platform
When choosing a cloud vendor for UCaaS, CPaaS, or CCaaS, it’s essential to assess the features they offer for improving data security. Many leading vendors offer service-level agreements to help ensure systems are adequately protected and adhere to leading compliance regulations.
They can offer access to tools for multi-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, and data storage and management. Some solutions even provide access to applications and tools that allow companies to monitor conversations and data in real-time using artificial intelligence.
2. Prioritize End-to-end Encryption
Most cloud providers in the communications space now offer some form of encryption for the vast amounts of data that move through their platforms. Ideally, you should be looking for complete end-to-end encryption. This means ensuring all information in transit and at rest is protected across every communication channel.
