Managed Cloud Data Security

Microsoft’s SQL Server 2008 is the most popular database… ever. Application vendors have relied on it to power their applications for many years. However, the SQL Server 2008 end of support (EOS) has been announced. It will take effect on July 9, 2019, raising the question of what to do with the thousands (hundreds of thousands) of currently running applications built around it. At EOS, security updates will stop, raising security and compliance issues and putting applications and the business at risk. Companies will also run the risk of customers migrating to another application.

Most companies eventually realize many of their legacy applications or databases are costing them more while providing little value. The main reason companies cite for keeping aging applications and databases active is the potential need to respond to regulatory or legal requests. In reality, legacy application data can be archived and managed separately eliminating the need to keep legacy applications active.

Today, companies are looking for solutions that can archive inactive data from little used enterprise applications. Those applications can be decommissioned, saving the company the expense of keeping them running for little payback. But the question not addressed early enough in the project is what to do with all of the application’s legacy data – delete it or save it (and where). By migrating the legacy data to an intelligent archive, organizations can preserve the value of legacy application data, ensure regulatory compliance, and address any legal concerns.