Data is at the heart of every decision and operation in today’s business world. Data custodians enable efficient data-centric processes by ensuring the integrity of the data they rely upon. This entails:
Data custodians must have up-to-date skills pertaining to security controls. The role demands expertise with computer database tools like SQL or Azure DevOps. Data custodianship is a necessary yet strenuous responsibility and one that is sometimes ambiguous in the context of a large business. It is important for technology leaders to clearly define the custodians of their data and to understand the need for custodian management to ensure regulatory compliance.
The data custodian is directly responsible for handling the storage and security of a data set. They control and manage the device the data is stored on, but do not own the data. It is an IT role that follows the company’s data governance policies for carrying out day-to-day tasks necessary for maintaining secure data storage.
Performing routine data backups is a common example of a data custodian’s daily workload. Similarly, they may set up or carry out disaster recovery measures that restore and protect sensitive data in the event of a breach or outage.
While automation handles the majority of the burden for these workflows, the human element is necessary for verifying and adjusting the processes as necessary. It is a role that builds precious trust between the organization and the parties who will suffer the most if malicious entities access protected data.
As part of that responsibility to preserve trust, a data custodian will validate new data entries, securing them and limiting access according to established authorization rules. The best security environment is one in which every individual must authenticate their credentials to access data and resources, regardless of what role they hold in the organization. The data custodian should be transparent and communicative about who may take which actions, the obligations of each role regarding the data, and what methods they may use.
In a technology-focused organization, many individuals will come into contact with data resources. While some functions and responsibilities may overlap, the data custodian is separate from the data owner, which in turn is also separate from roles such as the data steward or database administrator.
The data owner is responsible for aspects of data management that influence business outcomes, including:
This is starkly different from the data custodian, who primarily focuses on the technical aspects of security and infrastructure. There is ideally only one data owner with the authority to set business requirements per data set, whereas the set might have multiple custodians handling ground-level tasks.
Some organizations might also use the term “data steward” interchangeably with “data custodian.” When viewed separately, the steward is an expert on the data’s subject matter who ensures the quality and accuracy of the data within a set. The data custodian is not necessarily an expert regarding the source of the data. Rather, they only concern themselves with securing and controlling that data.
Data custodians, data owners, and all other professionals who work closely with company databases all have one key priority: data governance. An abundance of well-managed data can be an overwhelmingly valuable asset. Poor data governance, however, can turn any of that data into a crippling liability.
Gartner explains that the right approach to data governance will enable business outcomes. By focusing on those outcomes from the outset, and defining how to achieve them, the role of data and the importance of protecting it will become clear.
Data governance refers to the decision-making authority and accountability framework in place to use, control, and analyze data responsibly. The modern approach to data governance requires a well-defined and well-maintained system of roles and responsibilities. Overseeing that system on a day-to-day basis is the key responsibility of the data custodian.
The data needs of modern organizations will only continue to grow over time. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an increased outlook of 9% for database administration roles by 2033. While this is promising for career aspirants, some companies will likely experience difficulties acquiring the right data custodian talent due to this growing need.
When organizations lack data custodians, or even if the existing data custodians commit a simple human error, the resulting vulnerabilities can lead to data liabilities that violate legal regulations for electronically stored information (ESI).
In the face of a legal investigation, organizations need custodian management solutions that can satisfy the requirements for identifying and preserving ESI relevant to the ongoing investigation. Throughout the discovery process, custodian management ensures compliance, mitigates risk, and safeguards data integrity.
Preservation of evidence and efficient discovery are crucial goals of custodian management. The right custodian management system will provide the organization with an actionable timeline and the tools for efficient data mapping. It will also facilitate clear communication management and ensure secure access to a centralized custodian database for compliance purposes.
At Cloudficient, we offer next-generation Custodian Management services that streamline audits and other compliance processes. Our solutions exist entirely in the cloud and help you ensure that every aspect of overseeing data custodians is under thorough management. Your compliance strategy can be as flexible as you need it to be, with decision-making power remaining completely with your organization and its stakeholders.
Cloudficient’s unrivaled, next generation, cloud archive technology, Expireon, is revolutionizing the way businesses manage data during and after enterprise transformation projects. Guiding customers through every step of the process, our expert team provides the support and solutions you need to succeed.
Whether you are expiring legacy archives, migrating data to the cloud, or requiring ongoing data capture and retention, Expireon allows you to discover more, process less!
Bring Cloudficiency to your Information Governance: visit our website or contact us directly.