A decade of dominance in the world of information technology! Ten years of pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and blazing a trail for others to follow! This year we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Data Sciences Corporation, the premier IT solutions provider and emerging technology systems integrator. 

In the past 10 years, we have witnessed an explosion of growth in the field of data science and analytics. And take it on we did! We’ve been leading the charge, forging ahead, and making the impossible possible. 

We’re not just at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry, we ARE the forefront! So let’s raise a glass, to 10 years of success and to many more to come. And a special thank you to all of our amazing customers and suppliers for your unwavering support! Here’s to the next decade of innovation and excellence!

Greetings, fellow citizens of the information technology galaxy. I bring to you a tale of a company with a mission as noble as any Jedi’s. Data Sciences Corporation was founded in 2013, with the goal of bringing its customers the most unique and innovative data solutions.

We are a company that can help other businesses find and use the right technology for their needs. We do this by combining different technologies together to make a custom solution that fits the specific needs of each business. Our goal is to always do a great job for our customers, no matter how big or small the project is. We love working with data and we hope to work with you too!

Data Sciences Corporation has spent the last decade unlocking the power of data for clients through predictive algorithms, artificial intelligence, and analytics. Their experienced systems engineers are passionate about providing unparalleled service levels to help customers achieve their goals. 

With a consultative approach, they tailor systems to specific needs and are always eager to refine and progress in business development. Let’s salute these heroes of the IT world who are ready to face any challenge and emerge victorious!

With lightning-fast reflexes and superhero-level strength in data science, we at Data Sciences Corporation are ready to leap into action and save the day for businesses everywhere! Our cutting-edge technology, from artificial intelligence to machine learning, is the power behind our mission to revolutionise the way you do business. So, let us take the reins and guide you towards a future of maximum efficiency and success.

As a data analyst, it’s important to identify trends in data sources and choose the appropriate storage solution. Flash memory can be a great option for reducing moving parts in a data center. Descriptive and diagnostic analytics can provide insights into copies of data and redundant data. 

To take things further, prescriptive analytics can use real-time data to make recommendations for actions, including what programming languages to use for processing different types of data. Understanding the different types of data analytics is key to leveraging predictive analytics for business success.

At Data Science Corporation, we excel in customisation and flexibility. With a diverse customer base spanning various industries, we recognise the unique data needs of each business. Our tech team specialises in tailored solutions, utilising cutting-edge technologies like AI and machine learning. 

Whether you’re a healthcare provider or a fashion retailer, we can develop cross-platform strategies specifically for your business. Join us in revolutionising the way you do business with data science.

1. Data Sciences was the first reseller to sell all-flash storage into the SA enterprise market.
2. Data Sciences, through Pure Storage, introduced data de-duplication for primary storage in the local enterprise market.
3. Data Sciences was the first Pure Storage Elite partner in South Africa
4. Data Sciences helped several large enterprise customers eradicate spinning disk from their data centres.
5. Data Sciences was the awarded the distribution rights for NEC HYDRAstor in Africa.
6. Data Sciences implemented and continues to support the largest HYDRAstor grid outside of Japan.
7. Data Sciences was the first NVIDIA reseller to sell the DGX platform in South Africa.
8. Data Sciences helped a major life insurance company design, deploy and support one of the largest High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms in the country.
9. Data Sciences, through its Support Now subsidiary, is the only reseller to offer Brocade Direct Support in South Africa.
10. Data Sciences is the only Commvault reseller in South Africa to achieve the “Market Builder” partner level.

As we continue into the future, expect even greater breakthroughs and innovations in the years to come. Join us in our mission to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of data science.

Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your laptops and brace yourselves for a wild ride through the last decade of Data Sciences madness. Welcome to Data Sciences Corporation, where we’ve been providing IT Engineering solutions since 2013 and haven’t stopped since. 

We like to think of ourselves as a group of tech wizards, always on the cutting edge of relevant and differentiated technologies. You might even call us trendsetters, but we prefer “ahead-of-the-curve” experts. Join us on a journey through the last decade of highlights. We hope you enjoy it… if you don’t, well, blame the data.

If you’re an IT engineer searching for the ultimate in cutting-edge solutions for your company’s IT challenges, look no further than Data Sciences Corporation. As a premier provider of IT engineering services, we offer nothing less than next-generation solutions and leave no issue unresolved. 

