Data vaulting definition

Data vaulting is a type of data backup strategy that involves copies of important data stored in an offsite location, usually a secure facility operated by a third-party provider. The primary purpose of data vaulting is to ensure that critical data is protected and can be quickly restored in the event of a natural disaster, cyberattack, or hardware failure. Data is encrypted and transported to the offsite location on a regular basis, usually daily or weekly. It is stored in a secure environment with physical and logical access controls, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access the data.

Data vaulting is often used by businesses that have strict data protection and compliance requirements, like healthcare organizations, financial institutions, and government agencies. By storing backups offsite, these organizations can ensure that critical data is protected, and that they are able to comply with regulations and industry standards.

Disadvantages of data vaulting

• Cost. Data vaulting can be expensive, especially if you need to store large amounts of data or require frequent backups. The cost can include the storage fees as well as the costs associated with secure transportation of the data to the offsite location.
• Dependency and security concerns. If the third-party provider experiences downtime, you may not be able to access your data when you need it. There’s also always the risk of data breaches, insider attacks, and other threats.
• Slow recovery times. Although data vaulting ensures that you have a backup of your data, restoring that data can take time. Depending on the amount of data and the speed of the recovery process, it could take several hours or even days to recover your information.

Further reading