As organizations scale up, they handle an ever-increasing amount of information. Consequently, it has never been more crucial to have effective and secure data storage solutions in place. Our previous post on Strong (Data) Storage Solutions highlights that storage solutions help businesses to manage, protect and store information, providing a secure location for critical and sensitive organizational data.
We also talked about cloud and on-premise storage in our previous article. A quick recap, some enterprises prefer to maintain on-premise data storage infrastructure. Still, more are increasingly adopting cloud-based storage solutions that allow them to protect information on a virtual infrastructure. When deciding the best storage solution to adopt, enterprises need to consider a few critical factors. Let us discuss each of these factors in detail.
Critical factors when picking a storage solution:
1. Scalability
The first thing that organizations need to consider when looking for a storage solution is scalability. According to experts, the storage architecture must be conditioned to upscale or downscale, depending on the business. Scalability is the maximum cluster size that will ensure complete data consistency. Businesses should implement a flexible storage solution that will allow scaling down if demand reduces or fewer resources are required or scaling up when the business expands.
Scalability ensures that any changes in business scale do not have adverse implications on processing capacity. The capability is closely linked with the size of the company – size matters when it comes to storage capacity. As such, large corporations need different storage solutions when compared to SMEs.
Overall, scalability improves IT efficiency and reduces operational costs related to information management. The consequences of not having enough storage resources are dire, including performance issues or users getting locked out of the application.
2. Price
As we have seen, scalability is crucial as it reduces operational costs. Indeed, the price of the storage solution is a critical aspect that should be considered in advance.
Factors that determine what businesses can expect to pay for a storage system include: the number of users, plan features, and the desired storage amount. Subscriptions also contribute to the overall cost of the storage solution. For example, enterprises that have subscribed to Office 365 are expected to include OneDrive in their monthly subscription. Typically, cloud storage systems offer plans as a monthly or annual subscription.
Enterprises must understand their needs regarding their users, the amount of storage needed, and the features required. Understanding these organizational needs will enable the business to calculate the total expenses for the storage options they are considering.
3. Security Features
Data security is not only an organizational requirement but also a compliance issue. According to a 2020 Risk Report by The World Economic Journal (WEF), cyberattacks will be the greatest challenge to business enterprises over the next decade. Simply put, cyber risks will be of more concern to contemporary organizations than terrorism, climate change and political conflict.
4. Support on multiple platforms
An effective storage solution supports multiple platforms. Additionally, integration with other software products is crucial to enhancing flexibility and diversity, ultimately promoting scalability.
For example, OneDrive, a Microsoft product, seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Office, Office 365 and the Windows operating system. Other cloud storage solutions integrate with multiple operating systems and software as well. It is a matter of understanding the features and costs that make sense for the organization.
Organizations will benefit from storage solutions that integrate with other software in use. Be sure to carefully review the applications and extensions available to determine if they can be integrated with the organizational network and system infrastructure.
5. Data Back-Up and Recovery Capabilities
Corporate data can be compromised or damaged due to the existing cyber and physical risks. When comparing storage solutions, data backup and recovery is a critical factor of consideration.
The best option, in this case, is cloud-based storage solutions because they allow users to recover files from a restore point. This capability is especially useful if the user accidentally deletes important files or a malicious attack compromises the data. Look for a solution that saves or backs up files that have been lost or deleted. Some storage solutions offer a backup period of 30 days, which is enough to allow users to restore lost files from any point within that period. There are as well other cloud storage solutions that meet the needs of organizations that want to access lost or deleted files as far back as 180 days.
6. Accessibility
With many organizations embracing remote working, accessibility features have become essential data security and storage considerations. It can be helpful for employees to access data from any location and on any device. Based on this consideration, cloud storage systems are recommended instead of on-premise storage solutions because they facilitate accessibility from any location.
Storage systems that support mobile applications provide users with the ability to access files and work remotely. Organizations should consider looking for storage solutions that offer anywhere-access, especially if they have staff who operate virtually or are constantly working away from the premises.
Conclusion
The enterprise data storage solutions such as AWS, Dropbox, SharePoint Online, Microsoft Azure, Dell EMC, IBM, and Google Cloud, check off all the factors of consideration expounded above. These cloud-based service providers consistently earn high ratings in offering efficient and convenient storage solutions compared to on-prem solutions.
At MyPrivacy.cc, we recognize that data security is becoming extremely critical. We offer premium data protection services that safeguard our client data from digital industrial espionage, social engineering threats, viruses and organized hacker attacks, among other cyber risks. Our java technology-based solution offers cloud independence. It works well with any enterprise cloud, such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure, among others, to ensure your data is absolutely secure in any public or private cloud.
We encourage organizations to invest in robust storage solutions while putting all the above factors into consideration. The consequences and costs of security threats can be far-reaching. With SafeSpace, MyPrivacy provides the most flexible and modular solution for securing your data in any storage environment. It is designed to work in a variety of industries, from health, finance, ICT, manufacturing to government and many more. The solution is suitable for any enterprise or institution that must share their sensitive data with third parties.
Learn how MyPrivacy protects your company’s sensitive data and liability beyond blockchain and cryptography. Book your MyPrivacy demo now, and an expert will contact you shortly to schedule a convenient time with you.