What are Your Options for Data Storage?

Cloud Storage, External Hard Drives, NAS, Network Attached Storage, Ophtek, Optical Drives, USB Flash Drives, , , , , ,
09
Apr 2019

We’re living in an age of big data and, as a result, having adequate storage space is a major concern in business. So, what are your storage options?

The days of floppy disks, with their limited 1.44mb storage capability, are well and truly over thanks to a revolution in storage methods. Not only are there more options, but the rapid advance of technology has ensured that we can store even more data in even smaller spaces. However, this wide range of options means that understanding each and every one can be a little bewildering.

Thankfully, we’re here to provide you with a quick education on your options, so let’s get started:

  • Optical Drives: While optical drives such as CDs/DVDs/BluRays may feel a little old fashioned, they still represent a fantastic storage option. Low cost and immune from being remotely hacked, optical drives provide a suitable storage option when it comes to archiving data such as Microsoft Office documents and media files including sound, picture and video.
  • USB Flash Drives: Again, USB drives are relatively traditional storage options, but what marks them out is their accessibility. Perfect for employees who are regularly on the move, the small measurements of a USB flash mean that it can easily be attached to a key ring or simply stored in a pocket. However, their small size is highly deceptive as flash drives are now capable of storing a huge 512GB of data.
  • External Hard Drives: Available in both desktop and portable versions, external hard drives are very similar in design to those found within desktop PCs and laptops. While not as easy to store in your pocket as a USB flash drive, external hard drives come equipped with some serious real estate in terms of storage space. The newest models on the market can hold up to 16TB of data and should never be underestimated in terms of storage space.
  • Network Attached Storage (NAS): Connected directly to networks, an NAS allows your organization to connect several storage drives all at the same time. This allows you to benefit from two major benefits: speed and size. In terms of speed, your data is available to your network almost instantly and makes it perfect for initiating restores. And, when it comes to size, the combination of several devices allows NAS to hold massive amounts of data.
  • Cloud Storage: The newest innovation in data storage, cloud networks offer up a whole new world of possibilities for data storage. Available through third party providers, cloud networks are virtual storage spaces that your organization can hook up to. Significant investment is currently going into cloud computing and this means that crucial factors such as speed and size are almost unparalleled when it comes to storing data in the cloud.

As you can see, there are several major options for you to consider when it comes to data storage. And the beauty of data storage is that you don’t have to stick with just one method. You can mix and match several different methods to provide quick and safe storage options.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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4 Tips for Business Data Storage

Office IT,
31
May 2016

data-storage-solution All businesses rely on data storage, so it’s an important area for your business to focus on. However, many businesses fail to make it a priority.

Underestimating your data storage needs can lead to major, major issues when things go wrong. Things tend to always go wrong at the worst possible moment. That’s why it’s critical to make data storage an on-going priority.

To help you understand how to build a reliable and forward thinking data storage plan, we will share some tips to help get you started.

Determine Your Storage Needs

Your storage needs will be reliant not only on how much data you’re processing, but also the type of data. And, of course, how will you be accessing this data?

There are a wide variety of options available such as:

  • USB Sticks
  • External hard drives
  • Central data storage
  • Cloud based storage

All of these provide a unique service which may or may not fit in with your specific needs, so the best advice here is to speak with your IT support. They’ll be able to tailor data storage to fit your needs.

Buy More Than You Need

Businesses always miscalculate the amount of data they’re handling and processing. It’s no surprise really as things can rapidly build in the business world. And, sure, it may seem as though your brand new data storage solution seems enough.

But what if you get a little bit busier? That amazing data storage system may start to creak under the weight of all this additional work.

To avoid disruption to your business, it’s a good idea to overcompensate for your data storage needs. This allows your hardware to not only handle the data with ease, but also allows for rapid expansion when necessary.

Consider Network Attached Storage

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Many small businesses are now turning to Network Attached Storage (NAS) for their data storage needs, but what is NAS?

Well, a NAS device is a piece of storage hardware which permits users on a network to store and retrieve data from a central location. The beauty in an NAS device is that they’re incredibly simple to use and don’t require an IT team to monitor.

Essentially, NAS is the same as cloud storage, but it’s physically based in your office. Depending on the device you purchase, around 25 – 50 employees can all access data from a central point. This is vital in a small business where everyone needs to be on the same page.  You also have the option of adding additional storage as you go seamlessly.

Regularly Test Your Data Storage

It’s very easy to put a data storage system in place and then assume that it’s going to work fine for years to come. On the whole, it should work pretty well. However, your business environment may suddenly change and this can affect the power of your data storage.

To prevent falling into this pothole, you’ll want to test the performance of your data storage a few times a year. If you find that things are slowing down when it comes to accessing and storing data it’s going to need investigation.  Most modern NAS systems have health monitoring built in making this task simple and straight forward.

This may be caused by a simple software issue or it may be a signal that an upgrade in hardware is required for the additional workload. Either way, you’ll be in a position to implement the necessary changes.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

 

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Turbocharge Home or Office File Sharing and Backup With A NAS

General, Office IT, Office Network, , , ,
26
Mar 2014

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What a NAS typically looks like.

NAS (not to be confused with NOS) is an essential tool for sharing files, doing backups and many other common functions between computers in your home or office.  Network Attached Storage, or ‘NAS’, isn’t the first thing you will think of when you’re shopping around for a computer.  As your home or office PC’s, tablets and smartphones build up, the term NAS will likely come up somewhere.

How can you use a NAS for your Home or Office?

Once you have several computers in your home or office, you’ll realize that it’s an inefficient use of time to constantly duplicate files from one hard drive to the next just so you can access them from all your devices.  That’s where NAS come in.  It’s an external hard drive with a light operating system (OS) to help make ‘sharing’ easier.

Western-Digital-Red-3TB-Synology-DS1812

Another look at a different NAS model.

Most of us pull information directly from the cloud, or huge datacenters scattered all over the world, but the issue with this is many people are not yet connected to a high speed connection.  A typical image (i.e. JPG or PNG) will download in just a few seconds if you’re retrieving it from a server, but large files like HD videos will require several hours.  The proximity to a server and the connection quality become limiting factors when we want to share any type of digital content.

So instead of uploading huge video files to the cloud (i.e. DropBox) and then sharing them via this route, people on the same network can share information using a NAS.  The biggest benefit of having a NAS for your home or office network is that you don’t need to run a dedicated PC at all times for people to access files.  As we already pointed out, the NAS is a computer on its own, with the exception that it possess just enough horsepower to carry out what it’s intended for.

More features already built in

Most NAS devices also have built-in printer sharing, so a single household can have access to the printer’s feature at all time from any supported devices.

You may also notice that your computer has a ‘back-up’ feature, which allows you to restore or retrieve lost files should there be some sort of software complications down the line.  While this method is completely acceptable for most cases, people who are even more concerned about their data should find a secondary source to back up their files to, such as a NAS.

Lastly, NAS is also extremely useful for pulling up information on-the-go.  If configured correctly, a NAS can act like a server so any user can pull up whatever is stored on the server from any location with an internet connection.  Just keep in mind that once you’re out of range of your own network, how fast you can retrieve these files from the NAS will depend on the connection you’re currently using.

To learn how your office can benefit from a NAS device, contact your local IT support.

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