Hybrid IT Data Protection Maturity
In the last 24-hours over $760 million has been invested into two companies that on the surface are IT backup products. With Cloud computing is quickly becoming a center for enterprise data, one has to question the valuation of these companies. The CTO Advisor has held the position that this data protection space isn’t about backup. It’s about the ability to leverage data regardless of the location.
Cloud computing companies will continue to add capabilities such as ML/AI and even Quantum computing that will not easily deploy inside the four walls of traditional enterprises. CTO’s will be challenged to leverage these services against massive quantities of data. The need for low latency to these data sets may very well become the new arms race in enterprise data.
It’s why I believe the $3.3 Billion evaluation for a company like Rubrik is just a drop in the bucket of the total addressable market for what we call data protection today. I created this maturity scale as a tool to help identify where your data protection/management strategy resides on the hype curve. While I haven’t published it until today, it’s already a year old. I’ve moved on to a “Data Infrastructure” framework. Let me know if you’d be interested I a private walkthrough of the framework.
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Keith Townsend is a seasoned technology leader and Chief Technology Advisor at Futurum Group, specializing in IT infrastructure, cloud technologies, and AI. With expertise spanning cloud, virtualization, networking, and storage, Keith has been a trusted partner in transforming IT operations across industries, including pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, government, software, and financial services.
Keith’s career highlights include leading global initiatives to consolidate multiple data centers, unify disparate IT operations, and modernize mission-critical platforms for “three-letter” federal agencies. His ability to align complex technology solutions with business objectives has made him a sought-after advisor for organizations navigating digital transformation.
A recognized voice in the industry, Keith combines his deep infrastructure knowledge with AI expertise to help enterprises integrate machine learning and AI-driven solutions into their IT strategies. His leadership has extended to designing scalable architectures that support advanced analytics and automation, empowering businesses to unlock new efficiencies and capabilities.
Whether guiding data center modernization, deploying AI solutions, or advising on cloud strategies, Keith brings a unique blend of technical depth and strategic insight to every project.
