The Acronis Disk Director suite of products quickly became one of our flagship solutions when it first launched 13 years ago. A significant amount of the deep technology that runs through all of our current data protection products originated from advances made to Disk Director.

As digital data production increases every year, so do the challenges associated with storing and securing that data. It's a lesson that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has learned the hard way. Amid the fallout from the Snowden leak, the agency has found how important it is to proactively instill sound data policies and processes. Here's a look at the top U.S. spy agency's revamped data protection policies, and other stories from around the Web this week:

Mobile devices are getting smarter, allowing people to work on-the-go and access information anytime, anywhere. But while technological advances provide unprecedented opportunities for mobile workers, they also present more data security challenges.

The relationship between technology vendors and their channel partners is changing as new tools and trends alter how customers buy, consume and use technology. Gone are the days of long-term licenses and a hands-off approach. Vendors and their partners must now work more closely than ever to deliver value and grow their businesses. David Junca, who leads Acronis’ channel program, discusses how changes in IT are affecting the vendor-partner relationship, the need to let customers in on the long-term vision, and channel partners’ most pressing vendor needs: