The Top 3 Hardest Things About Data Archiving
The hardest step is the first step.
Data archiving is a necessary evil of any business or corporation that deals with large amounts of data. Data archiving is the process of moving content and data that isn’t being used onto a different, sometimes cheaper storage device, where it will remain for the long term. Sometimes confused with data backups, data archiving is different because it involves indexing and moving data that can be searched and founded at a later date. Data backups, on the other hand are copies of data that are made in case something happens to an original file. This is where data storage systems become necessary.
Data archiving is a necessary evil of any business or corporation that deals with large amounts of data. Data archiving is the process of moving content and data that isn’t being used onto a different, sometimes cheaper storage device, where it will remain for the long term. Sometimes confused with data backups, data archiving is different because it involves indexing and moving data that can be searched and founded at a later date. Data backups, on the other hand are copies of data that are made in case something happens to an original file. This is where data storage systems become necessary.
So, what are some of the hardest things about data archiving? Below we highlight three of the top difficulties with data archiving and how to find your way around them.
1. Creating a Data Archiving Plan. One of the hardest parts about data archiving, like any big project is taking the first step. Creating a plan can be time intensive because it is important to get an adequate understanding of what you will need in terms of your data storage requirements, and you must identify all of the different places your data is now stored. One way to help with this process is to use a storage resource management tool. These tool are meant to help clients with their budgeting and planning for such data archiving projects, keeping your specific time and budget guidelines in mind. In addition, once you have a good understanding of your storage needs for the future, you will be in a better position to grow in the future. These tools will often give you statistics on your usage pattern. This will help down the road to prepare for any potential capacity problems.
1. Creating a Data Archiving Plan. One of the hardest parts about data archiving, like any big project is taking the first step. Creating a plan can be time intensive because it is important to get an adequate understanding of what you will need in terms of your data storage requirements, and you must identify all of the different places your data is now stored. One way to help with this process is to use a storage resource management tool. These tool are meant to help clients with their budgeting and planning for such data archiving projects, keeping your specific time and budget guidelines in mind. In addition, once you have a good understanding of your storage needs for the future, you will be in a better position to grow in the future. These tools will often give you statistics on your usage pattern. This will help down the road to prepare for any potential capacity problems.
2. Prioritizing your stored data. Knowing which company data you can move to a data archiving system and how long it will stay there can sometimes seem like one of the hardest parts of data archiving. Depending on the industry you are in and the various regulations and compliance measure you may have to abide by can help you when trying to determine how long certain information much will availably.
3. Making sure your data is protected. Another hard part of data archiving is ensuring all the data you decide to archive is protected. It’s important to make sure you use reliable and safe means to secure your data. With so many new products of software coming online, many times the programs can change so fast that what you had used, later might not be compatible with your system’s format and data can become unreadable and even lost in translation. One way to prevent against this is to minimize the products you use to just one format if possible. Also, make sure that the records are unable to be changed or edited and if it is possible to edit archived files, make sure there is an audit system in place to track who has had access.
3. Making sure your data is protected. Another hard part of data archiving is ensuring all the data you decide to archive is protected. It’s important to make sure you use reliable and safe means to secure your data. With so many new products of software coming online, many times the programs can change so fast that what you had used, later might not be compatible with your system’s format and data can become unreadable and even lost in translation. One way to prevent against this is to minimize the products you use to just one format if possible. Also, make sure that the records are unable to be changed or edited and if it is possible to edit archived files, make sure there is an audit system in place to track who has had access.
Nexsan’s data archiving system are perfect for optimizing storage of archived data in compliance with corporate and regulatory factors. Our systems allow you to free up space for active data and reduce the cost of monthly backups. In addition, our system contains fingerprinting so when a file is archived, its history and contents cannot be altered after the fact. Find out more about data archiving with Nexsan today!
