VDR Providers Explained

Virtual data room providers offer key cloud services for all sorts of businesses today.

VDRs

Often referred to simply as VDRs, virtual data room providers offer an online resource for storing files, documents and all other sorts of data off-site. Rather than an individual or company having to store all of its own data in a server, the VDR provider does this for them. One of the big advantages of this approach is that data can be retrieved over the internet from anywhere. We have very specific locations that we hold data, for security. It’s access to the user that doesn’t need to be specified, accessing the data – given the necessary security measures – is possible for any authorised user no matter where they happen to be in the world.

Costs of the equipment for data security

The reason why an alternative to a physical data room is becoming increasingly popular is that the costs of the equipment and the rental of the space is reduced. Other costs, such as lowering the temperature by means of air-conditioning and providing physical access control systems for a real data room, are also done away with. Instead, a virtual data room provider sets up a type of extranet to which clients are given access over the internet. Clients experience the ‘data room’ through this extranet which is, at its simplest level, a kind of website which has controlled access, for example by employing secure log ons which are supplied by the provider. A good deal of the data stored in such a system is confidential – for example, customer records or financial details – and therefore various levels of restrictions can be applied to the data. In short, this means that the ability to release information to third parties, for instance by copying or forwarding, is fully controllable, just as it would be in a real data centre.

Data room design

A good data room design, whether it is physical or not, should have all of the same security measures, for example controlling who views data, who can access the system, who can copy information as well as who can print. In many virtual set ups, there are time limits which can be set for viewing and logging on, too, another security control measure. Virtual data rooms avoid some of the disadvantages of a standard, physical data room which need to be staffed by trained personnel.

Accessed at any time of day or night

A virtual data room provider’s system can be accessed at any time of day or night, so long as this is allowed under the security terms of use. Indeed, in a virtual set up, data and documentation can be accessed in a much more efficient and timely way. Due to their efficiency, both in terms of cost and of speed of use, an ever-growing number of companies have chosen to take up the service offered by virtual data room providers, in many cases dumping their old physical data rooms for good.