--- title: Understanding Your Data is the First Step to Unlocking Value from Cloud-Based Analytics description: When companies analyze and interpret data intelligently, they can improve and accelerate the decision-making process. image: https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/Image%20of%20businessman%20examining%20objects%20with%20magnifier.jpeg --- [![Hubspot_blog_logo](https://insights.comforte.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Hubspot_blog_logo.png?width=295&name=Hubspot_blog_logo.png)](http://www.comforte.com) [![Subscribe](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4026697/ba125972-4bdc-4e47-b9a9-81df496120a0.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4026697/ba125972-4bdc-4e47-b9a9-81df496120a0) [![](https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/Image%20of%20businessman%20examining%20objects%20with%20magnifier.jpeg)](https://insights.comforte.com/understanding-your-data-is-the-first-step-to-unlocking-value-from-cloud-based-analytics) [Mirza Salihagic](https://insights.comforte.com/author/mirza-salihagic) l Aug 25, 2022 l [Big Data Analytics](https://insights.comforte.com/tag/big-data-analytics) # Understanding Your Data is the First Step to Unlocking Value from Cloud-Based Analytics It’s difficult to think of a business that doesn’t produce data. And it’s even harder to imagine one that wouldn’t benefit from being able to analyze that data intelligently, to improve and accelerate decision making. In fact, [experts claim](https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/data-driven-decision-making) data-driven decision making will help leaders make more confident decisions, realize important cost savings and create a more proactive organization. It is cloud-based analytics platforms that hold the key to achieving these ambitious goals. But as we’ve discussed in previous parts of this blog series, privacy and security risk is a major concern with such projects. So how can organizations leverage the undoubted benefits of cloud analytics whilst managing risk to acceptable levels? The answer is intelligent, adaptable data-centric security. ## Getting to know the data landscape You can’t protect what you can’t see. That means gaining visibility into and understanding your data is the first step to securing it. It’s critical to know where that data is coming from, where it’s stored, how it is used, who is using it and how sensitive it is. Only once these questions are answered can that data be secured and moved into a centralized cloud store. The challenge is that most IT environments were not designed from the ground up with a clear strategic plan in mind. They are the product of years of gradual expansion and technology acquisition. IT teams will most likely be managing multiple databases, applications and services across constantly changing infrastructure. Complexity is the key word here. And it’s virtually impossible to manage complexity with manual processes. The result is that most data teams will not have a complete understanding of their data and risk landscape. ## Shining a light Corporate teams looking to drive cloud-based analytics projects must therefore take major steps towards improving their visibility into the current data landscape. These can be broken down into three areas for action: - Understand data lineage and flows across the IT environment – which will enable teams to identify risk and apply the appropriate protection methods. - Continuously detect sensitive data elements which may have slipped through existing security and protection controls. This will help to support continuous compliance and data protection in the data warehouse. - Prioritize and identify data elements that must be protected – in order to drive advanced and continuously updated data security and governance. ## Time for change Data-centric security solutions can help organizations keen to start this journey, by applying industry leading protection without compromising data utility. However, not all solutions are created equal. Organizations need specific capabilities to achieve the goals listed above. These are: - Continuous discovery of sensitive data and advanced data lineage discovery. - Dedicated, smart data warehouse scanning capabilities. - Automated, AI-powered data discovery to enhance operational efficiency. Comforte offers all of the above through its industry-leading Data Security Platform. It delivers automated data discovery, mapping and classification on a continuous basis via an agentless platform. This eliminates manual toil for IT and data teams while ensuring no stone is left unturned. Everything that needs to be protected stays protected. And once it is, you can start leveraging data-driven analytics for competitive advantage. | Share this:  | [![LinkedIn](https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/Social%20Icons/linkedin%20icon.