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Securing Your Data in a Multi-Cloud World: Best Practices

Organizations have transitioned from using a single cloud provider to employing multiple ones simultaneously. This has various advantages, including avoiding vendor lock-in, reducing reliance on a vendor, and creating a strong data system by leveraging the strength of each vendor.

Despite the benefits of a multi-cloud world, it brings various concerns, one of which is data insecurity. Using various cloud providers can lead to data disasters if not carefully managed. Fortunately, following the proper procedures might help to secure your data in a multi-cloud environment. This article covers ten best practices for securing data in a multi-cloud context.

What is a Multi-cloud Environment?

A multi-cloud environment is a strategy where organizations use multiple cloud computing services from different vendors within a single architecture. Using this strategy helps companies divide their tasks across many cloud services. Still, one system controls all of them.

A multi-cloud environment helps businesses to improve resilience by distributing the work across various cloud providers, using each vendor’s strengths and unique characteristics, and selecting specific services that meet their needs. It also lessens vendor lock-in risk, helps against total failure or outage, and lessens over-dependence on one supplier.

Unlike a hybrid cloud architecture—which combines cloud services with on-site resources for maximum efficiency—a multi-cloud environment works separately. While hybrid uses both worlds, multi-cloud makes use of many cloud providers.

10 Best Practices to Secure Your Data in a Multi-Cloud Environment

1. Enable Data and Application Portability

Data and application portability has become a major challenge for organizations in the multi-cloud environment. This challenge is a result of silos being created. Cloud providers have proprietary APIs and data management tools. Hence, it becomes difficult to share or move data between clouds, leading to information getting trapped within the cloud it was generated in, which then creates data silos. One way to solve this is by adopting cross-cloud data-sharing technologies. These technologies support high-bandwidth connections between public clouds and give way to actual data sharing.

2. Aggregate and Centralize Data in the Cloud

Organizations process a wide range of data daily, leading to data fragmentation, where valuable data is scattered across multiple platforms. This fragmentation complicates data analysis and can lead to lost insights. However, organizations can address this issue by centralizing their data in a single database, data lake, or cloud data platform and managing data from a single dashboard. Collecting and managing data centrally supports comprehensive data analysis and data-driven decision-making by providing a complete view of all relevant data. Amazon S3,Google Cloud Storage, and similar platforms are durable and scalable storage solutions that can consolidate data from various sources.

3. Standardize Security Practices Across Cloud Providers

Organizations operating in a Multi-cloud environment are susceptible to cyber-attacks. That’s why standardization is critical in security practices across all cloud providers. Organizations must implement a unified security standard within cloud environments, making managing security across different platforms easier. This will lower the chance of being breached and simplify security management across multiple platforms. Centralizing security data into a single repository, like a security data lake, can provide continuous visibility and enable comprehensive monitoring of your entire multi-cloud environment from one interface.

4. Implement Multi-Cloud Disaster Recovery

Disaster recovery is a crucial part of any robust cloud strategy because it prevents data loss in the event of a disaster. Hence, it’s essential to conduct constant backup and implement a fail-proof disaster recovery plan to protect against the effects of the disaster.

Most cloud providers offer disaster recovery. However, relying on only one provider can lead to further problems during an outage. So, it’s better to implement a multi-cloud disaster recovery strategy that is robust enough to protect your diverse cloud systems. This strategy allows you to restore data and apps from one cloud to another should there be an outage. It also improves resilience and leverages the strengths of several cloud providers to provide continuity and reduce data loss after a disaster.

5. Strategic Multi-Cloud Storage

Organizations must be smart about data storage to ensure successful data security. This includes classifying data based on sensitivity and ensuring that sensitive information is stored in the most secure environments. To achieve low latency and regulatory compliance, organizations also need to think about how they disseminate data across geographical areas. Integrating data loss prevention (DLP) technology can also ensure data security and compliance. DLP technology can assist in detecting and preventing data loss or exfiltration across several cloud environments.

6. Automate Security Processes

Automation is crucial in large settings, including multi-cloud environments. Automation ensures that the security process is robust, smooth, and secure. They help accomplish routine tasks like scanning new virtual machines or containers for vulnerabilities, without the need for human intervention. At a higher level, they become essential for reducing human errors and ensuring uniform application of security policies across cloud environments.

7. Consolidated Monitoring

Effective security monitoring becomes critical in a multi-cloud setup, with the platforms offering differing levels of visibility and control. Organizations should design an integrated approach to monitoring that focuses on aggregating logs, alerts, and events from all cloud providers into one system. This will support the ability to detect and react effectively to any potential security incident, ensuring fast remediation with minimal impact of breaches.

