Data storage infrastructure will play a critical role in business recovery

The data explosion 

A recent report by Seagate and IDC, Rethink Data, predicted the amount of data in the world is set to continue to expand at an astonishing rate. This growth, driven by new technology users and nascent technologies, offers opportunities. But raw data is only valuable if it is useful — and today, most isn't. As a result, businesses fail to take advantage of 68% of data available to them, according to Rethink Data.

This is because managing massive datasets is complex and costly. Indeed, IT leaders often discard data because the cost of keeping it is immediate, despite significant potential future payoffs. And even when they do opt to keep it, the total cost of ownership of storing massive data sets in the public cloud can be vast — especially once hidden costs like data transfers, common API calls and egress fees are accounted for.

Herein lies the challenge for CIOs: how do you build a cost-effective data management strategy that allows you to intelligently capture, store and analyse information? The answer lies in more efficient and scalable end-to-end data storage solutions — but picking the right solution is not always easy.

How data is stored can make it a boon or a burden

Gone are the days when expanding data capacity just meant buying bigger hardware. The complexity of choosing the right solution often leaves companies with an imperfect fit — making data a burden rather than an asset.

Both cloud and on-premises solutions have their strengths. Cloud offers the flexibility to create and host many applications, while on-premises can provide better security, performance, and cost control. Savvy business leaders know combining the two via a hybrid model can offer the best of both worlds, but fewer appreciate the importance of moulding that hybrid according to their business needs.

For instance, a company that needs to quickly build and update consumer applications may lean towards public cloud but still wish to store sensitive consumer data on-premises. A videogame developer working with massive files may want to prioritise the data transfer benefits of on-premises — but still wish to leverage cloud for customer support.

Instead of tinkering with old hardware or shelling out on unnecessary cloud buckets, having the right storage systems can empower businesses to look forward, adopt new technologies, and grasp growth opportunities. 

Future-proof performance and scalability

A business's storage infrastructure doesn't just dictate its capacity or flexibility. Data storage also underpins performance power — something that must also grow in line with data demands. The film industry is an extreme example: as animation quality and resolution improve, file sizes increase, and so too do demands on IT infrastructure. 

Setting up for success

There is unlikely to be a better time to review how and where you store your data. The pandemic has thrown the rulebook out the window, while data-hungry nascent technologies like AI and IoT are starting to deliver on their immense promise. The world's reliance on technology has never been greater.