IT in Manufacturing


Data-driven decision-making for long term success

February 2023 IT in Manufacturing


Kate Mollett.

Despite data being labelled as the ‘new gold’ of the digital era, many organisations fail to harness its value and still have data that goes unused, often because it is inaccessible, siloed or lost. This wastes time, money and other valuable resources. The importance of leveraging data has been strongly emphasised by the acceleration of digital transformation during the past few years, and organisations are increasingly recognising that data-driven decision-making is now crucial to gain a competitive edge. But decisions based on incomplete data can have the opposite effect – if companies do not have the complete picture, they do not know what they are missing and could make the wrong decisions. So it is crucial to have as much data as possible.

Yet, ‘more’ does not automatically mean ‘better’, so while an organisation may have an abundance of data, without ensuring that it is complete and accurate, it may not be useful for driving key business decisions. This means that data management has become more important than ever.

Data backup and recovery

Equally important is data backup and recovery. With organisations adding more and newer technologies to meet their needs, data is often located across multiple environments, such as hybrid and multi-cloud, as well as remote and distributed environments. This increases the risk of data loss and compromises data recoverability.

In addition, companies also face the constant threat of cyberattacks, and the rapid rise in ransomware attacks is forcing enterprises to reconsider their security posture and increase their focus on resilience. While a robust security framework remains important, it should not be restrictive to the point where an organisation is unable to use its data for decision-making.

Because threats continue to evolve, an organisation’s response to them must also evolve. Instead of being reactive, modern enterprises need to become more proactive to avoid data breaches, which requires multiple layers of security and focus on secure and reliable backups for ransomware resilience. However, preventing ransomware attacks is better than trying to recover data after an incident has occurred. It does happen that backup data is compromised in an attack and if the organisation does not realise this, it may back up compromised data.

3-2-1 backup plan

The best approach to backup and recovery remains to have a 3-2-1 data backup plan in place, which dictates that an organisation should always maintain three copies of its data – two that are stored locally, but on different storage media to avoid a single point of failure, and one copy offsite, such as in the cloud. This copy can even be disconnected if needed, providing an ‘air gap’ to protect against cyber hacking or ransomware.

Unfortunately, companies looking to make an investment in data management solutions could be overwhelmed by the sheer number of vendors and options available in the market. A good place to start looking for the right partner would be to consult Gartner’s Magic Quadrant, which provides a competitive positioning of technology providers in fast-growing markets, rating vendors on completeness of vision and their ability to execute.

Other criteria that should be considered include their track record in the industry and how long they have been operating. Data management should ideally be outsourced to partners that provide on-premises and cloud-based solutions, and can draw on worldwide experience to protect their customers’ data.

Data is one of the most powerful tools that modern enterprises can have, and it can potentially have a significant impact on their long-term success. To get the most out of it, companies must properly leverage data management technology to improve the quality of their data and manage it effectively. Those that do this successfully will have a considerable advantage over their competitors.

For more information contact Ian Mackie, Commvault, [email protected], www.comvault.com




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Looking into the future of machine vision
Omron Electronics IT in Manufacturing
Artificial intelligence (AI) is driving a significant transformation in all areas of industrial automation, and machine vision is no exception. Omron’s AI-powered machine vision systems seamlessly integrate state-of-the-art algorithms, enabling machines to analyse and interpret visual data meticulously.

Read more...
Driving digital transformation in the truck industry
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Tatra Trucks, a leading truck manufacturer in Czechia, has adopted the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software including Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management and the Mendix low code platform to help increase production volume and strengthen its ability to manufacture vehicles that meet specific customer requirements.

Read more...
Opinion piece: Digital twins in manufacturing – design, optimise and expand
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Digital twin technology can help create better products, fast. It can also transform the work of product development. This strong statement from McKinsey reinforces how far digital twins have come in manufacturing.

Read more...
Asset tracking is key to driving operational excellence and sustainable growth
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Asset tracking plays a critical role in the success of industrial businesses. By effectively managing and monitoring assets, companies can optimise their operations, ensuring that resources are used efficiently. This leads to improved productivity and reduced costs.

Read more...
Siemens democratises AI-driven PCB design for small and medium electronics teams
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software is making its AI-enhanced electronic systems design technology more accessible to small and mid-sized businesses with PADS Pro Essentials software and Xpedition Standard software.

Read more...
Predicting and preventing cyber-attacks with AI and generative AI
IT in Manufacturing
The speed at which cyber threats are evolving is unprecedented. As a result, companies need to implement state-of-the-art technology to protect their data and systems.

Read more...
Real-world lessons in digital transformation
IT in Manufacturing
Synthesis has helped businesses across multiple industries with their digital transformation by solving their unique integration challenges.

Read more...
Enhancing cyber security for industrial drives
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
The growing connection between production networks and office networks as part of IT/OT integration and the utilisation of IoT have many benefits for industrial companies. At the same time, they also increase the risk of cyber threats. Siemens ensures that your know-how and plants are protected at all times.

Read more...
Immersion cooling systems for data centres
IT in Manufacturing
The demand for data centres in Africa is growing. The related need for increasing rack densities brings with it escalating cooling requirements.

Read more...
Transforming pulp and paper with automation and digitalisation
ABB South Africa IT in Manufacturing
The pulp and paper industry in South Africa is undergoing a significant transformation from traditional manual processes to embracing automation technologies. Automation in pulp and paper mills aims to improve various production stages, from raw material preparation to final product creation.

Read more...