In line with the efforts to deploy advanced data protection systems and solutions across ministries and other government entities in the Kingdom, the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) has begun a process to backup digital public services data, iGA Director of Government Systems Support and Maintenance, Hesham AlHashemi announced.
Operating within Microsoft 365’s cloud computing environment, the project aims to ensure the protection for data and information assets held by these entities, while enhancing business continuity and data protection against unforeseen incidents.
Al Hashemi said that this initiative is part of the iGA’s ongoing collaboration with Veritas, a key player in cloud-based technology and big data. The project is being conducted in partnership with Microsoft and Almoayyed Computers. The strategic initiative is in line with the Kingdom’s Cloud-First policy that has been introduced and adopted in the government sector since 2017 under the guidance of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and with the support of His Excellency Gen. Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communication Technology (MCICT).
He added that implementation will follow a strict schedule that is expected to be completed within the first quarter of 2024. The process begins with the creation of a suitable environment on the Microsoft Azure platform and securely transferring backup copies to the involved entities through Veritas’ advanced systems and technologies to ensure a smooth data recovery process. Additionally, the initiative focuses on providing necessary technologies and permissions for data control through private storage systems or the cloud, in compliance with guidelines and regulations.
Al Hashemi also highlighted the systems and software that will be part of the backup process is integral to the daily work of government employees. These include emails, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive data. The backup process will evolve incrementally as per the plan outlined phases and will be finished by completing the backup of all assets and data for entities.
In accordance with the initiative’s backup policy, data will be consistently preserved and provided to entities based on the procedures that align with their needs. The data assets backup methodology encompasses several options including daily backups with a retention period of 35 days, monthly backups with retention for 13 months, and annual backup maintained for a minimum of five years.
BNA(R)