備份產業正處於身份危機中。一些供應商正大量投資於安全功能，一些則轉向全面的數據管理，還有些試圖成為「萬能」解決方案。Storware 選擇了一條深思熟慮的道路——專注於卓越地執行一項核心功能：快速、可靠的復原。

當成功滋生複雜性：一個警示故事

功能蔓延的一個經典例子是流行的光碟燒錄程式 Nero Burning ROM。它最初因其高度專業化而聞名。然而，製造商逐漸添加了非核心功能，如影片編輯和文件轉換。這種擴展使得軟體變得臃腫且難以操作，對於只需要基本燒錄功能的用戶來說，模糊了其原始的直觀效用。

這種現象——功能蔓延——在 IT 領域廣泛存在。研究證實，平均軟體產品中約有 80% 的功能 很少或從未使用。此外，Gartner 估計，到 2023 年，I&O 領導者將在未使用的 ITSM 工具功能上超支 7.5 億美元。這種臃腫不僅增加了複雜性和維護成本，也為更專業的競爭對手創造了市場機會。

市場現實：演進還是孤注一擲？

企業備份和復原市場在 2023 年增長了 5.1%，然而 2024 年的特點是激進的整合。像 Cohesity、Veeam 和 Commvault 這樣的主要參與者正在收購競爭對手，以快速擴大其產品範圍。對於高階主管來說，這提出了一個關鍵問題：這種整合是在創造真正的價值，還是在專業化競爭中求生存的孤注一擲？

數據管理：真正的轉型還是行銷改造？

一個有爭議的趨勢是傳統備份供應商將自己定位為數據管理領導者。雖然備份供應商擁有強大的儲存和復原知識，但真正的數據管理需要完全不同的專業化水平，涵蓋治理、數據血緣、合規性和目錄編制。

網絡安全與備份：攜手合作還是各自為政？

勒索軟件的興起戲劇性地改變了備份和安全之間的關係。攻擊者轉變了他們的策略，不僅加密生產數據，還會破壞備份副本，使贖金要求更有效。

問題的規模令人震驚：94% 的受攻擊公司證實駭客試圖破壞或刪除他們的備份。當備份受損時，贖金要求的平均值從 100 萬美元躍升至 230 萬美元。Veeam 的研究證實，89% 的攻擊目標是備份儲存庫。

行業應對與界線模糊

作為回應，儲存供應商推出了不可變快照、WORM（一次寫入，多次讀取）功能和「氣隙」實體隔離。Gartner 預測，到 2028 年，100% 的企業級儲存系統將會標準化地提供這些主動防禦元素。

一些備份製造商現在正將備份和威脅偵測工具整合到一個平台上。這通常是由財務考量驅動的，旨在進入龐大的全球資訊安全市場（預計到 2028 年將達到 2,920 億美元）。

整合優於整合的理由

批評者認為，網絡安全必須專注於預防，而備份的唯一作用是復原。Storware 認為，更好的解決方案是邏輯系統整合——允許專業工具之間進行「通信」（例如，將備份與 SIEM/威脅偵測平台整合）——同時保持實體隔離以實現獨立備份儲存。這種混合模型可以在不犧牲技術卓越性的前提下實現全面保護。

功能蔓延的真正代價

功能蔓延的財務影響遠不止於初始開發成本。開發人員平均每週花費 17.3 小時 處理不良程式碼和錯誤，外加每週 13.5 小時 處理技術債。對於企業來說，這意味著：

• 上市時間延遲（項目平均延遲 6 個月或更久）。
• 營運複雜性增加（需要更大的 IT 團隊和更廣泛的培訓）。
• 總體擁有成本更高（臃腫的系統需要更多資源進行維護）。

在勒索軟件攻擊期間，擁有複雜、功能繁多的備份系統的組織面臨更長的復原時間、難以驗證備份完整性，以及為犯罪分子提供了更大的攻擊面。

前進的道路：專業化卓越

備份產業正站在十字路口。追逐每一個趨勢的供應商面臨變得臃腫且無效的風險。Storware 堅信專業化卓越的道路：以輕量級、高效、可擴展的方式交付核心功能——快速且可復原的備份。

給高階主管的核心啟示

• 市場整合訊號： 2024 年備份供應商的併購浪潮（Cohesity、Veeam、Commvault）表明市場存在不確定性。評估收購策略是真正創造價值還是僅增加複雜性。
• 勒索軟件的商業案例： 94% 的攻擊針對備份，備份受損時贖金需求翻倍。備份韌性是一個董事會層級的財務風險。
• 臃腫軟體的隱藏成本： 組織每年在未使用的軟體功能上浪費數百萬美元。不需要的複雜性就是不應承擔的成本。
• 整合 vs. 合併： 優先考慮專業化工具的整合（SIEM 與備份通信），而不是完全合併到一個萬能供應商。保持專業卓越性。
• 復原作為策略重點： 專注於復原能力（RTO、RPO 和經過驗證的測試）而非冗長的功能列表。簡單性和可靠性永遠勝過功能臃腫。

A business is hit by ransomware every 11 seconds. For many organizations, the question isn’t if they’ll face a data incident—it’s when. As digital infrastructure becomes the backbone of operations, more companies are investing in backup and recovery. However, a significant number still delay implementation due to concerns over cost, technical challenges, or competing priorities.

