Businesses have a lot of data that they need to access on a daily basis. However, where this data is stored can have a dramatic effect on your organization’s productivity. Whether it’s stored in the cloud, locally on your in-house server, or in a safe and secure data center, you need to know where your data is stored, and what purpose it holds for your business.

For example, storing your data locally has several benefits, but only if it’s done in an efficient manner. The same can be said for storing your data in a cloud; while it has valuable uses, this is only if you’re taking the correct approach to cloud computing.

When to Store Data Locally
Many organizations will host their own data infrastructures in their internal network. This means that workstations that have access to the network will be able to access the information stored within. However, this also means that your workstations need to be physically connected to the server. This complicated cabling and networking can be cumbersome, but it also provides a relatively quick connection to your business’s internal data. Storing your data locally in-house allows you to implement security solutions that are designed to prevent threats from accessing your data, which is crucial for any small business.

When to Store Data in the Cloud
A better question to ask would be, “when is it not okay to store data in the cloud?” The cloud is one of the best ways you can deploy data to your entire organization without physically connecting all of your system’s workstations to a central data-holding server. With the cloud, any information stored can be shared and deployed via an Internet connection, allowing anyone with the correct permissions to view it. If you have data that needs to be accessed by many employees, then the cloud is the ideal way to store your data.

Depending on the cloud solution you implement, you’ll have varied control over the security and deployment of your data. Businesses that relish this control will want a private cloud that’s either hosted in-house or through a managed service provider, while organizations that don’t need comprehensive control will appreciate the functionality of the public cloud.

When to Store Data Off-Site
Off-site data storage is effective for a number of reasons. For one, off-site data storage is similar in nature to the cloud; your data is there, and it’s available when you need it most. It’s helpful to store backups of your data infrastructure in off-site data centers so that you can take advantage of them in the event of a data loss disaster, like a natural disaster or hacking incident.

Backup and Disaster Recovery
There’s a reason that so many great solutions rely on the cloud, and it’s because it allows for near instantaneous access to your business’s data. In particular, this is important for your data backup system. When you face a data loss disaster, you need to take quick action to ensure that you minimize downtime. With a backup and disaster recovery (BDR) solution from Argentum IT, your data is immediately deployed to the BDR, which temporarily takes the place of your server in the event of a hardware failure or crippling disaster. This kind of convenience isn’t available without storing your data off site.

For more information about data storage, the cloud, and BDR, give Argentum IT a call at (502) 473-6407.