Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What is Data Archiving?
- Why is Data Archiving Important?
- Key Features of Data Archiving Solutions
- Types of Data Archiving Solutions
- On-Premises Archiving
- Cloud-Based Archiving
- Hybrid Archiving
- Best Practices for Data Archiving
- Top Data Archiving Solutions in the Market
- Challenges in Data Archiving and How to Overcome Them
- Future Trends in Data Archiving
- Conclusion
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Introduction
In the corporate world, new data is created on a daily basis. Most of this data is kept for current operational needs, while some is set aside for legal reasons, future reference, or compliance. Keeping everything in primary storage can prove to be expensive while data archiving solutions provide more affordable options. This is where the concept of data archiving comes in.
Data archiving ensures that an organization’s inactive data is securely retrieved, stored, and managed in a cost-effective manner. In this article, we will discuss various aspects of data scanning including current techniques, best practices, and industry expectations.
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Definition of Data Archiving
The process of removing obsolete data and placing it into a separate storage system for long term retention is called data archiving. Records are stored with the intention of retaining them for future organizational needs. Unlike traditional backups that are designed solely for disaster recovery, data archives are purpose-built for storage retention, streamlined accessibility, and intricate compliance requirements.
Key features of data archiving cover:
Retention spans years or even decades
Adherence to regulatory frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA and the like
Cost containment associated with data retention on low-cost data storage technology
Ease of access and retrieval.
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In what ways is data archiving important?
- Savings on Costs
Keeping inactive data on high-performance primary storage is costly. Operational costs are lower when this data is archived which transfers it to low-cost storage media.
- Compliance along with legal obligations.
Several GDPR compliant sectors demand data retention for a number of years, these include but are not limited to financial records or healthcare data. Archiving ensures compliance with:
GDPR( General Data Protection Regulation)
HIPAA( Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
Regulations set forth by SEC & FINRA.
- Enhanced performance
Business applications and computers work better with smaller quantities of active data because there is less to sift through.
- Data Protection and Integrity
Archived data is often kept in a read-only format or WORM (write once read many) format which protects obliteration of data.
- Disaster Recovery and Continuity in Business Operations
While short-term recovery solutions struggle to keep up, archives focus on long term perseveration of the data.
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Main Components of a Solution for Archiving Data
Keep these factors in mind when selecting a data archiving solution:
- Automated Data Archiving Policies
Moves data using age, frequency of use or other types in accordance with set rules.
- Data Compression and Deduplication
Frees up storage space by deleting duplicate files and compressing them.
- Encryption and Security
Protects archived data from malicious attacks and loss.
- Search and Retrieval Capabilities
Ability to quickly retrieve archived data at any given time.
- Compliance Support
Automatic audit log generation alongside set retention policies ensures policy compliance.
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Types of Data Archiving Solutions
- On-Premises Archiving
Storage of data occurs in data centers owned by the organization.
Pros: Ensured internet independence, increased security, and full governance.
Cons: Continual maintenance as well as large initial expenditure.
- Cloud-Based Archiving
Data can be stored in cloud services, or other AWS and Azure facilities.
Pros: Easy scalability, control over expenditures, and remote access.
Cons: Increased reliance on the internet, increased costs with greater usage.
- Hybrid Archiving
This form seeks to combine cloud and on-premises storage facilities to maximize flexibility.
Pros: Improved access and reasonable cost paired with heightened security.
Cons: Increased sophistication in management.
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Best practices for Data Archiving
The following steps will maximize the advantages of data archiving:
- Establish unambiguous retention policies
Define data retention policies to address legal requirements, and business necessities.
- Archive data by classifying it
Mark data as critical, noncritical, or regulatory-mandated.
- Security Enhanced Protective Measures
Strong access control limits, encryption, and audit logs ensure security breaches are lessened.
- Implement Regular Tests for Data Retrieval
Ensure that data held in archives is readily accessible and can be restored quickly.
- Optimize Storage Erected
Evaluate architectural strategies and make adaptations where necessary on a constant basis.
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Leading Data Archival Strategies Globally
These are some of the most effective solutions to data archiving:
- Veritas Enterprise Vault
Handles Email, File and Database Archival.
Very good compliance options.
- Dell EMC SourceOne
Concentrates its service on Email and File Archival.
Excellent link with Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint.
- AWS Glacier and Azure Blob Storage
Economical cloud archiving solutions.
Best suited for the long-term ‘cold’ storage.
- Commvault Complete Backup & Recovery
Backup and archiving are integrated in one framework.
- Barracuda Cloud Archive
Archiving in the cloud with strong protections.
- Issues Associated With Data Archiving and The Solutions.
- Data Fragmentation and Silos
Solution: Consider using intermediaries that employ unified centralized archiving platforms as a comprehensive access pathway.
- Slow Retrieval Problem
Solution: Establish hotter, wamer and colder tier structured storage.
- Risk for compliance
Solution: Automating policy enforcement.
- Operating costs through the roof
Solution: Redundant data elimination strategies such as data compression and deduplication.
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Other Data Archival Trends That May Emerge
Artificial Intelligence for Archiving: Uses machine learning technology to segment classes of data automatically.
Data Secure Zen Blockchain: For compliance will protect any record from modification.
Edge Archiving: Close range saving from big data for IOT gadgets.
Eco data storage systems: Storage is conducted in an environmentally loving way.
Conclusion
Archiving data is an essential activity in today’s world which assists businesses in minimum spending, meeting obligations, and increasing productivity. Adhering to best practices and selecting the appropriate solution guarantees that businesses can safely preserve data for future requirements.
As technology advances, the integration of AI, blockchain, and cloud technology will further optimize data archiving processes. Adopting a reliable strategy for data archiving now will be beneficial in the future.
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