8. Optimize Data Retention for Compliance and Analytics

Data retention policies are critical for ensuring compliance and operational effectiveness in a multi-cloud scenario. Organizations should build an inventory of all data generated or collected, assess retention needs based on legal and regulatory standards, and identify data required for operational procedures. Implementing thorough data retention policies allows an organization to ensure that crucial data is securely maintained for the right time, supporting compliance and analytics use cases.

9. Maintain Compliance Across Multiple Clouds

Organizations must comply with regulatory regulations relevant to their industry. However, cloud companies give varying compliance certifications and standards. As a result, enterprises must rely on automated tools to ensure compliance in a multi-cloud environment. These solutions continuously track compliance across all clouds to make sure that your cloud infrastructure complies with all applicable regulations. Thus, you can lower the risk of attracting legal and financial penalties.

10. Implement a Zero-Trust Security Model

In a multi-cloud context, implementing a zero-trust security strategy is critical. This technique ensures that only authorized users can access certain data and apps, reducing the risk of illegal access and data breaches. Organizations should adopt strict access controls, multi-factor authentication, and continuous monitoring to apply zero-trust concepts to all cloud settings.

Storware for Multi-cloud Infrastructure

Storware Backup and Recovery is a highly regarded solution for multi-cloud data protection, offering a comprehensive, centralized platform for safeguarding data across various cloud environments. It provides seamless integration with leading cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, enabling businesses to protect workloads regardless of their cloud infrastructure. Storware’s solution is designed to handle the complexities of hybrid and multi-cloud environments, ensuring consistent data management, backup, and recovery. With an intuitive interface and flexible automation options, it allows IT teams to streamline their backup processes and enforce policies uniformly across all cloud services, enhancing operational efficiency.

What sets Storware apart as the best option for multi-cloud data protection is its robust security features and high-level scalability. It offers strong encryption, both in transit and at rest, ensuring that data remains safe from unauthorized access. Moreover, Storware supports a wide range of backup options, including snapshot-based, incremental, and full backups, providing flexibility in terms of data retention and recovery speed. Its scalability allows organizations to expand seamlessly as their cloud usage grows, while also offering cost-efficient storage optimization. For businesses with complex cloud architectures, Storware delivers a reliable, secure, and user-friendly solution for protecting critical data in diverse cloud environments.

Conclusion

A multi-cloud environment comes with its risks, but adopting the right practices can secure your data against breaches and other dangers. These practices include centralizing data, implementing multi-cloud data recovery, consolidating monitoring, and automating the security processes. Once you implement these strategies, you can better protect your data in a multi-cloud world.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Storware
Storware is a backup software producer with over 10 years of experience in the backup world. Storware Backup and Recovery is an enterprise-grade, agent-less solution that caters to various data environments. It supports virtual machines, containers, storage providers, Microsoft 365, and applications running on-premises or in the cloud. Thanks to its small footprint, seamless integration into your existing IT infrastructure, storage, or enterprise backup providers is effortless.

The Future of On-Prem NAC Will be a Permanent Operational Struggle

If we could jump in a time machine and travel back to 2006, we’d throw on some low-rise jeans, a crop top, and some big sunglasses and see some stellar moments in history:

  • Google bought YouTube
  • This new website called Twitter was all the rage
  • The Texas Longhorns won the Rose Bowl
  • The Nintendo Wii was released

Back in these good ‘ol days there was a blog post for every thought and a meme for every moment…and a NAC on every network.

Once hailed as an essential component of corporate security, NAC (Network Access Control) has since experienced a decline in its popularity. This can be attributed to the complexities involved in its installation, the difficulties in managing it, and its inability to keep pace with the ever-expanding array of things that can connect to the internet.

What does the future hold for the traditional NAC? Well, let’s just say no one’s wearing shades. But before we talk about where we’re going, let’s talk about where we’ve been.

On-Prem NAC Brings Security…and Complexity

The undeniable surge in cybercrime has advanced in lockstep with the internet’s evolution into an indispensable tool for daily life. This escalation has highlighted the glaring inadequacy of rudimentary access control systems, which rely solely on the binary question of “Do you have the correct password, yes or no?”

In response to this pressing need, NAC emerged, introducing a suite of sophisticated and innovative features designed to bolster security:

  • Role-Based Access Control: This feature restricts user access to only the resources necessary for their job function, preventing unauthorized snooping into confidential information.
  • Endpoint Risk Assessment: This feature ensures compliance with security policies by enforcing minimum operating system versions, up-to-date antivirus software, and essential updates, effectively cutting off non-compliant users.
  • Guest Access: Instead of granting visitors access to the main network, this feature creates a separate guest portal, allowing internet use without exposing proprietary information.

