Tag Archives: Cloud Storage

How Can you Overcome Storage Management Challenges?

November 6, 2015 Rob Mackle

Enterprises have noticed an increase in data volumes of up to 60% on a yearly basis. Hardware limitations can also make it more difficult to deal with such volume of data effectively. Proper planning, effective technology and talented staff are required to tackle the issue. The situation becomes even worst due to regulatory compliance and virtualization technology laws.

Effective storage administrators introduce new policies, put into practise helpful tools for resource management, and use financial resources for capacity planning. Before initiating all these jobs, they need to recognise the types of data, relevant applications, storage requirements, and then they need to review all of their policies in order to have an effective storage system in place.

Data administrators work to recognise factors responsible for data growth. Consequently, they will understand all the factors and will be able to answers questions of when, what, why, where and how of data storage. Storage environments are not similar; they differ in their size, requirements and architecture. It is necessary to understand queries, such as “What is driving data growth?”, “What type of tools do you need?”, “What are storage policies and when these were evaluated?”

Visibility and ease of access are the two major driving forces that work behind data storage. When data is visible properly, it helps storage administrators to identify certain problems associated with data storage. Consequently, they select right technologies that are suitable. Moreover, they update technology to check data paths and avoid blockage at certain positions where data growth is maximised.

Storage administrators use capacity planning in order to determine data storage requirements for a limited period of time. They can determine on various kinds of storage, time limit for storage (retention period), data growth projections, and which data must be stored in offline and/or online data repositories. It depends on storage managers to select technology for allocating the right amount of data to given applications. Usually, thin provisioning approach is selected by most storage administrators, as it helps in assigning the exact amount of capacity at the right time.

Capacity planning works in collaboration with reclaiming assets. Administrators need to reclaim, from time to time, underused or unused storage space. Data experts estimate that up to 15 percent more physical storage space can be freed up if unclaimed storage is used properly.

Data disasters are always in mind of storage administrators, therefore, they introduce strategies to strike against unexpected situations. It is the reason why storage management makes it easy to manage disasters. Skilled administrators take automatic snapshots of critical information of business data and design standards for reliable recovery before disasters strike. It is their job to continually monitor backups and simulate recovery scenarios through backed up data. It gives surety that the storage administrators are competent enough to handle disaster conditions.

Due to the presence of cloud data storage, it becomes possible to think about new data storage and delivery techniques. Enterprises that are using cloud computing services have reduced their operational and capital costs. In addition to low cost, they have enhanced flexibility to store and access data. Cloud storage plays a very important role in overcoming storage management challenges. It enables security, control, business resiliency, visibility, and automation of cloud backup and recovery.

Assess Cloud Storage Services Before Actually Using Them

November 4, 2015 Callum Huddlestone

While cloud backups and storage and recovery solutions are great for your organisation, it is important for you to know that it is not without limitations. For that reason, SMBs that are currently planning to move to the cloud must take some time and check the advantages and disadvantages associated with cloud backup services before migrating to the cloud. So, the extent at which the pros associated with cloud storage outweigh the cons, will determine your decision whether to jump in the waggon and ride the cloud or not.

Cloud backup and storage has been made an interactive backup and storage option suitable for both small, medium and enterprise organisations through bandwidth and capacity optimisation technologies, and multi-tenant architectures on the Internet. There is integration of range of business continuity solutions with the concept of server abstraction; and provision of high availability of critical workloads are the product of the solutions generated in the cloud. This will also facilitate the speeding up of time to market by using highly developed file imaging and site recovery options, coupled with all-embracing interoperability and best practises.

Cloud backup and storage service providers use high-tech tools in order to meet with the needs and demands of their customers. The migrations, upgrades and outdated technology are abstracted to the level of the service provider, giving users the freedom to enjoy data storage as a measurable utility with easy payment option. There are lots of security services that are made available at the price of subscription to the customers in the cloud and some of them include: file compression, disk based backup, encryption, duplication of data, server and storage virtualisation, application of particular security, and tiered storage using security authorisation. Some of the service providers improve their service by incorporating 24/7 customer support, which helps to intimate the customer against any form of security violations.

