Axle Networks Blog – Data archiving is the systematic process of storing data for the long term, with a primary focus on preserving it for future reference and compliance purposes.
It involves the process of moving older data that is no longer actively used to separate storage for long-term retention to make sure that important records remain available years after they were created.
Data archiving serves the dual purposes of long-term retention and space management, and it is often used to meet legal compliance requirements, which vary depending on the industry and jurisdiction. Data archiving is more than just a storage solution; it is a strategic approach to preserving and managing your organisation’s valuable information.
Let’s learn more about this concept, including its importance, best practices, and tool options for effectively archiving your data.
Why is Effective Data Archiving important?
Data archiving is an important part of the overall data management lifecycle. Data archiving offers a more strategic approach to data preservation and accessibility, so it can be viewed as a better option than simply using an ordinary data backup strategy. With an effective data archiving strategy, you can:
- Optimise storage and reduce costs by moving infrequently accessed data to cost-effective archival storage.
- Ensure compliance with industry regulations and legal requirements by maintaining a secure and auditable data repository.
- Improve data retrieval and analysis by providing a centralised and easily searchable archive.
- Enhance business continuity and disaster recovery by maintaining a reliable backup of critical data.
Another reason for data archiving is compliance. For example, a healthcare organization may implement a data archiving strategy to securely store patient records and medical images for long-term retention in compliance with HIPAA regulations.
Data archiving can help you preserve important documents.
We’ll never know when we may need to refer back to historical data for legal or regulatory purposes. That’s another reason data archiving is important for any organisation’s overall data management strategy.
Archiving can help prevent data loss and ensure important documents are preserved for just-in-case future reference.
Data archiving is one component of an overall data storage strategy. If you’re looking for tips on how to store data efficiently in the cloud, don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. For more information, click the link below.
Learn More: Efficient Data Storage in the Cloud: Tips and Best Practices
Planning the Data Archiving Strategy
Developing an effective data archiving strategy requires a comprehensive approach. This includes determining which data needs to be archived, establishing retention policies, and implementing secure storage solutions. Carefully planning your data archiving strategy can help you prepare for any future data management needs.
Some of the important steps that you need to take include:
- Identify the Data to be Archived: Not all data is worth archiving. Identify the data that is important and needs to be archived. This could be data that is infrequently accessed but still important for business or legal reasons.
- Define the Archiving Policies: Define policies for what data gets archived, when it gets archived, and how long it is kept. This could be based on the age of the data, its type, its importance, etc.
- Choose the Right Archiving Solution: There are many data archiving solutions available in the market. Choose one that fits your needs in terms of cost, scalability, ease of use, etc.
- Ensure Data Security and Compliance: Make sure that the data is stored securely and in compliance with any relevant laws and regulations. This could involve encrypting the data, restricting access, etc.
- Plan for Data Retrieval: Archived data is of no use if it cannot be easily retrieved when needed. Plan for how data will be retrieved, who will have access, etc.
- Regularly Review and Update the Archiving Strategy: The archiving strategy should not be set in stone. It should be regularly reviewed and updated based on changes in business, technology, laws, etc.
Remember, a good data archiving strategy can help you save costs, improve performance, and ensure compliance. It’s worth spending the time to get it right.
Data Archiving Methods
There are several way you can archive your data. According to msp360, there are two ways you can archive your data. The first method is via offline storage and the second is in cloud storage.
Offline Methods
Archiving data in offline storage is an ideal option if accessibility is your priority in your data archiving strategy.
With the offline method, you can easily access your archived data whenever needed without relying on an internet connection. This method also provides an extra layer of security by physically storing the data in a separate location from your main system.
Some of the common options for offline data archiving storage are
- Hard drives, the most popular storage format, are inexpensive and can hold terabytes of data. They last a long time but require careful handling and take up some physical space.
- Flash storage, such as solid-state drives, memory cards, and USB flash drives, is ideal for data archiving due to its size and robustness. However, they are much more expensive than hard disc storage.
