Despite attempts to limit – and even delete – stored business data, archived data continues to grow exponentially. Once companies have eliminated unnecessary data and implemented an information lifecycle management solution, they will eventually need a data storage solution.
Traditional data storage might be useful for a time. However, compliance, data retention requirements, and the rising cost of hardware infrastructure push businesses to explore alternatives to traditional storage. At some point, it makes sense to investigate the realities of a cloud storage solution. In many instances, cloud storage can help.
Benefits of Cloud Storage
Cloud storage enables workers within your network to easily share data from the cloud without using email. People who need access to specific files can be given permission to modify them, enabling them to update the same file while eliminating the potential for multiple and outdated copies.
But probably the best benefit of cloud storage is the ability to access and download your data from anywhere there is an Internet connection. Storing your growing data in the cloud also has the advantage of security from data disasters. Your files reside safely in a data center far from your business. In fact, most cloud storage solutions store data in several locations, giving you redundancy as well.
With traditional storage, you still have the servers or storage drives that you maintain and keep safe. With cloud storage, you leave the hardware up to the cloud storage experts. If storage needs increase, you won’t need additional staff to manage it, and the IT staff you have can focus on more strategic business initiatives. Another selling point of cloud storage is that you only pay for what you need. You can actually scale up or down based on your storage demands at that moment.
Preparing to Store Files in Cloud Storage
Once you do plan to store data in the cloud, it makes sense to create a migration plan, including a diagram to help organize your files, data sets and current on-site storage systems.
Ask your website administrators to catalog your current storage volumes and file types in use to determine which files you need to store in the cloud. Next, give some consideration as to where your files currently reside and determine if storing them in U.S. East Coast and/or U.S. West Coast location(s) would help improve your geographic redundancy and end-user access time to extract data from cloud storage.
Also, have your staff consider the authorization structure for managing these files (images, HTML, text, audio or video files) since you will have the ability to use permissions to manage files securely in cloud storage.
As an executive responsible for data storage decisions, it is important to understand that managing data files on physical and virtual server infrastructures as well as end-user computers takes forethought. Give your team time to categorize the archive structure needed to maintain highly available data stored in the cloud. And make sure your IT administrators ask the important questions upfront:
- Are server files stored on a local drive or on external devices?
- Do end-users store files on a networked common storage drive in addition to local hard drives, or USB drives?
- If a disaster impacted your facility or key administrative personnel, would IT know where the critical data is stored and be able to retrieve it immediately?
Here are some additional questions to ask about the cloud storage vendors you are considering:
- How frequently do they back up data? In an emergency, how long does it take to restore data?
- What degree of redundancy will be provided?
- Do they provide a user friendly, Web-based management interface?
- How does the pricing work? Is it per gigabyte migrated or do they charge each time you access a file?
Always Start with Strategy
Once you decide to take advantage of the benefits of cloud storage, be sure to create a cloud storage strategy to direct the migration process. And when evaluating cloud storage solutions, make certain you’ll be supported by a knowledgeable service team to get set up correctly at the onset, as well as in the long-term. FBN
Written by Scott Good, senior product manager, savvisdirect, at Savvis
Photographed: Bill Unkovich of CenturyLink 928-779-4798