In today’s landscape, where cyberattacks can cripple entire operations within minutes, backup and recovery is a fundamental safeguard for business continuity and customer trust. Postponing data protection can lead to irreversible damage when disaster strikes.

What’s Holding Businesses Back?

Several common blockers often prevent organizations from adopting or upgrading their backup solutions:

• 1. High Licensing Costs: Many businesses hesitate due to the perceived high costs of enterprise-grade solutions. However, the cost of recovering from an attack, including downtime and lost revenue, can be up to 10 times higher than the investment in a comprehensive backup system.
• 2. Limited Team Knowledge and Onboarding Time: The time and training required for new systems can be daunting. Without confidence in vendor support or guidance during emergencies, decision-makers often delay adoption.
• 3. Compatibility with Existing Infrastructure: Integrating new backup tools with outdated systems or tailored internal processes remains a significant technical challenge.
• 4. Performance Bottlenecks: Backup operations can strain system resources during business hours, leading to hesitancy to implement frequent backups due to reduced application responsiveness.
• 5. Bandwidth Limitations: Limited internet bandwidth, especially across remote or international locations, often results in slow or incomplete backups, increasing the risk of data loss.
• 6. Unsupported Systems Requiring Custom Scripts: Older or specialized systems may demand the development and maintenance of custom scripts, adding complexity and risk to the backup process.

Why It Matters: The True Cost of Inaction

Ransomware attacks are an expected part of the modern threat landscape. The impact of a single incident can be devastating, even if your organization hasn’t been targeted yet:

• Costly and Time-Consuming Recovery: Recovery involves more than just restoring data. Companies must manage stakeholder communication, legal obligations, and customer service issues, often taking weeks with difficult-to-predict final costs.
• Loss of Sensitive Customer Data: A breach shatters client trust, especially in finance, healthcare, or e-commerce, where data security is paramount.
• Exposure of Confidential Business Information: Trade secrets, strategic plans, and market research may be exposed to competitors or leaked publicly, causing long-term damage.
• Reputational Damage: The loss of goodwill can be more damaging than the financial hit itself, leading to a long and costly path to rebuild relationships.

Backup Isn’t a Luxury — It’s a Business Lifeline

In the face of growing threats, backup and recovery is your digital safety net. It protects your business, your customers, your reputation, and your future. The cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of preparation.

Key Questions to Ask When Evaluating Backup Solutions

At Storware, we recommend asking yourself the following questions when evaluating a backup and recovery solution:

• Solution Fit: Is there enough flexibility to choose a solution that integrates seamlessly with your existing infrastructure?
• Performance Optimization: Does the solution offer the technical capabilities needed to enhance performance and speed up recovery, ensuring business continuity?
• “White-Gloves” Support: Will you be supported by an experienced team that offers fast, clear guidance, especially during critical incidents?
• Risk Management Investment: Does the licensing model align with your IT budget and broader risk management strategy?
• Data Security: Are there multiple layers of protection, such as encryption, access control, and anomaly detection to secure your data throughout its lifecycle?
• Proven and Trusted Choice: Is the solution trusted, with a long-standing reputation in the market for reliability and ongoing support?

If you are evaluating backup solutions or need help designing a data protection strategy tailored to your business, the Storware team will be happy to assist you in finding the right path to secure data protection.

This article explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the field of data protection, moving beyond traditional backup and disaster recovery (BDR) solutions. It highlights the growing need for more intelligent and proactive systems to combat modern threats like ransomware, which can quickly compromise an organization’s data.

How AI Is Changing Data Protection

The document outlines several key ways AI is being integrated into BDR platforms to enhance their capabilities:

• Predictive Analytics: AI can analyze data patterns to predict potential system failures or storage issues before they occur, allowing for proactive maintenance.
• Anomaly Detection: It can continuously monitor data for unusual behavior, such as rapid file encryption, which is a key indicator of a ransomware attack. This enables a faster and more effective response.
• Automated Recovery: AI can automate the recovery process, identifying the last clean backup and orchestrating the restoration of systems and data, significantly reducing downtime.
• Optimized Resource Management: AI can intelligently manage storage and compute resources, ensuring that backups are efficient and that the system is ready for a quick recovery.

The Benefits of AI-Powered BDR

The article concludes that AI-powered BDR solutions offer significant advantages, including reduced downtime, improved security posture, and simplified management for IT teams. It positions AI as an essential component for the future of data protection, enabling organizations to better defend against sophisticated cyber threats and ensure business continuity.