Our team of experts are equipped to handle even the most complex technology and data ecosystems with ease. Trust us, when it comes to IT engineering, there is no better company to turn to for top-notch service and unparalleled expertise. So, for all your IT engineering needs, Data Sciences Corporation is the clear choice.

We’ve tackled every problem, no matter how big or small. We’re like the Avengers of customer service, but with better phone manners. And just like Thor has his hammer and Captain America has his shield, we have our trusty keyboard and mouse to swiftly and accurately solve any issue you may have.

We are proud to have worked with some of the world’s largest companies, including Pure Storage, Fujitsu, NEC Corporation, VAST Data, Nakivo, Commvault, NVIDIA, and others.

With our partnerships among the brightest stars in the tech galaxy, we’ve harnessed the power of cutting-edge technology. Pure Storage has provided us with lightning-fast flash storage, while Fujitsu has granted us the strength of their servers and storage solutions. NEC has enlightened us with the knowledge of the HydraStor, a powerful backup appliance. 

VAST Data has bestowed upon us their state-of-the-art storage solutions. Nakivo and Commvault have guided us in the ways of backup software mastery. And NVIDIA has gifted us their unparalleled graphics processing units. We’ve accomplished what others deemed impossible and take pride in our galaxy-class partnerships, further solidifying our position as a leader in the tech industry.

Observing the flourishing of several tech start-ups and small businesses throughout our tenure at Data Sciences Corporation has been exhilarating. Clients who utilize our unique tools and services often experience remarkable growth spurts, despite initial minor setbacks. 

Though the satisfaction of completing a project is gratifying, it is even more fulfilling to know that our efforts have contributed to the prosperity and advancement of these companies. The treasure at the end of the rainbow may not yet have been found, however, we shall continue to strive and aid them in their quest towards its attainment.

Technology has been advancing at a maddening pace over the past 10 years, giving our data and systems engineers all sorts of new opportunities to geek out about. Every time a new technology drops in the engineering game, it’s like Christmas morning for us nerdy types.

In the last decade, we’ve seen some major shifts in the information technology world. Cloud computing has become a major player in data storage and processing, machine learning and AI are all the rage for analyzing data, and there’s been a big push for better data governance and security. These changes have made our lives as data engineers way easier and more efficient.

 We are excited to see what the future holds for data engineering. It’s already one of the most challenging and exciting fields out there, and our company has been leading the charge for the past decade. 

The last decade at Data Sciences has been nothing short of fantastic. We’ve seen our customers thrive with some of our guidance, and our team members achieve extraordinary things in their respective fields. It’s an honor to be a part of the ever-evolving information technology sector, and we’re excited to continue providing our services to the community for many years to come.

As South Africa’s premier IT solutions and services provider, we’ve been helping our clients solve their IT problems with a smile since 2013. We are ready for what the next decade has in store for us. There are more trends to follow, bigger and better ambitions to achieve, and enough laughter to keep us going. Here’s to another successful decade with the Data Sciences family! Cheers!

Ransomware is malicious software code designed to deny access to a computer system or data until a sum of money is paid.    So, let’s put it into context, similar to when people are held at ransom for money, ransomware attackers will write a malicious software code that will hack into your computer system, encrypt your data and information, thereby denying you access to your files, databases, or applications in exchange for money. The only way to gain access to your data would be to pay the ransom. In some instances the attackers will threaten to publish the information if the ransom is not paid.

SIRIS Cyber Security

As new Ransomware variants arise regularly, it can be challenging to keep track of the different strains. While each malware strain differs, they rely on similar tactics to take advantage of users and hold encrypted data hostage.

Top 10 most well-known Ransomware strains

1.     Bad Rabbit

2.     Cryptolocker

3.     GoldenEye

4.     Jigsaw

5.     Locky

6.     Maze

7.     NotPetya

8.     Petya

9.     Ryuk

10.  Wannacry

Although there are countless strains of Ransomware, they mainly fall into two main types of Ransomware. These are crypto-ransomware and locker Ransomware.

What is Crypto Ransomware?

