A successful risk management strategy requires a strong internal control environment. The risk control matrix (RCM) format emphasizes that strong and risk-oriented internal control environments are often optimized with automated/manual controls, depending on the situation.

An RCM provides an overview of different control objectives that organizations should take into consideration and the corresponding controls to safeguard the company against risks, which may arise if not checked timely. Once customized to an organization, this document can help the user in assessing each control. The control assessment can then also be summarized to develop an action plan.

This document outlines risks and controls common to data center operations during the 4.4.1 Manage Database process in a risk control matrix (RCM) format.

Sample risks include:

• Data availability is compromised by a lack of adequate backup and restoration procedures and technologies.
• Data technology requirements are not understood, resulting in the implementation of suboptimal solutions to business problems.
• External data acquisition is not appropriately managed, resulting in incomplete or unauthorized data being utilized in production.
• Lack of training and technology issues prevent the effective use of data management solutions.

This document can be used as a sample RCM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list of risks and controls. The KnowledgeLeader team will periodically update this RCM with new content. Organizations should select, update and modify the risks and controls included in this document to ensure that it reflects business operations.