These features certainly sound impressive, don’t they?

Regrettably, the implementation of these essential features brought with it a set of significant challenges:

  • As Network Complexity Grows, So Does Deployment Complexity: Accurately determining the necessary processing power based on fluctuating network loads is a daunting task, more challenging than it might initially seem.
  • The Rise of Consultants: Resource-strapped IT teams, lacking the bandwidth to navigate these complexities, often contacted external consultants for assistance. Software vendors capitalized on this by offering their own consulting services, which deprioritized user-friendliness and ease of use on their roadmaps.
  • Downtime on Your Time: Once operational, NAC systems become critical infrastructure. Consequently, any upgrades or security patches necessitate after-hours work, leading to nights and weekends spent on maintenance—a taxing and quickly tiresome requirement.
  • Scale to Suffer: After enduring the labyrinthine setup and extensive patching, businesses often find that growth outpaces their initial configurations, resulting in sluggish performance. This challenge is exacerbated in industries with seasonal demands, where capacity must either be rapidly scaled or left underutilized.
  • Vendor Lock-In: Solutions from specific vendors are typically optimized to work seamlessly with their own hardware and software suites. However, modern networks are rarely homogenous, leading to additional complexity in integrating diverse systems.

Taking these factors into account, it’s evident that while NAC offers substantial benefits, it also imposes significant costs—costs that many organizations find prohibitive.

Cloud Propels NAC into the Future

Enter the cloud era, which has revitalized NAC by addressing its most troublesome pain points and simplifying deployment in ways on-premises solutions cannot match:

  • Simplified Setup: Cloud-based architecture eliminates the need to determine the number of virtual machines or the placement of policy servers, as all infrastructure is managed externally.
  • No Maintenance: The burden of patches and maintenance, previously shouldered by IT teams, is now handled by cloud providers, freeing up nights and weekends.
  • Scale in Seconds: Cloud services offer unparalleled elasticity, accommodating gradual growth, sudden spikes in demand, and seasonal fluctuations with ease.
  • Vendor Agnostic: Cloud-based solutions, untethered to specific vendors, do not gate features to encourage additional purchases. Instead, they innovate universally.
  • Rapid Innovation: As network needs evolve with the advent of BYOD and IoT, cloud-based software can adapt and release new features more swiftly than traditional solutions.

What’s Left for On-Prem NAC?

This isn’t to say that on-prem NAC is entirely obsolete. There remain scenarios where on-premises solutions are necessary:

  • Closed networks: Without direct internet connectivity, using cloud-based software is impossible. Closed networks in industries like defense and finance can still benefit from the protection of a NAC.
  • Where internet is unreliable (or expensive): There are many regions of the world where the internet is simply not reliable enough (or always-on connections are prohibitively expensive) to use a solution that requires constant connectivity. An on-premise NAC would be a good fit in this scenario.
  • Full control over infrastructure: There are those who wish to retain full control over their infrastructure and software; whether to satisfy stringent regulations, create custom solutions, or just maintain greater control over everything.

Nonetheless, the shift toward cloud-based services is unmistakable, and as their benefits continue to accrue, the prevalence of on-prem NAC is diminishing.

The End of Days for On-Prem NAC

While on-prem NAC retains its niche applications, the compelling advantages of cloud-based solutions—ranging from simplified setup and maintenance to unmatched scalability and vendor neutrality—are driving a transformative shift in network access control.

As the landscape of technology continues to evolve, the footprint of traditional NAC is steadily shrinking, making way for more agile, efficient, and innovative cloud-based alternatives.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Portnox
Portnox provides simple-to-deploy, operate and maintain network access control, security and visibility solutions. Portnox software can be deployed on-premises, as a cloud-delivered service, or in hybrid mode. It is agentless and vendor-agnostic, allowing organizations to maximize their existing network and cybersecurity investments. Hundreds of enterprises around the world rely on Portnox for network visibility, cybersecurity policy enforcement and regulatory compliance. The company has been recognized for its innovations by Info Security Products Guide, Cyber Security Excellence Awards, IoT Innovator Awards, Computing Security Awards, Best of Interop ITX and Cyber Defense Magazine. Portnox has offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia. For information visit http://www.portnox.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.。

Survey highlights growing concerns over SaaS data protection amid regulatory complexities

Executives express lack of confidence in protective measures and are unclear on where responsibilities for data protection lie

Copenhagen, Denmark – October 10, 2024 – Keepit, the world’s only vendor-independent cloud-native data protection platform, today released results from a recent survey. As SaaS applications become critical components of modern business operations the survey, conducted by Gatepoint Research for Keepit, reveals a troubling gap in confidence among executives regarding the protection of their SaaS data. The “SaaS data protection confidence survey”, which gathered responses from 100 senior decision-makers across industries such as finance, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing, shows that while businesses increasingly rely on SaaS tools, many leaders are not fully confident in their ability to safeguard their data.

