{"id":22341,"date":"2024-12-17T09:04:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T09:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interface.media\/?p=22341"},"modified":"2024-12-16T16:16:05","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T16:16:05","slug":"a-guide-to-understanding-market-leading-data-storage-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interface.media\/blog\/2024\/12\/17\/a-guide-to-understanding-market-leading-data-storage-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"A guide to understanding market-leading data storage solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Often the most data rich modern organisations can be information poor. This gap<\/em> emerges where businesses struggle to fully leverage data, especially where exponential data growth creates new challenges. A data ‘rich’ company requires robust, secure and efficient storage solutions to harness data to its fullest potential. From advanced on-premises data centres to cloud storage<\/a>, the evolution of data storage technologies is fundamental to managing the vast amounts of information that organisations depend on every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storage for today\u2019s landscape <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In today\u2019s climate of rigorous compliance and escalating cyber threats, operational resilience depends on strategies that combine data storage, effective backup and recovery, as well as cyber security. Storage solutions provide the foundation for managing vast amounts of data, but simply storing this data is not enough. Effective backup policies are essential to ensure IT teams can quickly restore data in the event of deliberate or accidental disruptions. Regular backups, combined with redundancy measures, help to maintain data integrity and availability, minimising downtime and ensuring business continuity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cyber threats \u2013 such as hacking, malware, and ransomware \u2013 is an advancing front, posing new risks to businesses of all sizes. Whilst SMEs often find themselves targets, threat actors prioritise organisations most likely to suffer from downtime, where, for example, resources are limited, or there are cyber skills gaps. It has even been estimated that an alarmingly high as 60% of SMEs<\/a> wind down their shutters just six months after a breach.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If operational resilience is on your business\u2019 agenda, then rapid recoveries (from verified points of retore) can return a business to a viable state. The misconception, where attacks nowadays feel all too frequent, is that business recovery is a long, winding road. Yet, market-leading data storage options have evolved, like IBM FlashSystem, to address conversations around operational resilience in new, meaningful ways.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storage Options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An ideal storage strategy should capture a means of managing data that organises storage resources into different tiers based on performance, cost, and access frequency. This approach ensures that data is stored in the most appropriate and cost-effective manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storage fits within various categories, including hot storage, warm storage, cold storage, and archival storage \u2013 each with various benefits that organisations can leverage, be it performative gains, or long-term data compliance and retention. But organisations large and small must start to position storage as a strategic pillar in their journey to operational resilience<\/em> \u2013 a critical part of modern parlance for businesses, enshrined by the likes of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By adopting a hierarchical storage strategy, organisations can optimise their storage infrastructure, balancing performance and cost. This approach enhances operational resilience by ensuring critical data is always accessible. Not only that, but it also helps to effectively manage investment in storage.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Achieving operational resilience with storage <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Protection <\/em>\u2013 a protective layer in storage means verifying and validating restore points to align with Recovery Point Objectives. After IT teams restore operations, \u2018clean\u2019 backups ensure that malicious code doesn’t end up back in the your systems.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Detection<\/em> \u2013 does your storage solution help mitigate costly intrusions by detecting anomalies and thwarting malicious, early-hour threats? FlashSystem, for example, has inbuilt anomaly detection to prevent invasive threats breaching your IT environment. Think early, preventative strategies and what your storage can do for you.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Recovery<\/em> \u2013 the final stage is all about minimising losses after impact, or downtime. This step addresses operational recovery, getting a minimum viable company back online. This works to the lowest possible Recovery Time Objectives.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Storage can be a matter of business survival. Cyber resilience, quick recovery and a robust storage strategy help circumvent the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n