Cybercrime is on the rise, and every year the number of data breach incidents breaks the record of the previous year. The 2024 Data Protection Trends Report revealed that 75% of organizations get hit by cyberattacks, and most of these organizations are hit more than once with 96% of cyberattacks targeting backup repositories. These numbers are alarming.
With this and the quick evolution of products and changes in the market, one thing is clear: More than ever, it is necessary that you acquire the skills you need to defend against cyberattacks. Whether you’re a third party who’s responsible for maintaining and securing your customer’s backups or you’re primarily responsible for data protection organization, this article will discuss how training can play a crucial role in creating an optimal best practices training plan.
Training for Success Data Protection
The 2024 Data Protection Trends Report also revealed that IT leaders and data protection implementers are primarily concerned about the lack of new skills and learning opportunities they see in the market. This is probably the reason why, according to the Accenture report, “The Cyber-Resilient CEO”, almost 64% of CEOs plan on making an increased investment in upskilling and reskilling their cybersecurity workforce.
Training plays a critical role in preventing and mitigating the harmful effects of ransomware attacks on IT teams and may also contribute to creating a better work environment by empowering teams. This is particularly important considering the impact ransomware attacks have on stress levels, work-life balance, job security, and burnout, with 28% of IT professionals facing disciplinary action or loss of job security as highlighted in the 2024 Ransomware Trends Report.
In response to this landscape, Veeam launched a new suite of courses tailored to Veeam Data Platform v12 that covers the essential skills you need to protect systems, mitigate the risk of inadequate knowledge, and effectively defend against any cyberattack. These new courses can give individuals with the opportunity to become Veeam experts by empowering them to proactively safeguard their organizations’ data and fortify their systems. By equipping professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills, organizations can create a resilient and well-trained workforce that is less susceptible to burnout and better positioned to counter ransomware threats.
Learn Veeam’s V12 Key Software Features
Veeam’s program is designed to be easily understandable, offering two clear career paths for engineers and architects.
VMCE v12 – Freedom of Choice: With the VMCE Veeam Backup & Replication v12: Configure, Manage, and Recover (VMCE) course, attendees gain tangible benefits as they learn the skills to configure, manage, and support a Veeam Backup & Replication v12.x solution. This comprehensive training promotes situational resilience in responding to recovery scenarios and equips administrators and engineers to effectively protect and manage their data in a dynamic technical and business environment.
In V12, Veeam also introduced freedom of choice, which allows students to attend either traditional instructor-led sessions at a Veeam-authorized Education Center (VMAEC), or follow our first-ever self-paced certification option through Veeam University powered by Tsunati’s platform.
Instructor-led courses (in onsite or online formats) are delivered in local languages and offer attendees the opportunity to interact with the instructor. These courses offer hands-on lab experiences and typically take four days to complete.
However, for those who are unable to commit to the full four-day duration, self-paced alternatives are also available. This gives you the freedom to attend classes at any time and from any location as long as the training is completed within a 30-day timeframe. In this self-paced format, participants have access to “clickable labs” that offer the opportunity to observe and learn from instructor demos.
VMCA v12 – Architect as a Veeam Architect: The three-day “Veeam Backup & Replication v12.1: Architecture and Design” training empowers IT professionals to architect effective Veeam solutions with Veeam’s proven methodology.
Attendees will explore the process of requirement gathering and infrastructure assessment and use that information to design Veeam solutions within team exercises. Attendees will also analyze considerations when turning conceptual designs into logical designs, make those designs physical, and describe obligations to the implementation team who will implement their design.
Other topics covered will include security, governance, and validation impacts that can come up when architecting a Veeam solution, including how to build these into the overall solution design. Attendees should expect to contribute to team exercises, present designs, and defend their decision making.
Besides reinforcing knowledge, course attendees are also eligible to take corresponding exams to demonstrate their expertise and obtain an industry-recognized certification, which gives certification holders and their company the recognition that comes with an industry-recognized stamp of quality.
Advantages of Training with Veeam
Training and certification courses are the baseline of a strong knowledge base on cyberattacks and data protection. We already described some advantages to being trained, such as the ability to provide a higher defense against cyberattacks, empower organizations, address the skills gap in IT teams and create an environment that fosters resilience and expertise to avoid employee burnout. We’ll discuss the benefits that come with training and certification further below.
Productivity, Efficiency, and Higher Cybersecurity Defenses
Organizations may encounter challenges in managing their backups effectively, which leads to data loss, extended downtime, and increased vulnerability to cyberthreats. By acquiring new knowledge through Veeam’s training programs, these organizations avoid the risk of having inadequate knowledge and enhance speed and efficiency while fostering confidence in performing tasks. This significantly reduces the risk of errors.
Based on the Pearson VUE 2024 Value of Certification Employer study, employees are 72% more productive and 72% are more efficient when certified. By gaining expertise in Veeam’s key software features, professionals can improve their productivity in data protection and recovery processes. This means faster recovery times, enhanced data protection capabilities, and increased productivity and confidence among individuals and organizations. All of this contributes to ultimately stronger cybersecurity defenses too.
Return on Investment
Human error, hardware and software failure, natural disasters, physical damage and cyberattacks are the main causes of data loss. The overall financial impact of these incidents can be staggering, and can cause damage to brand image, loss of productivity, and increased pressure on IT teams. Ransomware payments also have a significant financial impact to organizations. In fact, Veeam’s 2024 Ransomware Trends Report found that payment offers no recovery guarantee, and many organizations still could not recover their data even after paying. By allocating resources toward training and fortifying teams, organizations can minimize the financial impact of potential breaches and maximize their overall ROI on training investments.
Employee Advancement and Company Retention
Organizations can also incur increased costs when they have employees who don’t have the proper skills. The growing talent deficit in technology is negatively impacting the global economy too in terms of productivity. When asked for the top three ways certified staff add value to their organization, many leaders reported that they see a boost in productivity (36%), troubleshooting taking less time (35%), and certifications closing skills gaps (34%). At the same time, employees say they are willing to stay longer at a company that invests in their training. In this landscape, it is a good practice to hire and upskill employees to increase retention and promote their advancement as certified individuals. Giving employees better options to progress encourages good talent to stay longer at companies that also invest in them.
Credibility and Prestige
A recent Veeam study on partners found that at least 75% of partners are delivering or plan to deliver technical consulting/architecture services, and that they’ll need trained and certified staff. Certifications can help customers better choose consulting firms and help resellers to participate in complex infrastructure projects and access prestigious clients. Becoming certified not only boosts confidence but also positions individuals and companies as leaders in their field. Employees also get a stamp of quality on their resume that translates to better salaries as they can demonstrate greater competency and qualifications.
Conclusion
In conclusion, with the increasing prevalence of cybercrime, it is crucial to have the right skills to defend against cyber-attacks. Train and retain IT teams is crucial for organizations. Veeam’s new suite of training provides the necessary expertise and knowledge to protect systems effectively, with Veeam. By investing in training, customers and partners can strengthen their defenses, avoid exposing to unnecessary risks and safeguarding IT teams from today’s challenges. By investing in these training programs, individuals and organizations can enhance their security measures, improve performance, and be better prepared to face the challenges of today’s cyber landscape.
Learn more about Veeam’s trainings, here.