As cloud services are based on the Internet, the service consumer may not really be in control of the service level agreement (SLA) or even performance guarantees. Limitation of bandwidth is capable of making storage and data recovery a tedious and difficult task. There may be problems with exit strategy if the organisation decides to pull out from the agreement. Termination fees, cancellation charges, data extraction costs are the possible issues you may face. That is why you need to examine the SLAs before signing on the dotted lines.

Therefore, SMBs should embark on a though assessment of cloud services before hitching their waggon to the cloud. You can get competitive edge in your niche and also redefine your company just with effective planning and implementation in the cloud. It is recommended that you embrace the cloud, but ensure that you are entering this market being vigilant and alert. Therefore, you should not migrate to the cloud without getting a real understanding of what you are engaging your company into, as well as the potential disadvantages and advantages associated with cloud services.

At Backup Technology, we are always ready to assist you in your efforts to migrate to the cloud by taking the time and advising you at all levels. We will help you get over bandwidth issues by seeding your initial data to our servers with no hidden fees, with clearly spelt out SLAs.

How SMBs Examine Cloud Storage Options

July 16, 2015 Callum Huddlestone

To reduce chances of data loss due to hardware failure, human blunder or cyber criminals, small businesses are searching for automated and affordable cloud deployment. Companies prefer to use cloud storage facility to get access to valuable documents in case they experience a disaster.

When small companies adopt cloud based affordable solutions, they get an opportunity to improve performance of employees. For instance, employees who are working on a particular project in the office are able to carry on the work if they happen to be at home or just happen to be at another location of the company. It is possible for workers to select different devices to use stored data in the cloud for sharing some of the important tasks with colleagues without wasting a single minute.

Need of Cloud Storage for Small & Medium Sized Businesses

Many SMBs have adopted cloud backup services. A Spiceworks research covering almost 1,400 professionals from IT department of small and medium businesses worldwide revealed that more than 60% are using cloud based solutions. A year later the figure has grown to more than 80%. Given that the study involved IT professionals, who are subject experts, and tried to find out their preferences, we can safely say that data storage and recovery systems have given satisfactory results to online companies.

What are the motives behind an increase in cloud storage? It is noticeable that clouds are specifically used for web hosting services, disaster recovery and data backup. Presence of reliable backup system to recover data reduces the downtime costs as well.

Selection of Cloud Services

Companies are using cloud services for data storage for an easy way to access their data. In reality, all services do not offer same services for the same price; so at times it becomes difficult to comparable services. Bandwidth is paramount concern when cloud storage solution is adopted. Customers having limited bandwidth get advantage from inexpensive seeding service because accessible backup version is first stored on physical drive then delivered to data centers whereas new backup images are sent to clouds. Some offer bandwidth throttling and others help eliminate or reduce bandwidth issues by offering a free Bare Metal Restore drive service.

When our customers face catastrophe, cloud offers virtualization built in capabilities. Therefore, businesses can download files or run their specific system in the vendor’s cloud for a period of time. Our cloud users run disaster recovery program to retrieve data in a matter of minutes or hours (depending on the SLA) . On the other hand, non-cloud users require almost two weeks for recovering data.

Backup Technologies’ cloud storage services are distinguished not only for bandwidth issues, but we use cost effective system to meet the demands of our customers. There are various cloud storage service providers which will force you to buy blocks of storage space per device. Contrarily, our service permits companies to pay only for required space that will be used for data storage.

Consider all cloud services, their backup and disaster recovery options before making final decision. Select the company which fulfils all of your requirements, including data security, bandwidth management system, and pricing.

The Four “Vs” of Cloud Computing

May 29, 2015 Kris Price

In this technological era, companies across the globe are searching for ways to access the ever changing landscape and benefits that technology can bring. Cloud computing is at the forefront of this technological revolution, offering numerous benefits for companies who are seeking new ways of doing business.

The benefits of cloud computing can be distilled into the Four V’s, which are:

• Value,
• Variety,
• Velocity, and
• Volume.

