Sebi asks exchanges, market infra institutions to ensure minimal data loss

Markets regulator Sebi on Thursday asked stock exchanges and other market infrastructure institutions (MIIs) to ensure that the Recovery Point Objective (RPO) -- the maximum period for which data loss is tolerable due to a technical glitch or disruptions -- is near zero.

In market parlance, a recovery point objective (RPO) of near zero means that an institution should aim for almost 100 per cent availability of their data and applications.

Further, MIIs need to have a documented methodology for data reconciliation when resuming operations from Disaster Recovery Site (DRS) or any other site as applicable, Sebi said in a circular.

Additionally, Sebi has asked MIIs -- stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories- to collaborate in developing a standardized definition of 'near zero data loss' and submit the same to it after taking approval from their respective Standing Committee on Technology.

In addition to a Disaster Recovery Site, all stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories must have a Near Site (NS) to ensure near-zero data loss.

" MIIs shall ensure that the Recovery Point Objective (RPO) - the maximum tolerable period for which data might be lost due to a major incident - shall be near zero," Sebi said.

The regulator said that staff at the DRS should have the same level of expertise as those at the Primary Data Center (PDC). The DRS must be able to operate independently with its own trained staff, without relying on the PDC staff.

The architecture of the PDC, DRS, and NS should ensure high availability, fault tolerance, no single point of failure, near-zero data loss, and data integrity.