Data Storage Solutions for Businesses
Whether you run a small business or a large one, your business data will grow. Data takes many forms ranging from text, customer databases, documents, email messages, newsletters, and presentations to photos, graphics, and videos. Many files such as PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, sound files, photos, and video files can be huge. It doesn't take long to accumulate a massive amount of data.
As your data grows, the need for alternate data storage solutions soon becomes apparent. In the past, you could have merely deleted old files that you no longer want or need. However, new regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley have data retention components to them. Where you might have deleted a file in the past, you may now have to archive it.
In addition to growing data and data retention requirements, many companies using desktop virtualization find themselves with new data storage requirements. Fortunately, no matter why you need more storage, several data storage solutions exist. Below are a few of the most common data storage solutions in use today.
Portable Hard Disk Drives
Portable hard disk drives typically connect to a computer using a USB cable. These drives are typically used by small businesses to store extra data occasionally. For example, a home-based business owner may use a portable hard disk as a temporary data storage solution when his or her computer's hard disk is at or near capacity. While portable hard disks can serve a need, other data storage solutions may be a better choice.
Cloud storage
Cloud is one word that has become the buzzword in the past few years. Every business whether small or large is adopting cloud in their business in one form or another. Storing data on cloud is one of the ways to keep your customer data safe secure. There are various reasons why, the first one is ofcourse cost, we all know how many bucks these servers cost to us. Now even if cost is not such a big deal for you, there is always the risk of server crash. The scalability is also another great feature for cloud data storage. An efficient CIM solution helps you manage your customer data in the most secure and cost efficient way possible.
USB Flash Drives
USB "thumb" drives are commonly used as portable storage devices. They are not to be considered comprehensive data storage solutions. Business users often copy files to these keychain-sized drives so that they can access their files from home or an alternate computer.
Online Data Storage Solutions
Another option is to use an online storage service. With online storage, data is uploaded to a remote server. Online data storage providers typically encrypt the data, ensuring security while in transit as well as when in storage. Depending on the service, a data backup solution may be bundled into the data storage solution.
Network Attached Storage (NAS)
Network attached storage solutions are usually used by small and mid-sized businesses that have multiple users who need to access data in a networked environment. As the name implies, the storage is attached to a network. NAS often includes disk arrays consisting of several mirrored hard disks. Should one disk fail, a backup is available on the mirrored drive.
Hybrid Storage
Hybrid data storage solutions use a blend of solid state storage and traditional hard disk storage to create a high performance system with large storage capacity. These data storage solutions get their performance from the use of solid state storage and their capacity from hard disk drives. This combination results in a fast, high capacity data storage solution that's less expensive than an all-Flash array.
A myriad of data storage solutions exist for businesses of all sizes. Whether you run a home-based business and have run out of disk space or an enterprise organization with desktop virtualization, today's data storage choices are plentiful and affordable.
Whether you run a small business or a large one, your business data will grow. Data takes many forms ranging from text, customer databases, documents, email messages, newsletters, and presentations to photos, graphics, and videos. Many files such as PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, sound files, photos, and video files can be huge. It doesn't take long to accumulate a massive amount of data.
As your data grows, the need for alternate data storage solutions soon becomes apparent. In the past, you could have merely deleted old files that you no longer want or need. However, new regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley have data retention components to them. Where you might have deleted a file in the past, you may now have to archive it.
In addition to growing data and data retention requirements, many companies using desktop virtualization find themselves with new data storage requirements. Fortunately, no matter why you need more storage, several data storage solutions exist. Below are a few of the most common data storage solutions in use today.
Portable Hard Disk Drives
Portable hard disk drives typically connect to a computer using a USB cable. These drives are typically used by small businesses to store extra data occasionally. For example, a home-based business owner may use a portable hard disk as a temporary data storage solution when his or her computer's hard disk is at or near capacity. While portable hard disks can serve a need, other data storage solutions may be a better choice.
Cloud storage
Cloud is one word that has become the buzzword in the past few years. Every business whether small or large is adopting cloud in their business in one form or another. Storing data on cloud is one of the ways to keep your customer data safe secure. There are various reasons why, the first one is ofcourse cost, we all know how many bucks these servers cost to us. Now even if cost is not such a big deal for you, there is always the risk of server crash. The scalability is also another great feature for cloud data storage. An efficient CIM solution helps you manage your customer data in the most secure and cost efficient way possible.
USB Flash Drives
USB "thumb" drives are commonly used as portable storage devices. They are not to be considered comprehensive data storage solutions. Business users often copy files to these keychain-sized drives so that they can access their files from home or an alternate computer.
Online Data Storage Solutions
Another option is to use an online storage service. With online storage, data is uploaded to a remote server. Online data storage providers typically encrypt the data, ensuring security while in transit as well as when in storage. Depending on the service, a data backup solution may be bundled into the data storage solution.
Network Attached Storage (NAS)
Network attached storage solutions are usually used by small and mid-sized businesses that have multiple users who need to access data in a networked environment. As the name implies, the storage is attached to a network. NAS often includes disk arrays consisting of several mirrored hard disks. Should one disk fail, a backup is available on the mirrored drive.
Hybrid Storage
Hybrid data storage solutions use a blend of solid state storage and traditional hard disk storage to create a high performance system with large storage capacity. These data storage solutions get their performance from the use of solid state storage and their capacity from hard disk drives. This combination results in a fast, high capacity data storage solution that's less expensive than an all-Flash array.
A myriad of data storage solutions exist for businesses of all sizes. Whether you run a home-based business and have run out of disk space or an enterprise organization with desktop virtualization, today's data storage choices are plentiful and affordable.