Data storage and backup trends for 2019
The fact that data is a business asset cannot be gainsaid. This is why 83% of businesses’ workloads are expected to be on the cloud by 2020, according to Forbes. While this will mean IT departments will have to allocate a big chunk of their budget to the cloud environments, other aspects will have to come into play.
As businesses move further into embracing the concept of cloud-based data storage and backup, so do their risks of cyber-attack as well as downtime increase. The onus lies on business leaders to look for ways to leverage the cloud while eliminating the inconveniences of data theft or simple downtimes. Luckily, 2019 already has shown that the world of cloud computing is poised to solve some of these common issues.
Here are the changes to expect in data storage and backup in 2019.
Multi-cloud protection will be pivotal
While the idea of multi-cloud protection isn’t necessarily new, it is bound to gain traction more throughout 2019. Businesses are expected to work withonline backup solutions that offer them the convenience of cross-cloud and software-defined networking. In a nutshell, business leaders yearn for a way to centrally manage their backed-up applications and data, which makes vendors who only use a specific cloud environment somewhat of a turnoff to the typical business owner.
For instance, backed up applications on Microsoft Azure ought to communicate flawlessly with those on AWS. As such, lenders who offer such a convenience are bound to start taking up the bigger market share with time.
Hybrid cloud will gain traction
So far, no single storage environment is free from flaws. While the public cloud is cost-effective, core business workloads and sensitive data can never be stored here for security and compliance reasons. On the other hand, the private cloud might be a tad expensive while on-premise data storage is fraught with both physical and data theft risks.
With these flaws being widely known in the business world, IT leaders will look towardsembracing hybrid cloud architecture through combining the perks of public, private and on-premise solutions.
CIOs will look to bridge the skill gap
As the digital transformation continues, so do the skills needed to handle data backed up in cloud environments. While vendors might have people who have the skillset to manage the requirement of these environments, the business needs an adept staff to make it easier to handle issues like downtime or monitoring cloud-based assets. Sadly, business leaders still struggleto compete for talent.
Most organizations have people who are adept at handling both public or private cloud issues, but few who can work well with multi-cloud and hybrid environments. As such, business leaders will be expected to commit to hiring talent that will help bridge this knowledge gap. In turn, the business gains some independence from having to rely on their backup and storage vendors for even minor issues.
Unifying data recovery and backup
Conventionally, data backup and recovery have always been treated as separate entities. However, the need to have a hyper-converged and centralized data backup, as well as recovery and archiving solutions has been on the rise. This improves data protection through provisioning Point-In-Time Recovery that was unique to backup applications.
Typically, businesses need to recover their data within seconds, and a centralized solution is a step in the right direction. Not only does is deliver security, but it also improves convenience and cost-effectiveness as well.
Conclusion
Businesses want convenience, speed and cost effectiveness when working with cloud back up vendors. Luckily, the above trends cover all these needs. Be ready to invest in any of the above trends to avoid getting left behind the digital revolution curve.