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Your Data: Managing Gigabytes, Terabytes and Beyond

by Ted Saul, Senior Staff Writer

When talking computer disk space most people are familiar with the term gigabyte (GB). Disks are usually sold with some multiple of gigabytes available. However, terabytes of data are becoming more common particularly when formed by RAID or the joining of disks to create arrays. But what comes next? Well, there is the petabyte (PB), the exabyte (EB) and the zettabyte (ZB). To put it in perspective, a zettabyte equates to approximately 250 billion CDs. The numbers are staggering.

Whether gigabytes or terabytes, how do you manage your data? Start by remembering some simple rules. You can keep it online, delete it or archive it. Keeping it available online will most likely result in your company ending up with large data files and the necessity of adding hardware to keep from running out of room. Response time for information searches will be longer resulting in frustrated users and customers. Backup windows to protect the data will also become larger and potentially run into your daily production or business hours. Keeping all that data in one place is probably not a good idea.

Deleting old data will provide your system with the extra space needed. However figuring out what is expendable can be a tedious and potentially dangerous project. If in an industry where the government places strict regulations on data retention you don’t want to risk the possibility of fines or other non-compliancy consequences. Systems will gather temporary files that should be deleted. Set up an automated process to regularly delete unnecessary files but beware of the “opps” factor that takes place when a typo cause the wrong file or folder to be erased. Such errors can be a good test of your backup system though.

That leaves us with the best practice of archiving data. A robust database system will have a method to extract selections of data to a file that can be backed up and stored on a permanent basis. Once protected, the old data from production can then be deleted. Check the applications you use most often for an archiving feature. Similar actions can be taken for email allowing you to move data to a separate mailbox for storage either off-line or near-line.

HIPAA, Sarbanes Oxley and other government acts typically require email trails to be retained. Near-line storage means data is not in current working files but rather on a location that can be quickly accessed from an application. These may be alternate disks or “shelves” created by an archiving application. Access to the near-line may be slightly slower than online but will not take the effort of retrieving a stored tape or CD.

Finally, wherever to decide to keep it, be sure to encrypt your data. If your files are stolen the thief will be prevented from gaining any information about your company. And by the way, after the zettabye comes the yottabyte (YB).

Ted Saul provides business consulting that assists startup and small businesses with organizational and planning needs. Ted hold an MBA from Regis University out of Denver Colorado and can be reached at ted@tsaul.com”>ted@tsaul.com, teds787 on Twitter and on LinkedIn.


Written by Ted Saul, Sr. Staff Writer

Ted Saul is a business coach that assists with Business Plans and Project Management. He holds a master certificate in project management and has earned his MBA from Regis University. Ted can be reached on LinkedIn, TedS787 on Twitter or emailing Ted@tsaul.com.

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