Dark data is destroying the planet: here’s how to stop it

Dark data is destroying the planet: here’s how to stop it

Databases can become infested with dark data when employees lack strong guidelines.

The Coronavirus pandemic has, without doubt, changed the way that many businesses around the world operate as the 'stay at home' message turned millions of us into remote-workers. Businesses in the UAE have shifted swiftly in line with this, causing hundreds of companies to adapt their IT infrastructures to meet the needs of employees and customers in tune with the 'new normal'.

With this shift, we have seen some unintentional consequences, from living our daily lives on video conferencing platforms to reducing the emissions generated by our daily commutes to the office.

As we gradually transition out of lockdown, this is the time for people, businesses and governments to consider what lessons we should learn from the experience, and what behaviours we want to take forward. Our impact on the environment should certainly be one of these - and now that we've made a start, there's a clear opportunity to go further in other areas.

Analysis by Veritas estimates that 5.8 million tonnes of CO2 will be pumped into the atmosphere this year as a result of storing unnecessary 'dark data' - this translates to more emissions than 80 individual countries. Businesses