The survey will be a key focus of an upcoming webinar titled “Protecting your SaaS data – pitfalls and challenges to overcome”, scheduled for October 17, 2024. This event will provide industry professionals with actionable insights on how to bolster their SaaS data protection strategies and ensure compliance with evolving global regulations.

SaaS data protection confidence is low 

According to the survey, while 28% of respondents expressed high confidence in their data protection measures, a significant 31% reported moderate to severe lapses in their data protection. This lack of confidence is alarming as the use of SaaS applications continues to grow, with critical data stored in applications like Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and Power BI.

“Moderate confidence in SaaS data protection is not enough in today’s threat landscape,” said Paul Robichaux, Senior Product Director of Keepit and Microsoft MVP. “Organizations must ensure their data recovery processes are robust and regularly tested. Otherwise, they risk discovering weaknesses too late, when a disaster has already struck and they’re trying to recover.”

 

Compliance and data growth are major challenges

The survey reveals that 50% of respondents cite increased compliance requirements as their top challenge, with growing data volumes and the complexities of managing SaaS data also ranking high. As global regulations like NIS2 and DORA become more stringent, organizations are under pressure to ensure their SaaS data is adequately protected and compliant with these evolving mandates.

“In the financial industry, for example, DORA requires that backup environments be segregated from production environments to reduce risk.  And we know that many organizations aren’t well-prepared to meet these requirements,” noted Robichaux. “The rising volume of data, combined with increasingly complex regulations, presents a significant challenge for many organizations.”

Financial and reputational risks drive data protection priorities

The survey also highlights the financial and reputational risks associated with data loss. 57% of respondents identified brand and reputation damage as the most significant business impact of data loss, followed closely by financial consequences and regulatory compliance violations.

“Customer data is among the most valuable assets an organization holds,” said Robichaux. “Losing access to that data, whether through ransomware or accidental deletion, can have devastating financial and reputational consequences. Organizations need to take a proactive approach to ensure their SaaS data is protected.”

The big SaaS data backup disconnect

While 58% of respondents reported using Microsoft to back up their SaaS data, there is a disconnect between perception and reality. Many executives mistakenly believe their data is fully protected by native SaaS backup features. However, shared responsibility models mean that SaaS providers are not accountable for customers’ data backup, leaving a critical gap in protection.

“Only 15% of respondents consider backing up directory and identity services like Entra ID to be crucial, even though losing access to these services could cripple business operations,” Robichaux added. “This shows a need for better education around SaaS data protection.”

Budget and expertise are key roadblocks

When asked about the roadblocks to improving their data protection strategies, 56% of respondents cited budget constraints, while 33% noted a lack of expertise and resources. Many organizations also face the challenge of managing multiple data backup vendors, further complicating their efforts.

To help organizations navigate these challenges, Keepit will host a free webinar titled “Protecting Your SaaS Data – Pitfalls and Challenges to Overcome” on October 17, 2024, at 4:00 pm CEST. The webinar will delve deeper into the survey results and provide actionable insights into:

  • Managing compliance with evolving global regulations
  • Testing recovery procedures to ensure preparedness
  • Mitigating financial and reputational risks associated with data loss

Attendees can also participate in a live Q&A session with industry experts and take a benchmark test to see how their organization stacks up.

Register for the webinar here.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Keepit
At Keepit, we believe in a digital future where all software is delivered as a service. Keepit’s mission is to protect data in the cloud Keepit is a software company specializing in Cloud-to-Cloud data backup and recovery. Deriving from +20 year experience in building best-in-class data protection and hosting services, Keepit is pioneering the way to secure and protect cloud data at scale.

Backup and Recovery for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization

In the dynamic landscape of containerized virtualization, robust data protection is paramount. Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization provides a powerful solution for running virtualized workloads within Kubernetes environments. To complement this technology, Storware Backup and Recovery offers a comprehensive data protection solution tailored specifically for OpenShift Virtualization. This blog post explores how Storware simplifies backup and recovery operations, enhances data security, and ensures business continuity in containerized virtualization environments.

What is Red Hat’s OpenShift Virtualization?

