So, you’ve just found out your organization needs to comply with something called NIS2 – and you’re probably wondering if that’s a typo or the latest droid in a sci-fi movie. (Spoiler: it’s NOT a friendly robot.) NIS2, the EU’s Network and Information Security Directive 2, is the new sheriff in town for cybersecurity rules. Translation: it’s a big deal, and ignoring it could cost your company a fortune in fines – up to €10 million or 2% of global revenue for serious slip-ups. More importantly, it could cost you a lot of sleepless nights – and perhaps your job.
But don’t panic yet – this article is here to calm your nerves and maybe crack a smile or two. We’ll explain what NIS2 is (in human terms), why it matters for backups and disaster recovery, and how a tool called N2W can be your secret weapon to handle all these requirements without losing your sanity.
What the Heck is NIS2 (and Why Should You Care)?
NIS2 is essentially the EU’s way of saying, “We need to up our cybersecurity game, everyone!” It’s an overhaul of the older NIS1 directive with a broader scope and much sharper teeth. More sectors – from tech to transport to drinking water – are now included, and the security expectations are high.
If your organization is considered “essential” or “important” to society (congratulations, feels good – doesn’t it?), chances are NIS2 applies to you. Compliance isn’t optional – regulators can and will enforce this, with hefty fines as motivation.
Why should you, the IT engineer in the trenches, care? Because NIS2 is not just paperwork. It’s about making sure your organization can withstand cyber threats and keep running. One crucial part of this is business continuity – essentially keeping the lights on and data available, no matter what. In fact, NIS2 explicitly calls out “business continuity, such as backup management and disaster recovery” as mandatory. Finally, someone put it in writing!
The Struggle Is Real: Compliance Fatigue in IT
Let’s be real: staying compliant these days feels like playing Whac-A-Mole on expert mode. Just when you got your head around GDPR and DORA, along comes NIS2 with a 50-page rulebook. It’s enough to make you want to hide in the server room.
NIS2 expects you to handle:
- Risk analysis and policies
- Incident handling
- Business continuity (backups and disaster recovery)
- Supply chain security
- Secure development practices
- Ongoing effectiveness testing
It’s a long list. You might be thinking, “Am I supposed to handle all this AND keep the systems running?” The short answer: yes (or find someone to help). NIS2 expects organizations to step up their IT game across the board.
Why Backup & Recovery Feels Like a Heavy Lift
Backup and recovery might seem straightforward – you might say, “We do nightly backups, we’re fine.” But NIS2 raises the bar significantly:
- Frequent backups (hourly or near real-time)
- Off-site or redundant copies
- Immutability (backups can’t be tampered with)
- Encryption and strict access control
- Rapid recovery capability
- Regular DR testing
- Comprehensive documentation and reporting
Handling all this manually feels like juggling chainsaws – technically possible, but risky and likely to end badly. Is there an easier way? Yes!
Meet N2W: Your Compliance Sidekick (The Easy Button)
N2W (which, believe it or not, stands for “Not 2 Worry Software”) is your cloud-native backup and disaster recovery superhero. Originally built for AWS, and now supporting Azure, N2W automates backups and makes them resilient and instantly recoverable.
Here’s seven key capabilities how N2W helps you effortlessly meet NIS2 compliance:
1. Automated, Frequent Backups
N2W schedules backups as often as needed – even every few minutes. Frequent snapshots mean minimal data loss. Set it, forget it, and relax.
2. Immutability and Encryption
N2W backups can be immutable (tamper-proof) using object lock mechanisms and fully encrypted. Even ransomware can’t delete or alter your backups – they’re secure, audit-ready, and safe.
3. Cross-Region and Cross-Account Redundancy
Automatically copy backups to other regions or accounts, providing true geographic redundancy and protection against disasters or attacks on your primary environment.
4. Rapid Recovery (Low RTO)
With snapshot-based recovery, N2W restores entire systems in minutes – not days or hours. Your users might not even finish their coffee before everything’s back online.
5. Disaster Recovery Testing (DR Drills)
Automated DR drills let you regularly test backups without disrupting production. Documented proof of successful tests means auditors smile instead of sigh.
6. Reporting and Audit-Readiness
Automatically generated compliance reports and detailed logs make audits painless. Provide evidence effortlessly when asked, “How do you know your backups work?”
7. Maintains Data Sovereignty and Compliance with Full Control of Data
N2W, being a cloud-native Infrastructure-As-A-Service (IaaS) solution, ensures your data never leaves EU jurisdiction. Customers are in full control of their backups and where they are stored. Backups are never accessed by anyone except the customer. Not even N2W!
Wrapping Up: Keep Calm and NIS2 On (with a Little Help)
If NIS2 initially made your head spin, hopefully, you’re feeling a bit calmer now. NIS2 is demanding, but with N2W, compliance can be straightforward. Think of N2W as a trusted teammate whose sole job is to ensure your data stays safe, secure, and compliant 24/7.
Still got questions? Every business is unique, so let’s have a conversation. Reach out and talk to one of our brilliant N2W engineers – they’ve seen it all. We’ll show you exactly how N2W can ease your compliance headaches (and maybe even some pain points you haven’t thought about yet).
Ready to conquer NIS2? You’ve got this – and N2W has got your back(up) with rapid compliance!
We’re happy to run a compliance health check ensuring all loops are closed and you are prepared for upcoming legislation. Contact us at info@n2ws.com and in the meantime, spin up a free trial.
Are you a financial company or ICT who is impacted by DORA?
DORA is currently in effect, and if you are still concerned your organization has not fully complied, we’ve got you covered with our Rapid DORA Compliance Checklist.