These four factors are merely samples of how Cloud computing can benefit your business.

VALUE – Cloud computing offers organisations and companies great value for their money. First of all, no expensive outlay of capital is needed because the cloud infrastructure already exists. Nothing new needs to be built, so there are no capital expenditures. In addition, companies can adopt the “pay-as-you-go” model, allowing them to stay within their budget. This makes investing in cloud based technologies a reasonable and controlled investment.

VARIETY – Cloud computing has the ability to be accessed on a variety of devices, ranging from handheld devices like smartphones, tablets, netbooks and home computers — essentially any device that has access to the Internet. It increases the efficiency of portable devices as important data can be uploaded and accessed on handheld devices while business travellers are on the road. In addition, a variety of users — from suppliers, clients, buyers etc. — can access the cloud for sharing and collaboration from wherever they are, at anytime.

VELOCITY – The speed at which business can be done via the cloud is simply amazing. In fact, it is revolutionary. Accessing the cloud can be instantaneous. Uploading and accessing important data can happen in less than a matter of seconds. Collaboration between colleagues can take place in a matter of seconds. The speed at which business can be done in the cloud increases a company’s efficiency and can also increase its bottom line. Therefore, accessing cloud technology saves not only money, but valuable time.

VOLUME – Cloud computing offers an organisation the ability to upload and store an unlimited amount of data. Companies no longer have to worry about reaching maximum capacity when they store their important files on the web. The amount of storage a company needs in the cloud can be scaled up or down and tailored accordingly. As a company’s storage needs expand and grow, they can rest easy knowing that they will never run out of storage space in the cloud because the cloud offers them flexible storage options.

So, if you are considering switching to cloud computing — and cloud backup and storage for your business — remember the four V’s of cloud computing: Value, Variety, Velocity, and Volume.

Should Healthcare Professionals and Healthcare Service Providers Use the Cloud for Storing Patient Data?

May 20, 2015 Rob Mackle

Historically, healthcare professionals and healthcare service providers stored their patients records the old fashioned way — on paper in brown folders. With the advent of computer technology, they had the option of storing their patients sensitive medical information in a local computer file as well as the old fashioned way. Today, thanks to cloud computing and data storage services, they can store their patients data in the cloud.

If a healthcare professional chooses to store their patients data in a computer program, the data could be lost if the computer system crashed, stolen or caught fire. If there is no paper backup, the sensitive and critical patient information could be lost forever. This is never an issue if sensitive medical data is stored in the cloud.

Storing patients data in the cloud has many benefits for healthcare professionals; including anytime, anywhere access, scalable storage, compliant, easy and affordable.
For example, cloud storage is flexible, allowing the health professional to scale up or down based on demand for storing patients records. In the past, healthcare professionals and service providers had to constantly acquire additional storage space for their patients records the old fashion way by buying physical folders, hard drives and/or upgrading the computer systems. This is inefficient and time consuming.

Cloud storage services that cater for the healthcare industry must have passed compliance requirements. HIPAA that came into effect in 1996 stipulates that patients’ data can never be lost or compromised under any circumstances. To comply with HIPAA, SEC, Sarbanes-Oxley and more, vendors have come up with innovative ways to secure data and fulfil compliance requirements by encrypting and backing up data to redundant geo-locations.

In addition, cloud computing can save the healthcare professional, healthcare service provider, and the patient some money by reducing the costs of maintaining IT infrastructure and software. It also saves money because capital intensive hardware no longer needs to be purchased, and could result in insurance premium savings, as well.
The portability of having patients records stored in the cloud means that healthcare professionals can review the records of their patients wherever they are at anytime. In addition, having information stored in the cloud, it also gives them piece of mind that valuable and irreplaceable patient information will never be lost.

Cloud computing can save healthcare professionals both time and money and can also help them become more efficient in the delivery of service to their patients. It is important to take your time and evaluate any cloud storage service and perform a due diligence by thoroughly testing the vendors for compliance and security before you sign up for the service.