We have been reading about "big data" for many years. That is, data sets that are too large or complex to be handled by traditional data processing software. But what about so-called "small data". It maybe not as spectacular - but just as important.
It is just as important to store smaller data volumes as securely and cost-effectively on flexible and scalable infrastructures as those in the peta and exabyte size. Whether it is in a small or large company, storage, and administration of ever-increasing amounts of data is crucial for both cybersecurity and workflow.
Sebastian Nölting is CEO at RNT Rausch.
Ever-increasing amounts of data do not come without challenges. It must be stored securely and legally correctly. For example, documents must be stored for fixed storage periods so that they cannot be changed or deleted.
This type of file is often called cold data. This is because many of them are not necessary in daily operations and because fast and permanent access is not required. Often data that can be quickly "forgotten" and that it is still very important to protect and store correctly. Another point is that it is an expense item if it is stored on the primary storage system. It should therefore rather be stored on a dedicated storage unit tailored for the purpose.
Future data growth
Another challenge for most companies is to optimize the infrastructure in a way that is in line with future data growth. A difficult task for small businesses as conventional storage solutions is often developed according to the requirements of large companies and organizations. The data volume of SMEs is simply too small to either reach the minimum capacity of conventional solutions or it must pay for unused capacity.
It is neither sensible nor reasonable to invest in such a large solution without specific goals to fill the capacity sometime in the future.
Because if there is one thing that is important to keep in mind, it is that in cases of audit - or in the worst case a lawsuit, data must be able to be presented quickly and clearly.
Storage solutions must therefore be tailored to both current and future requirements. Not least, they must be scaled with the amounts of data in addition to meeting current and future requirements in terms of security and storage.
But what exactly is the solution? Tailor-made plug & play solutions for small businesses! That is, solutions that provide simplicity-as-a-Service and have the same functionality as storage solutions developed for large companies and organizations, but at a cost at the entry level. By adding only the data needed in day-to-day operations to expensive primary storage and moving cold data to secondary storage, you can easily keep storage costs under control and your data secure.
In conclusion, I would like to point out that even if the data set of the company is "small", it does not mean that it is not valuable. In the age of "big data", the power of "small data" is often neglected. Data that must be handled securely and legally. Even the smallest datasets can be of great value to your business.
