Report: Data storage and protection is critical, and possible in the cloud

In a recent eWeek report, industry expert Stephen Wojtowecz explores the issues surrounding data storage and protection in cloud computing environments. Overall, he concludes, companies can take measures to successfully store and protect their data if they are careful about planning their IT systems around the cloud computing solution.

Cloud data storage solutions typically use virtualization, tape storage and network attached storage. These formats allow all data to be contained within a single unified architecture, presenting a number of significant advantages in terms of flexibility, but also offering numerous challenges, the report notes.

Wojtowecz explains organizations hoping to maximize their cloud service for storage need to evaluate whether they would be best served with a public, private or hybrid cloud model, and then identify how they can optimize their various storage resources to fit within a cloud computing solution.

Overall, cloud computing functions with an underlying understanding that the technology needs to make data more accessible, in a reliable system that can maximize resources, according to Wojtowecz. In many cases, businesses use hybrid clouds to accomplish this, adopting a private cloud to handle the majority of resources, but using public solutions to deal with any needs that develop beyond the capabilities of the internal cloud.

The report said many businesses are outsourcing their storage systems to the cloud, but some are not optimizing their plans to get the most out of the technology. Wojtowecz said businesses should use storage management, data protection and disaster recovery systems to maximize their cloud storage solutions. The report also recommends businesses deploy data life cycle management technology regardless of their cloud computing type. Data life cycle management is capable of building data reduction practices into the cloud solution while also providing systems for advanced application protection, according to the report.

Typically, companies will divide their data systems into tiers based on how essential the information is and how quickly the data needs to be accessed. According to the report, data life cycle management can be critical to maximizing the efficiency of tiered systems by helping ensure information is sent to the correct tier and properly moves between tiers throughout its life cycle. Within these systems, organizations should segregate data to maintain confidentiality, deploy reporting tools to identify data's precise location at any point in time and automate data migration between tiers, the report said.

Protecting data once it is on the cloud is another challenge businesses face. As a result, the report said businesses need to design cloud storage systems with backup and recovery in mind. If the cloud system fails, the entire business will be unable to access information and applications. However, companies with quality backup and recovery systems designed into the cloud infrastructure have a continual failsafe that allows them to maintain productivity if the cloud goes down, the report said. Because of the critical nature of having a backup and recovery plan in place, Wojtowecz encourages businesses to build their cloud systems with a clear understanding of how they will protect themselves from losing data if an error occurs.

Growing demands for data storage in the enterprise is a key trend creating new demands for data management and protection. According to a recent CommVault survey, new data storage systems are among the top area for projected enterprise IT spending in 2011. The survey found businesses are faced with storing overwhelming amounts of data, and are planning to deploy data management and protection systems in response to new demands.