It’s been nearly 365 days since the last World Backup Day, and we’ve got a lot to discuss. Let’s see, I completed my annual rewatch of The Sopranos. I took a deep dive into the SEC’s new cybersecurity rules and the nature of “materiality.” My wife and I finally agreed on a new sectional for the living room. What else … OH YEAH AND WE HAD A KID. Like I said, it’s been quite the year.

Much like our own blood, data is the lifeblood that flows through the arteries of business today. Organizations must ensure that data is protected appropriately based on that data’s sensitivity, criticality, and regulatory or contractual requirements. These protections are provided through administrative, technical, and physical controls. The primary goal of these controls is to provide preventative, detective, or corrective capabilities.

Earlier this week, we debuted our mini-series on the SEC’s new cybersecurity rules. In case you missed it — and, understandably, don’t have the bandwidth to backtrack — Part I explored how the (seemingly perpetual) explosion in data creation, data value, and IT complexity since the dawn of the digital age has come to shape our society. In particular, we note why these trends are responsible for our current IT predicament, namely, the rise in threats, risks, and regulations.

Prior to Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware at the end of 2023, there were more than 4,500 VMware cloud service providers worldwide. Today, that number has narrowed significantly, introducing seismic changes to the technology solution marketplace.

As the digital age unfolds, we continue to see seismic increases — decade-to-decade, year-to-year, and even month-to-month — in the amount of data we create as well as its value to us, both individually and collectively. From medical records, financial statements, and classified government documents to transactional processing systems, customer information, social media engagements, pictures of our pets, and so much more, data is the lifeblood of modern society.