OpenShift Virtualization stands as an enterprise-grade solution for virtualization, enabling users to run VMs on the Red Hat OpenShift Kubernetes platform. This solution builds upon Kubevirt, an open-source virtualization solution facilitating VM management within Kubernetes clusters. Storware Backup and Recovery emerges as the backup and recovery solution for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization equipped with all the exceptional features.

Why is Backup for Containers Important?

Backup for virtual machines running on OpenShift Virtualization is crucial for businesses relying on virtualization technology to maintain their IT infrastructure. It mitigates risks such as data loss, hardware failures, and cyberattacks, safeguarding critical data and applications. Storware’s comprehensive backup solution empowers organizations to swiftly recover from unforeseen outages or disruptions, minimizing downtime and ensuring uninterrupted business operations. Additionally, backups are valuable for testing and development purposes, allowing organizations to duplicate VMs and experiment with new configurations without impacting production environments.

Understanding Storware Backup and Recovery

Storware Backup and Recovery is a robust data protection solution designed specifically for modern virtualized environments. It offers a comprehensive set of features to streamline backup and recovery operations while ensuring data security and business continuity. For containerized virtualization, Storware seamlessly integrates with Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, providing a tailored solution for protecting virtual machines and their data within Kubernetes environments:

  • Agentless backup: Simplifies deployment and management.
  • Full and incremental backup: Offers flexibility and efficiency.
  • CBT Support: Optimizes backup performance by capturing only changed data.
  • File-level restore: Enables granular recovery of specific files.
  • Full VM restore: Allows for quick recovery of entire virtual machines.
  • Disk-attachment backup strategy: Supports various storage configurations.
  • VM disk exclusion: Provides granular control over backup scope.
  • Quiescent snapshot: Ensures consistent backups by freezing VM activity.
  • Pre/Post snapshot command/script execution: Allows for customization and automation.
  • Disk backups can be shared over iSCSI: Facilitates efficient storage management.
  • Name-based auto-assignment: Simplifies backup management.
  • Tag-based auto-assignment: Enables flexible backup organization.
  • Power-on VM after restore: Streamlines recovery process.

Learn more – Documentation

Storware Backup and Recovery leverages the underlying infrastructure and APIs of Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization to provide efficient and reliable backup and recovery capabilities. It understands the nuances of these containerized virtualization platforms and offers specialized functionalities to address their unique requirements.

By integrating directly with Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, Storware provides deep visibility into the virtual machine and containerized application landscape. It enables administrators to easily manage backup policies, schedule automated backups, and monitor the overall data protection status from a centralized interface.

Additionally, Storware ensures compatibility with the wider backup ecosystem. It allows seamless integration with existing backup infrastructure, such as enterprise backup software or cloud-based backup solutions. This integration ensures a cohesive backup and recovery strategy, leveraging the strengths of Storware in conjunction with established data protection practices.

Simplifying Backup Operations

Storware Backup and Recovery streamlines backup operations for virtual machines running on Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, offering a range of features that enhance efficiency and ease of use.

  • Automated and Scheduled Backups: Define automated backup policies to ensure regular and consistent backups.
  • Incremental Backups and Deduplication: Optimize backup efficiency and storage utilization.
  • Granular Recovery Options: Restore specific files or entire virtual machines as needed.
  • Recovery Plans and Backups Verification: Validate backups to ensure data integrity.
  • Role-Based Access Control: Enhance data security by limiting access to authorized personnel.
  • Audit Trails and Compliance: Maintain a record of backup and recovery activities for compliance purposes.
  • Integration with Existing Backup Infrastructure: Seamlessly integrate with existing backup systems.
  • Policy-Driven Backup and Recovery: Define and enforce backup policies to streamline operations and ensure compliance.
  • 3-2-1 Backup Strategy: Implement a robust data protection strategy for added security.

Learn more – Backup Process 

Conclusion

Storware Backup and Recovery ensures secure and compliant data protection within Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization environments. By supporting encryption, maintaining audit trails, enabling compliance with data retention requirements, and emphasizing data integrity and verification, Storware empowers organizations to protect their virtual machine backups in a secure and compliant manner. This helps organizations meet regulatory obligations, maintain data privacy, and uphold high standards of data protection.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Storware
Storware is a backup software producer with over 10 years of experience in the backup world. Storware Backup and Recovery is an enterprise-grade, agent-less solution that caters to various data environments. It supports virtual machines, containers, storage providers, Microsoft 365, and applications running on-premises or in the cloud. Thanks to its small footprint, seamless integration into your existing IT infrastructure, storage, or enterprise backup providers is effortless.

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