Unstructured Data Management, Where to Start

Source: https://gigaom.com/2019/05/16/unstructured-data-management-where-to-start/
May 16, 2019 at 06:29PM

A few months ago I wrote a report about unstructured data management. And the introduction starts like this: “Unstructured data growth is hardly news anymore. In fact, the challenge is no longer exponential growth, which we are now accustomed to and have solutions for, but it is all about keeping data safe while giving access to users, applications, and devices distributed globally, as well as having control over it.”

Data storage has dramatically evolved in the last few years, and there are several aspects to take into account before planning for a data management strategy:

• Unstoppable Data Growth – The reality is that we cannot stop nor contain data growth, especially when it comes to unstructured data. It is not only that the sources that can produce data are growing by the day with the increasing amount of devices at our disposal, sensors cameras, and so on. It is also about the fact that documents are richer, bigger and we keep them for a longer period of time. Regulations and never-delete policies don’t help either. $/GB of our storage infrastructures, both in terms of TCA and TCO are key to infrastructure and business sustainability.
• Unpracticable Consolidation – We create data everywhere but, still today, for many organizations consolidating it in a single place is pure utopia. Sometimes this is about organizational issues, in other cases, it is more about connectivity constraints. No matter the case, the result is the same, file servers and NAS devices are installed everywhere or, at least, access gateways need to be close to the applications and users needing that data. As a result, infrastructure becomes more complex over time, it needs to be protected, secured and managed accordingly.
• Edge-Core-Cloud – Core and Edge data storage are now joined by the cloud. This is an additional challenge, as well as an opportunity. In fact, it could add complexity to the picture, but if leveraged in the right way it can quickly become an opportunity for large savings as well as introduce enhanced data protection mechanisms and data management tools.

There are several ways to plan a data management strategy and tools to execute this as well. Some of them are more intrusive, while others have a minimal impact on the existing infrastructure. At the end of the day, data management all depends on the results you want to get, how quickly, and the resources at your disposal to start this type of initiative.

Do you want to know more?

On May 21 (12 pm CDT), I’ll be hosting a webinar with the title “Unstructured Data Management: A New Way of Fighting Data,” I’ll be joined by Krishna Subramanian (COO of Komprise) and we will discuss unstructured data management in all its aspects. The session will be interactive with polls and a Q&A session at the end of the presentation. We will discuss business and technical aspects of data management including, what it is, how to start, its benefits, the kind of savings you can get from it, and how it can impact the way you do business. Join us by registering here, the webinar is free but seating is limited.