1. Prioritize
Data storage is a complicated, risky and troublesome process. Not only do you need to back it all up on a regular basis, restrict access to it, and check on it regularly, but you also need to think about the consequences of allowing it to fall into the wrong hands. This is why you need to make sure that the data you are protecting is worth your while. Because of this, you need to keep your data management policy up to date. First, you should minimize the amount of data you are saving. For example, although a word file is 15-ish Kb large, you don’t need to save every last piece of information you come across.
Next, you need to find a way to make the first line of defense of your data as ironclad as possible. What does this mean? Well, first of all you shouldn’t let anyone tamper around it. While industrial espionage is not as flashy as what you see in Hollywood movies, it is much more common than you think. Limit the number of people with access to it and remember to change the passwords as frequently as you can.
2. Going with the Cloud
One of the first things that pops into everyone’s mind when it comes to data storage is cloud computing. The greatest advantage that this particular method has is the fact that it allows you to access your business data from almost any terminal on earth. This means that you will have the privilege (or curse) of taking your work wherever you go. If you are still unsure how this would fit your business, you can find an IT support company like Matrix7, which offers a free 14-day trial of their cloud services. In this way, you don’t have to weigh the pros and cons in a theoretical setting.
3. Local Storage
Even though cloud is now much safer than it was back in the early days, some people still don’t trust it enough to store some of their most sensitive data on it. Because of this, they are more likely to go with local storage options and save it all on a HDD. While it provides you with the ultimate safety, there are more than few drawbacks of this option as well. First, you have a limited disc space, which means you will have to buy a new HDD once you fill it. Additionally, if you were to transfer these data, you would have to use several impractical and time-consuming means. All in all, in 2017, this method is not quite worth the effort.
Conclusion
By storing your business data, you are taking pretty much the same measures you would in order to protect your material valuables. First, you are keeping it away from strangers (limiting access). Second, you are paying for a proven model of safe box (cloud storage) and finally, you are changing the lock combination every few weeks. The nature of the game may have been changed, but the same rules apply.
Guest article written by: Dan Radak is a marketing professional with eleven years of experience. He is currently working with a number of companies in the field of digital marketing, closely collaborating with a couple of e-commerce companies. He is also a coauthor on several technology websites and regular contributor to Technivorz.