What is the main focus of data governance in cloud environments?

The main focus of data governance in cloud environments is centered around data compliance and regulation. This involves establishing policies, procedures, and standards to ensure that an organization’s data management practices meet legal, regulatory, and contractual obligations. In cloud environments, where data can be stored and processed across various jurisdictions, compliance becomes critical to protect sensitive information and adhere to regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and others.

Effective data governance helps organizations manage data privacy, security, and availability, ensuring that data is used ethically and responsibly while also maintaining transparency and accountability in data handling practices. This focus on compliance and regulation ensures that organizations can mitigate risks associated with data breaches and legal penalties, which are particularly pertinent in cloud computing due to its dynamic and global nature.

While aspects like data storage optimization, data recovery solutions, and data analytics are important in the broader context of data management, they do not encapsulate the primary purpose of governance, which is fundamentally concerned with maintaining compliance and regulatory standards.