Data archiving is one of the most crucial concepts keeping in mind the data explosion of the recent digital era. Be it historical archiving of documents or enterprise file archiving of company databases, archiving is a great way to preserve and conveniently retrieve information for future use. However, because the main goal is to retain the data for a long time, how the data is archived must be carefully considered.
While backups and archives might sound similar on the surface, they are quite different from each other. A backup is a mere copy of all the data, which comes in handy when the original data is lost. On the other hand, archiving involves the storing of original data in a separate storage device that the user is not likely to access anytime soon. Thus, for all the data that one does not necessarily need access to all the time but is valuable and cannot be deleted, archiving them is the best option.
Ways to Archive Data
Data archiving solutions depend on the amount of data one wants to archive as well as the duration they want to keep it for. There are different online and offline archiving solutions, each having its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Here is how data is commonly archived by people and organizations and the best way to do so.
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Offline Data Archiving
Offline data archiving includes the storage of data in hard drives, USB flash drives, LTO Tapes, and memory cards. These methods are ideal for people who are looking for cost-effective methods of archiving their data. The devices take up less space and can retain data for more than ten years or so. These archiving methods are perfect for individuals or small businesses with comparatively less data to store and a lesser period to store. However, their fragility must be kept in mind as they are quite susceptible to damage from different environmental conditions. From too much humidity to increased amounts of heat, these storage modes can get damaged if they are not stored and maintained properly.
Online Data Archiving
If one wants data archiving solutions that will store huge amounts of data and provide a convenient index and search system that will help them retrieve the data easily, cloud-based storage is the way to go. Cloud-based storage software customized for archiving is ideal for companies to store their data without the fear of losing them.
Specialized archiving software is adept in handling huge amounts of documents and storing them under separate databases for easier organization. Moreover, the customer can keep their data archived for as long as they want. Organizations from important sectors such as real estate, healthcare, hospitality, banks, and even state governments rely on such software to archive sensitive data with utmost security. An ideal archiving software is the best way to archive huge amounts of data to conveniently retrieve it for future use or when the company sustains data loss or ransomware. To elaborate on the efficiency of data archiving software, here are some of the features that most software contains:
- They comply with legal regulations like GDPR, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, and more to ensure safety.
- The process of retention and organization of data is automated in most archiving software.
- They have a complex system of searching and indexing for rapid retrieval of records.
- Most software has inbuilt classification systems that can be personalized according to the users’ requirements. This helps to automate the process of discarding or retaining particular records based on their importance.
- Reports are automatically generated via archiving software with access logs and updates.
- Third-party storages are also compatible with such software for the retrieval of records upon facing disasters and damages.
Thus, the best way to archive data is to invest in good archiving software and utilize a cloud-based storage system. With robust software backing an indefinite cloud storage system, the archived data will stay organized and secure for several years to come. The most beneficial aspect of such software is that they are available in a wide range of pricing structures to support all kinds of businesses, be it a startup or a well-established one.
