by Angela Guess
Rob Hamilton recently wrote in Information Management, “In a recent EMC-sponsored IDC study, the analyst firm estimated that we are doubling the size of our data every two years and by 2020 the digital universe will contain nearly as many digital bits as there are stars in the universe – 44 trillion gigabytes. Cheap and easy aren’t going to cut it for the IG [information governance] challenge of these kinds of magnitudes. In fact, that quick-fix approach has the potential to do more harm than good. Outdated and irrelevant documents take up space and make important documents much harder to find, creating inefficiencies within an organization. Additionally, the more data stored, the greater the potential for damage from an eventual breach.”
Hamilton goes on, “With this data deluge, it’s important for organizations to get IT on board with IG by participating in the implementation of an IG plan. Central to that plan may be automation technology. Currently, IG relies heavily on employees for the most crucial tasks, making it harder for them to focus on their jobs and more difficult to ensure accuracy and compliance. IG needs automation. There are new technologies that can automate key governance activities, enabling organizations to better protect and manage information in all its forms – paper and digital. Here are four governance activities that are difficult to overcome but can be addressed with an automated solution, with the help of IT:”
photo credit: Flickr/ Blume Fou