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://insights.comforte.com/understanding-your-data-is-the-first-step-to-unlocking-value-from-cloud-based-analytics&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) | [![Bluesky](https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/Social%20Icons/bluesky_logo.png)](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?url=https://insights.comforte.com/understanding-your-data-is-the-first-step-to-unlocking-value-from-cloud-based-analytics&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Bluesky) | ![Twitter](https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/Social%20Icons/twitter_x_logo-1.png) | [![XING](https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/Social%20Icons/xing-color2.png)](https://www.xing.com/spi/shares/new?url=https://insights.comforte.com/understanding-your-data-is-the-first-step-to-unlocking-value-from-cloud-based-analytics&utm_medium=social&utm_source=xing) | [![Email](https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/Social%20Icons/email%20icon.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://insights.comforte.com/understanding-your-data-is-the-first-step-to-unlocking-value-from-cloud-based-analytics&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://insights.comforte.com/understanding-your-data-is-the-first-step-to-unlocking-value-from-cloud-based-analytics&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ## Want to learn more about data protection methods? Click the button below to download our free eBook (without filling out any forms!) and get more in depth information about the advantages and disadvantages of leading data protection methods like tokenization, encryption, hashing, masking, and more.  [![Download eBook](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4026697/0a8d23e5-0dae-480e-b4f4-060d5732901f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4026697/0a8d23e5-0dae-480e-b4f4-060d5732901f) ### Related posts ![Privacy-Enhanced Data Sharing: How to Drive Business Growth by Protecting Your Data](https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/comforte%20AG_Privacy%20Enhanced%20Data%20Sharing_%20How%20to%20Drive%20Business%20Growth%20by%20Protecting%20Your%20Data%20_04.07.png) Jul 4, 2024 l [Data Protection](https://insights.comforte.com/tag/data-protection) , [Big Data Analytics](https://insights.comforte.com/tag/big-data-analytics) ### [Privacy-Enhanced Data Sharing: How to Drive Business Growth by Protecting Your Data](https://insights.comforte.com/privacy-enhanced-data-sharing-how-to-drive-business-growth-by-protecting-your-data?hsLang=en) If data is the new oil, then organizations will get little benefit from hoarding it. They need to share it between individuals, departments, organizations and/or systems to improve decision making and drive growth. But there are risks. To avoid... [Read more](https://insights.comforte.com/privacy-enhanced-data-sharing-how-to-drive-business-growth-by-protecting-your-data?hsLang=en) ![Why Data-Centric Security Is a Critical Foundation for AI-Powered Analytics](https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/comforte%20AG_Why%20Data-Centric%20Security%20Is%20a%20Critical%20Foundation%20for%20AI-Powered%20Analytics%20_20.06.png) Jun 20, 2024 l [Data Protection](https://insights.comforte.com/tag/data-protection) , [Big Data Analytics](https://insights.comforte.com/tag/big-data-analytics) , [AI](https://insights.comforte.com/tag/ai) ### [Why Data-Centric Security Is a Critical Foundation for AI-Powered Analytics](https://insights.comforte.com/why-data-centric-security-is-a-critical-foundation-for-ai-powered-analytics?hsLang=en) Data analytics have been used for decades to enhance business insight and drive efficiency, growth and innovation. But the addition of intelligent algorithms and cloud computing power offers potentially game-changing opportunities to push these... [Read more](https://insights.comforte.com/why-data-centric-security-is-a-critical-foundation-for-ai-powered-analytics?hsLang=en) ![Empowering Collaboration with Data-Centric Security: Strategies for Secure Data Sharing](https://insights.comforte.com/hubfs/comforte%20AG_Data%20Sharing_07.03.png) Mar 7, 2024 l [Data Protection](https://insights.comforte.com/tag/data-protection) , [Big Data Analytics](https://insights.comforte.com/tag/big-data-analytics) ### [Empowering Collaboration with Data-Centric Security: Strategies for Secure Data Sharing](https://insights.comforte.com/empowering-collaboration-with-data-centric-security-strategies-for-secure-data-sharing?hsLang=en) Data is a critical business asset. But it’s not enough to simply store it. To unlock value, it must be easy to share across teams, and potentially with third parties. Unfortunately, many organizations assume the concepts of information security and... [Read more](https://insights.comforte.com/empowering-collaboration-with-data-centric-security-strategies-for-secure-data-sharing?hsLang=en) ### Service - [Contact](https://www.comforte.com/contact/) - [About us](https://www.comforte.com/company/) - [Blog](https://insights.comforte.com/) - [Press Releases](https://www.comforte.com/company/press-releases/) - [Career](https://www.comforte.com/company/career/) - [Resources](https://www.comforte.com/resources/) ### Germany comforte AG Abraham-Lincoln-Str. 22 65189 Wiesbaden Germany Phone: + 49 611 93199 00 Fax: + 49 611 93199 05 ### Australia comforte PTY Suite 20, 1 Rivett Road North Ryde NSW 2113 Australia Postal Address: PO Box 1710 Lane Cove NSW 1595 Australia Phone: +61 2 8197 0272 ### USA comforte Inc. 30 Wall Street, 8th Floor New York, NY 10005-2205 USA Phone: +1-646-438-5716 ### Singapore comforte Asia Pte. 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