Crypto Ransomware encrypts valuable files on a computer so that they become unusable. Cyber Criminals that leverage crypto-ransomware attacks generate income by holding the files to ransom and demanding that victims pay a ransom to recover their files.

What is Locker Ransomware?

Unlike Crypto-Ransomware, Locker Ransomware does more than just encrypt files, it also goes further and blocks access to device that has been targeted. In these types of attacks, cybercriminals will demand a ransom to unlock the device.

For both Cypto and Locker attacks, users can be left without any other option to recover back to normal than pay the ransom. That’s why it’s vital to take steps to prepare your systems to recover without falling victim to cyber attackers.

How to protect yourself from Ransomware attacks

Ransomware is one of the significant issues that organisations face today, the main way that ransomware gains access to the systems is by relying on human interaction to trigger the attack. This is done by tricking the user to click or download a safe or legitimate looking file or link received by email from a legitimate looking sender, however some strains such as Wannacry, exploit unpatched or out-of-date patches to gain access to systems.

Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that you apply security best practices to minimize your risk of falling victim to Ransomware.

Put Your Data in Safe Mode

The key to effectively protecting data is to bring all the disparate silos (data lakes and backup appliances) together and then create a read-only snapshot of the data.

 These are then placed into a safe mode so it can’t be deleted, modified, or encrypted by any Ransomware. In practice, this is an automated process and independent of administrator control – which also means the snapshots can’t be deleted by accident or by rogue employees.

There’s a lot of artificial intelligence, analytics, and testing involved in this approach. However, it vastly simplifies the process and requires very limited human involvement because it’s highly automated.

To boost security further, this model requires an authorised individual to work directly with the technology provider to reconfigure the snapshots, make policy modifications, and/or manually delete them. It essentially adds another checkpoint. Not only can the malware not encrypt or delete the snapshots, neither can the IT team (without the suppliers support).

 So, by continually creating an unencrypted copy of all the organisation’s data, should Ransomware make it past the perimeter security defenses, the snapshots are safe and can be swiftly recovered – to ensure businesses can maintain uninterrupted service delivery to their customers.

As you know, one of our largest and longest partnerships is with Pure Storage who have several strategies on how we can assist you in protecting and keeping your data safe.

Ransomware attacks continue to be top of mind for business and IT leaders. And for a good reason. They compromise access to your organisation’s lifeblood – data. Consequences can be dire: Pay perpetrators to (maybe) unencrypt your data, stumble with decryption tools, or gamble on recovering from backups. Yet, with millions of dollars spent annually to guard entry points to data, many still underestimate the strategic value of augmenting data protection.

Your Existing Data Protection May Not Be Enough

Backups safeguard critical data against common scenarios such as recovering from natural or manmade disasters, data corruption, or accidental deletions. However, Ransomware attacks can stress existing data protection infrastructure built on legacy architectures, such as disk and tape, more than expected.

First, if you’re already struggling with meeting recovery SLAs, a Ransomware attack can exacerbate the situation with additional downtime. Second, your backup systems and data can be compromised, which could require you to reinstall and reconfigure your backup solution before even contemplating data recovery.

Pure Storage acknowledges and shares the concerns around Ransomware. As a result, they’re pleased to introduce a new approach to mitigating against these attacks when using Pure FlashBlade systems.

SafeMode snapshots, a built-in FlashBlade feature, enable you to create read-only snapshots of backup data and associated metadata catalogs after you’ve performed a full backup. You can recover data directly from these snapshots, helping to recover after Ransomware attacks and even rogue admins. In addition, FlashBlade provides the following benefits:

Enhanced Protection:

Ransomware can’t eradicate (delete), modify, or encrypt SafeMode snapshots. In addition, only an authorized designee from your organization can work directly with Pure Technical Support to configure the feature, change policy, or manually eradicate snapshots.

Backup Integration:

Utilize the same snapshot process regardless of the backup product or native utility used to manage data protection.

Flexibility:

Snapshot cadence and eradication scheduling are customizable.

Rapid Restore:

Leverage a massively parallel architecture and elastic performance that scales with data to speed back up and recovery.

Investment Protection:

FlashBlade includes SafeMode snapshots at no extra charge. Your Pure subscription or maintenance support contract cover enhancements.

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Download the PDF and Stay safe with SafeMode