Remember when data was simple? Your biggest concern was whether your file would fit on a floppy disk. Now data is big business. Companies large and small have terabytes of files, financial information, and software. Data can no longer be stored on an external hard drive. It takes servers to keep companies data stored and secured. But now we have the cloud. A virtual solution to everyone’s data and IT needs. The cloud allows you use exactly the right amount of storage while still being able to grow or shrink storage capacity in minutes.
The difference between using cloud storage and an on-site server is that with the cloud you trust a third party to host and store your data. You are reliant upon their security systems to keep you safe. With Amazon’s AWS crash last week, leaving many prominent companies without functioning websites and operations, it asks the question, “How should I store my business in the cloud?”
The answer is simple: diversify. Just like a financial investor will diversify a portfolio, you want to diversify your business in the cloud. This means having multiple instances of your application, infrastructure, and data stored across multiple cloud servers in different geographic locations. For example, utilizing a data center on the East Coast and another on the West Coast.
By having separate instances of your applications and data stored and running in independent data centers you can ensure that if a crash occurs, you can stay running. Although this is more costly, it is a way to ensure you don’t skip a beat. There is also the option of Hybrid IT plans. Hybrid IT plans combined cloud based technologies with traditional on-premise technology.
The cloud is a safe, secure way to store your data. But unfortunately it is not protected from human error. Human error caused Amazon’s AWS S3 server to be down for almost half a day. By taking the next step to protect yourself, you can ensure your operations continue to run smoothly, even if human error occurs.
At Datasmith, we work with you to understand your business needs so we can recommend the best IT solutions to make your life easier, not harder. We understand the risk you feel moving to the cloud and will answer all questions, at any point, to make sure you are comfortable with your new IT solutions. If you have questions about the cloud, security, or data storage. Call us, we’re here to help!
