As organisations become more dependent on data and are generating more and more quantities of it, data protection is more important than ever. Cybercrime, from phishing attempts to data theft, is an unprecedented threat to businesses of every shape and size. Statistics show that a fifth of businesses had been victims of cyber-attacks during 2023.
Data has become integral for all manner of business operations and understanding data storage and protection is critical to keeping valuable company information out of the wrong hands. To keep in line with evolving GDPR and respect customer privacy, you need to be storing data safely and securely.
This guide will walk you through a variety of data storage options available and steps to put in place within your organisation.
Types of data storage
There are several types of data storage available and choosing the right solution for your business is essential. Some key considerations when choosing your data storage are the type of data your organisation deals with, your budget requirements and accessibility requirements.
Cloud storage – This mode of computer storage stores digital data on servers in off-site locations. These servers are maintained by a third-party provider who manages, hosts and secures your data. Organisations can access data via public or private internet connections. Cloud storage is also scalable, which allows businesses to expand and reduce their data footprint as needed.
Physical data storage – Also known as local storage, physical data storage is when important information is stored on servers or storage devices that businesses control and operate themselves. This includes hard disk drives and USBs.
These physical storage devices can build up. Organisations can connect business computers to mass storage devices using SATA cables like those from RS, allowing you to save data on onsite physical memory devices.
Backing up data
Data breaches and crashes can happen at any time so important data needs to be regularly backed up. In the event that data is lost, or physical copies are destroyed, you will rely on these backups to retrieve lost data.
You can set up either a local backup or a cloud backup system which provides you with a data copy that can be restored at the hour of need. Cloud services are more effective than local solutions as they are protected against natural disasters and other physical data loss scenarios.
Steps for data security
You can insulate your business against data breaches by implementing some basic security measures. Employees are those most commonly targeted for data breaches so keeping staff up to date with phishing prevention and security techniques.
Consider implementing a comprehensive IT team that is dedicated to monitoring data safety and minimising unnecessary access to sensitive data.
