Box brings multi-region data storage support to customers ahead of GDPR
Box has announced new security and compliance capabilities for the enterprise through the introduction of multi-region support for Box Zones.
One day ahead of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)'s deadline of May 25, at Box World Tour Europe, the cloud storage company said the new service will "make it possible for customers to store data in and collaborate seamlessly across any of Box's existing seven Zones, all from a single Box instance."
GDPR is a new framework set out by the European Commission which requires organizations to take more responsibility for the collection, sharing, and security of data.
Under the terms of the legislation, companies that are considered to be data controllers must notify the correct authorities within 72 hours when data breaches are detected, they must gain user consent for communication and inform them of how their information is used, and reasonable measures must be put in place to secure stored information, among other requirements.
See also: What is GDPR? Everything you need to know about the new general data protection regulations
While many businesses believe the new legislation is going to improve consumer privacy and security, a recent IBM study suggests that only a third believe they will be ready in time.
Therefore, while organizations rapidly attempt to work out where data is stored, how it is secured, and whether or not current processes comply with GDPR, companies including Box are also tweaking their data storage offerings.
Box currently has Zones in eight countries; Canada, Japan, Singapore, Ireland, the US, Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The company says that by introducing multi-region support from one Box instance, IT administrators will be able to assign storage Zones for individual users as well as default Zones for full organizations.
As a result, the enterprise will gain visibility and control into how they manage and store data, and provide greater transparency for auditing requirements.
The multi-region support features should also give organizations more control over data residency and this, in turn, should help them address data storage compliance issues, such as those posed by the impending GDPR changes.
The new service is available to customers from today.
The announcement builds upon Box's February reveal of new services aimed to help businesses tackle the GDPR minefield.
Box rolled out an electronic self-service addendum which lists the legal processes required for data processing under the terms of the new legislation, alongside a consultancy service to help customers understand compliance demands for cloud management services.
See also: Box intros new services to help customers prepare for GDPR requirements
"Business has never been more fast-paced, and at the same time regulatory changes like GDPR and the ever-changing security landscape are adding complexity, making it increasingly difficult to create a digital workplace that provides employees with the information they need to be successful," said Jeetu Patel, Chief Product Officer at Box. "Multizone support for Box Zones gives enterprises the best of both worlds."