- Blu-ray discs are inexpensive options, with a very low cost per terabyte. Usually, you use BD-R HTL disc types for archiving since they have a longer lifespan compared to other types of Blu-ray discs. They are appropriate for general data storage, but you will need a Blu-ray disc drive to write the data to the discs.
- LTO tapes are a less common option. However, these options are popular among hard-core archivers because they allow for the archiving of large amounts of data and have a low price per terabyte. To write data to the tapes, you’ll need a tape drive, though.
Online Methods with Cloud Cold Storage
Another option for archiving data is to use cloud storage. This option can be significantly less expensive than offline storage options because you do not need to maintain the hardware (hard drives, flash storage, etc.), and the service is provided using a pay-as-you-go model.
Typically, businesses use cold storage when archiving data in the cloud.
Cold storage is a computer system or mode of operation designed for the retention of inactive data.
It is a long-term storage solution suitable for data types that are not frequently accessed, such as information required for regulatory compliance, video, photographs, and backup or archival data.
Cold storage systems prioritise low cost, high capacity, and data durability, with slower data retrieval and response times compared to high-performance primary storage systems.
Some of the popular cold storage options are:
- Amazon S3 Glacier and S3 Glacier Deep Archive: Popular AWS options for data archiving. They provide highly durable and reliable online storage. S3 Glacier sacrifices retrieval time for lower cost compared to S3 Standard
- Microsoft Azure Blob Archive Storage: Azure’s Archive tier is optimised for storing rarely accessed data (min 180 days). Archive storage is offline and has the lowest charges, but higher access costs. Can be set at the object level
- Google Cloud Coldline: Intended for data accessed less than once a year (e.g. disaster recovery, archiving). Provides lower availability and higher latency than other Google Cloud storage classes. Requires 90-day minimum storage duration, but offers sub-second data access
Choosing the best cloud service can be difficult because there are so many options available. So, before you go shopping, you should have a few criteria. You can learn more about it in our previous post. To read the article, click on the link provided below.
Learn More: Choosing the Right Cloud Service Provider: 5 Key Considerations
How to Choose an Ideal Data Archiving Solutions
When selecting data archiving solutions, evaluate factors such as scalability, security, compliance, and cost-effectiveness. You can consider cloud-based archiving solutions, on-premises archiving systems, or a hybrid approach that combines the benefits of both.
Generally speaking, there are 8 factors to take into account when selecting data archiving solutions for your business:
- Data Types and Formats: The solution should be able to handle the types and formats of data that you need to archive. This could include emails, documents, databases, multimedia files, etc.
- Scalability: The solution should be able to scale to handle the amount of data you need to archive, both now and in the future.
- Security and Compliance: The solution should provide robust security features to protect your data. It should also help you comply with any relevant laws and regulations.
- Cost: Consider both the upfront cost of the solution and the ongoing costs of using it. This could include costs for storage, maintenance, support, etc.
- Ease of Use: The solution should be easy to use and manage. This includes not only archiving data but also retrieving it when needed.
- Vendor Reputation: Consider the reputation of the vendor. Look at reviews, ask for references, and consider their track record in the industry.
- Integration: The solution should integrate well with your existing systems and workflows.
- Support and Maintenance: Check what kind of support and maintenance is offered by the vendor. This could include technical support, updates, training, etc.
Remember, the best solution for you will depend on your specific needs and circumstances. It’s a good idea to test a few different solutions before making a decision.
Conclusion
Effective data archiving is a strategic imperative for modern businesses. Developing a comprehensive data archiving strategy can help you optimize storage, ensure compliance, and unlock the full potential of your organization’s data.
So, do you want to increase the effectiveness and optimisation of your cloud environment?
Axle Networks IT Managed Services offers robust cloud management solutions tailored to your specific needs. With our team of experienced professionals, you can rest assured that your cloud-based resources and data will be protected from unauthorised access and potential security threats.Contact us today to learn more about our IT Managed Services for efficient cloud management.