Nowadays, countless businesses deal with various types of data on a daily basis. Modern technology has allowed companies to digitalise their business operations and daily tasks. Today, a paperless office is no longer a possibility but a reality. Companies store information and data in digital format on computers and hard drives. Every piece of essential information regarding a business can easily be found and accessed via company computers.

However, the importance of data dictates that it has to be stored properly. Even so, businesses must create backups of stored data, in order to ensure that their vital information will remain intact even in case of a disaster. Not only that but operating in the digital world also means other threats, such as cybercriminals who are looking to steal information and make profits from it. That’s why proper data storage is crucial for businesses of any size. That being said, here are a few data storage tips for businesses.

Understand your data

Companies must make an effort to understand the data they have. That includes setting a priority level for information that circles around the company each day. Determining how data should be stored depends on how important it is and how often it needs to be accessed. For instance, if your employees work with certain data on a daily basis, then it must be stored in a way that makes it easy for them to access it.

It’s important to allow employees freedom of access to information that’s vital for their work. Otherwise, you’re hindering their productivity, especially if they need to seek permission each time they need access to data. On the other hand, data that’s not vital for work but it’s otherwise important in any way, should be stored in a way that limits free access. That way your company ensures that information cannot be lost or misused through effective data management.

Always backup your data

Aside from proper storage, it’s of the utmost importance for companies to consider data backups. Data backup means you’ll have copies of any essential information stored away for safekeeping. The main reason backups are so important is that they allow companies to protect themselves from any potential threats that may cause loss of information, such as natural disasters, system failure, physical or digital data thefts and so on.

Data backups can be stored on external hard drives that are kept either in-house or in remote locations. Backups can also be stored in the cloud. Even company related data stored on mobile devices deserves a backup if it’s important for the company in any way. You can find some easy-to-follow guides that will show you how to backup iPhone and Mac devices step by step, it doesn’t take much effort but it can really help you avoid potential disaster.

Consider moving to a cloud

Today, technology has provided many benefits to businesses when it comes to data storage. From keeping data in digital format to storing vast amounts of information on hard drives, technology has made data storing seamless. As expected, new solutions emerge every time technology advances and today is no different. That being said, companies can now opt for a cloud-based solution for their data storage.

Cloud services provide additional security and accessibility options aside from storage. As a matter of fact, companies can safely store data in remote data centres also called “the cloud” where their data is safeguarded and encrypted. What’s more, any piece of data or relevant information can easily be accessed from any device and from anywhere in the world. In other words, companies no longer have to rely on in-house solutions when it comes to data storage.

In-house data storage

As mentioned before, data can be stored on company premises. If you don’t trust cloud solutions or you cannot afford their services, storing data in an old-fashioned way is still a good option. Specialized hardware for on-premise data storage is still quite common and can be found in many companies today. However, storing data in-house has certain risks. Natural disasters, such as fire, flood, earthquakes and others can potentially destroy company data if kept in-house.

Also, someone can break in and steal information if your building isn’t properly secured. What’s more, hackers can steal your company’s sensitive data through a data breach and wipe any traces of information from existence. These scenarios can potentially ruin the entire company. Therefore, if you decide to store data in-house, make sure you improve security and develop a risk management plan for worse case scenarios. That way, even if something bad were to happen, your company will be able to protect itself and its data.

Data storage is vital for businesses. The main reason is that it allows a company to properly manage information and ensure that data is always safe, as well as available when needed. After all, it’s always better to ensure that any company related information doesn’t get lost, altered, misused or stolen.