EMC’s Isolated Recovery Solution: 5 Things You Need to Know

Routine backups are an excellent way to minimize the impact of ransomware or malware infections – unless the backups themselves are comprised. As their techniques advance, cyber criminals are better able to probe more deeply into the networks they invade, putting backups at greater risk. Should they manage to cut that cybersecurity safety net, organizations who thought they were prepared could end up at the mercy of the enemy.

Even advanced examples of ransomware and malware can’t exploit something they can’t see. That’s the idea behind EMC’s Isolated Recovery Solution. Picture this technology like a bank vault for IT in that it secures copies of an organization’s most precious data under lock and key. However, unlike a bank vault, it’s not always connected to the rest of the bank. This way, if criminals stage a break-in, their access – and the damage they can do – will be limited.

5 must-know things about EMC’s Isolated Recovery Solution

We sat down with Arraya’s Data Management Practice to find out more about EMC’s Isolated Recovery Solution and its role in malware defense.

Q: How can I be sure my data is secure? 

A:  The Isolated Recovery Solution creates a hardened depository for data deemed critical to ensuring operational continuity. This cache contains no permanently active network links. Instead, it connects to the rest of the network only for brief periods to sync up with the latest versions of files. This “air gap” ensures a version of mission-critical files remains untouched during an attack. In the event of a recovery situation, the depository can be reconnected to the network in minutes, allowing normal business operations to quickly resume.

Q: What if the Isolated Recovery Solution syncs with a malware-infected file? 

A: This solution maintains multiple restore points and should include integrity checks on incoming copies of data. If the Isolated Recovery Solution detects any issues, an alert will be triggered to disregard the latest version and lock down the system. This ensures the data it manages stays uncorrupted.

Q: Will the Isolated Recovery Solution make it harder to manage my security environment?     

A: No, this solution won’t significantly add to the management complexity of a business’ IT security environment. Once deployed, EMC’s Isolated Recovery Solution can be set to automatically pull in the latest version of data at regular intervals and test the integrity of that version. While the solution handles backups and data protection, IT staff will be free to focus on other responsibilities.

Q: How will I know if the Isolated Recovery Solution is right for my business?

A: Businesses contemplating EMC’s Isolated Recovery Solution will first want to perform an internal assessment of their existing IT environment. The primary objective of this assessment should be to identify the applications, processes, etc. the business would be least able to go without. In addition, those leading the assessment should gauge whether their business has the infrastructure in place to support the solution, and if not, what changes they will need to make.

Q: Does the Isolated Recovery Solution work exclusively with EMC storage solutions? 

A: No, the Isolated Recovery Solution works across multiple storage platforms. Configuration of the solution is dependent upon the infrastructure that supports the data/processes/etc. the organization wants to protect. For systems or data residing on EMC and non-EMC storage, businesses can leverage technologies including Data Domain and/or RecoverPoint in order to enable the Isolated Recovery Solution.

A helping hand in the cybersecurity effort

Security concerns, malware and ransomware aren’t going anywhere. The latter especially is simply too good of a business model for cyber criminals to abandon. That fact, combined with recent predictions about the next generation of ransomware, seem to plainly indicate cybersecurity pros’ efforts in this sphere are only going to become more time-consuming in the coming years.

Want to learn more about EMC’s Isolated Recovery Solution or any of the backup and recovery solutions supported by Arraya’s team of data management experts? Visit us at www.arrayasolutions.com/contact-us/ to start a conversation today.

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