Terrorism - Impact on Outsourcing

In recent times, terror attacks have been happening allher account can access the account from any part of
round the globe incessantly. Few years back, it wasthe world.
widely considered that the terror attack/terrorism is aSo, let's suppose that at any point in time there is an
third world phenomenon. However, with 9/11 all that hasunfortunate event of terror attack in India which
changed.destroys the office premises of the outsourcing
Terror got a new face after 9/11. The world today hasvendor, the data is still safe.
come to understand that terror has no boundaries. TheAll the outsourcing firms in India follow the principle of
Indian parliament attack in 2001, Bali bombings of 2002,taking back ups of their work on a daily basis.
the Madrid train bombings in 2004, the BeslanIn fact, businesses in US who have been outsourcing
massacre in Russia in 2004, the London bombings ofto India or who want to outsource to India should insist
2005, the Mumbai train bombings of 2006, theon daily back up of their data.
Glasgow airport attack of 2007, are all testimony toThere is another angle to this debate of terrorism
one fact: that terrorism affects the entire world and isimpacting outsourcing. The attacks of 9/11 have shown
not limited to any one country or area.as that terror is not limited to any one part of the
Post 9/11, there has been a concerted effort from allworld. It can strike even at the most secure places.
the international leaders to act together in fightingSupposing there is an unfortunate event of terror
terrorism. However, in spite of all the actions taken byattack in US which affects the office premises of a
the international community, terror continues to raise itsbusiness. In such an event, will it not be better if
head with impunity. The recent terror attacks insomeone has the data secure & safe
Mumbai prove that not much progress has beensomewhere, so that the day the business is ready
achieved in the fight against terrorism.with the redone infrastructure, the data also is available!
In fact, in the year 2008, there have been more thanThis is something that is possible with outsourcing.
20 confirmed terror attacks in India including theIn fact, because of outsourcing, the technology has
Mumbai attack. This trend has forced many peopleadvanced to a level where data is no more needed to
outside India to think that India is not a safe place to dobe converted into paper form. It is available in the
business. In fact, many businesses that have beenvirtual world! A terror attack may wipe out the physical
approached for outsourcing raise this concern as adata but it will never be able to touch the virtual data!
reason for not utilizing outsourcing as a tool in theirBesides, terror attacks are primarily done to scare
business strategy.people, to instill fear in the minds of people and to
However, it is pertinent to note that these kinds ofadversely affect the normal way of life. By stopping
attacks have no influence on outsourcing at all!outsourcing just because of terror attacks would
A business in say California suppose outsource itstantamount to bowing in front of the designs of the
accounting to India, suppose in Bangalore. Normally, theterror perpetrators.
outsourcing vendors in India use the IBackup serversIt will therefore be in the better interest of the world
for the transfer and storage of the backup files. Theseand the business community if outsourcing is just
servers are based in California and use 128bitlooked at from a strategic point of view and not linked
encryption. A person having the login credentials to hiswith terror attacks.