Data storage has become essential to business success. Storing data in the right way makes it possible for companies to maintain and access a library of images, documents, database backups, and other materials.
Given the importance of storing information, organizations should think about how they will back up the information they collect. After all, the primary storage might fail because of things like:
- Disasters (floods, fires, earthquakes, etc.)
- Theft
- Human error
- Security breaches
Obviously, you need reliable backups for your data. The question is whether you should choose a cloud, local, or hybrid option to keep your information safe.
Cloud Storage as a Data Backup
Estimates show that about 48% of organizations store data in the cloud. That’s a significant increase from 30% in 2015. Clearly, more organizations view cloud databases as reliable places to store information. Whether they choose Azure, AWS, or other popular options, companies and other groups seem to believe that they can trust cloud data backups.
Benefits of Using Cloud Storage as Data Backup
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With so many companies choose cloud storage for data backup, the option must have plenty of advantages. Some of the benefits that attract organizations to the cloud include:
- Potentially lower costs than buying hardware and storing backups on-site.
- Additional protection from malware and ransomware that can put your data at risk.
- East scaling for when an organization needs to store more or less data.
- Flexibility that lets organizations move to other service providers when they’re disappointed with a service or price.
- Maintaining data off-premises, which may help reduce storage costs and protects data from regional disasters like storms and earthquakes.
Disadvantages of Using Cloud Storage for Data Backup
No approach to data backup is perfect. Some organizations dislike cloud storage options because they:
- Often transfer data more slowly than on-premises servers.
- May give data access to outside parties, including the cloud company’s employees.
- Sometimes have complicated pricing strategies that make it difficult to plan for future data backup needs.
Local Storage as a Data Backup
Local storage can refer to any data backup that takes place on-premises. When it comes to organizations, though, that usually means storing data on servers instead of CDs and PC hard drives. In fact, many companies that use local storage solutions have shared files on their networks where employees can save their work.
Benefits of Local Storage as a Data Backup
Some benefits of local storage include:
- Extremely fast data backup.
- Maintaining your own security to prevent access from individuals and malware.
- Saving money on monthly data storage commitments.
- Controlling the type of hardware used to backup sensitive data.
Disadvantages of Local Storage as a Data Backup
Considering that about half of organizations choose to use the cloud for data backup, it’s not surprising that local storage has some disadvantages. Some companies avoid local storage because:
- Buying hardware and hiring an IT team have large upfront costs.
- Local disasters could destroy primary and secondary data repositories.
- Finding space to store hardware.
A Hybrid Approach to Backing Up Data
Public cloud servers work well in most circumstances. The downsides, however, make some business leaders uncomfortable, so they don’t want to commit to backing up all data to the cloud. Then again, they realize that local data backup options also have their disadvantages.
A hybrid approach combines the public cloud with on-site, local storage to help eliminate the challenges of data storage.
Organizations that choose a hybrid approach don’t get stuck with one option. Instead, they can decide how they want to use the cloud and on-site servers to protect data as well as possible.
Benefits of a Hybrid Approach to Backing Up Data
Some of the benefits of taking the hybrid approach to backing up data include:
- Storing recent data locally and moving older data to the cloud for long-term storage.
- Protecting data from local hazards that could destroy on-site servers.
- Improving data-sharing speed while information remains on-site.
- Giving organizations more control over their data security.
- Sharing data outside of the office becomes easier after moving it to the cloud.
Disadvantages of a Hybrid Approach to Backing Up Data
There aren’t many clear disadvantages of choosing a hybrid approach to backing up data. Some organizations worry about choosing this option, though, because:
- Paying for on-site and cloud storage costs more than choosing one approach.
- Storing data – even old data – on the public cloud could lead to security problems.
Get a Data Loss Vulnerability Assessment to Make an Informed Decision
Are you uncertain whether cloud, local, or hybrid data backups will work best for your organization? Datarecovery.com can perform a data loss vulnerability assessment that will help you determine the current safety of your data. You can also get advice from data recovery experts who have worked with organizations similar to yours. They can make it easier for you to understand which pros and cons matter most to your group.
Contact Datarecover.com to schedule a conversation and get individualized advice that will help protect your data.
