With today’s business applications, data grows quickly and exponentially. And because that data is one of your most important assets, you need to figure out how to store it securely and how to access it quickly.
Here’s an overview of the best, most affordable data storage solutions for your business, as well as the key features for each data storage solution.
Direct-Attached Storage
Direct-attached storage is just as it sounds: It’s data storage that connects directly to your device. While it doesn’t always have the largest storage capacity, direct-attached storage solutions are often the most affordable options and require the least amount of maintenance.
Direct-attached storage includes internal hard drives, which typically are included with a personal computer or laptop; thumb drives, which are ideal for remote workers who work primarily on laptops and who don’t need more than 150GB or so of data storage; and external hard drives, which can store anywhere between 10 GB and 8 TB of data.
Network-Attached Storage
Network-attached storage, unlike direct-attached storage, connects to an internet network instead of a device. It’s more costly, but can store much more data and makes that data accessible to all devices connected to the network. And if you plan on collaborating with clients, NAS can allow users outside the company to access files with permission. NAS typically requires less management and troubleshooting than a direct-attached system would.
Depending on your business size, your storage needs and your budget, you can choose between Consumer Level NAS, Small Medium Business-Level NAS and Enterprise NAS storage.
Storage Area Network
Storage Area Network (SAN) is a network of data storage devices typically run by a third party operation. It can be comprised of a few servers or thousands, and can serve multiple companies at the same time.
SAN servers free up individual computers to operate smoother and faster. They can be physical or virtual — we’ll talk about this next — and allow users to access files of any size quickly and securely. While there can be some issues with hosting your data off-site, it’s an affordable option best for small to mid-sized businesses that are looking to grow.
Cloud Storage
Storing your data “in the cloud” is another affordable storage system. With the cloud, you don’t need to pay for any hardware — you typically just pay a monthly service fee. Plus, you don’t need to make space for servers.
Depending on what kind of security you want, you can choose between public cloud storage and private cloud storage.
There’s also a newer system called hybrid cloud-network attached storage that uses both local and off-site resources. The hybrid cloud storage infrastructure is often used to supplement internal data storage with public cloud storage.
If you need help finding the right data storage solution for your business, Aventis Systems offers a wide variety of disk storage options to support just about any small to medium business storage requirements. Call one of our experts today!
