As we continue to move into the digital age, you can see that data is everywhere. There’s no avoiding it and how businesses store their data can make all the difference as it pertains to using it effectively. With solutions such as software-defined storage emerging to aid companies as they further their efforts in digital transformation, modern storage solutions are proving to be key in providing the foundation and flexibility that these organizations need in order to thrive in today’s hypercompetitive environment. It is important, however, that IT teams use choose the right data center storage solution and doing so often comes down to the following three basic questions.
How Much Help Is Already On Hand?
According to Roysons IT Director Vipul Bosmiya, before you decide on a storage solution, you have to take a hard look at how much upkeep it will require. Sometimes, when the IT staff is smaller, time-tested technology can pay off in terms of its reliability and simplicity. He says, “I want solutions to be 100% reliable. If I’m not here, I want to have that peace of mind that it’s going to work and they’re not going to be calling me all the time.” He also recommends getting extended support contracts for the hardware, so when you have a problem, you can call on some help.
Are There Legacy Systems To Support?
Backward compatibility with the legacy hardware and applications will be essential. Most companies will not and cannot rip out their infrastructure and part of a data center upgrade.
With data becoming more and more regulated, where and how it is stored matters. ACI Specialty Benefits, for example, spent two years working out how to operate under GDPR. This ultimately caused the company to move away from an on-premises multi-tenant private cloud and implement regional cloud solutions from a variety of vendors. Global CIO Ryan Fay says, “most of what we’re doing with data is driven by compliance and regulations. We now have the flexibility to set up networks based on specific use cases.”
