Why data protection is the real backbone of SA's data centre boom
But while investment pours into bricks, power, cooling and connectivity, one critical element still lags behind: robust data protection. Without it, Africa’s data centre ecosystem risks becoming high-cost infrastructure hosting highly vulnerable data.
For years, backup and disaster recovery sat at the bottom of IT budgets, seen as an operational task rather than a resilience strategy. That mindset has shifted. Today, cyberattacks, ransomware, regulatory compliance and data sovereignty have pushed data protection to the top of the strategic agenda. In modern infrastructure planning, servers, storage and networks are no longer the foundation—resilience is.
Organisations are now prioritising cloud-based backup environments, immutable storage, air-gapped copies, encryption, recovery testing, zero-error backup verification and strong access controls. The 3-2-1-1-0 backup rule, three copies of data, on two different media, with one stored offsite, one immutable or offline, and zero backup errors, has become the gold standard for recoverability.
Why air-gapping matters
In an era of targeted ransomware, even backup systems are under attack. Air-gapped backups act as an ultimate failsafe, isolated from the production network, making them inaccessible to attackers and ensuring recovery is still possible, even in worst-case scenarios. This security layer is increasingly vital in African markets where cyber insurance, skilled resources and response capabilities remain limited.
Resilience must be engineered, not assumed
CIOs and data centre operators must now plan for long-term resilience, not just compliance. That includes mapping recovery time objectives, diversifying data centre locations, conducting regular risk assessments, testing disaster recovery plans and ensuring recovery strategies align with evolving AI, automation and regulatory demands.
Secure growth, not just scale
Africa’s digital transformation cannot rely on infrastructure alone. It requires embedding cyber resilience into business strategy from the outset: encryption, MFA, employee awareness, incident response planning and continuous monitoring. When combined with automation and standardised workflows, enterprises can scale while maintaining control, compliance and continuity.
Ultimately, organisations that treat cybersecurity not as a cost-centre but as a strategic enabler will be best positioned to build trust, ensure agility and compete in Africa’s fast-growing digital economy.
