Even in the midst of a global recession, enterprise storage demand continues to grow at a feverish pace. In addition to bearing escalating costs for storage and related services, companies are also facing increasing risk of data breaches due to the pervasiveness of how and where confidential files are stored. Despite significant investments in content management and data leak protection technologies,

most businesses still lack the core processes and tools needed to effectively manage vast amounts of digital data in accordance with business objectives and compliance mandates. Providing businesses with the capabilities necessary to effectively manage and protect information assets demands a more strategic and comprehensive approach to today’s information management programs.

This paper provides a better understanding of how exponential data growth directly affects the risk posture of critical corporate information assets, and addresses the common problems caused by gaps in information management programs and the likely consequences associated with immature methodologies. It also highlights the business advantages and the privacy compliance benefits that can be realized with an effective data classification program that applies a holistic approach to information management.