Data archiving is the method of shifting important, but inactive data to a low-cost storage location. The practice reduces storage costs while safely retaining old data for reference, analysis, or regulatory compliance.
Archiving is designed for long-term data preservation. Archival features may vary based on your needs and provider. Storage solutions may incorporate data compression, deduplication, and encryption. At a minimum, indexing and search capabilities should be available to maintain accessibility to your files.
The Goals of Data Archiving
The main goal of data archiving is to manage data more effectively. Moving inactive data to long-term storage reduces costs while maintaining regulatory compliance and preserving information even if disasters occur. More specifically, the goals concern:
- Long-term accessibility: Data archiving aims to keep essential data available and undamaged for an extended time. The goal is to protect data from loss in case of hardware failure, system breakdowns, or technical difficulties; and to be able to retrieve information when it is needed.
- Legal compliance: Depending on the type of data you handle and your specific industry regulations, data must be retained for a specified time. The goal is to maintain compliance with retention and privacy laws without a high price tag.
- Budget maximization: Shifting inactive data to an archive frees up resources in active storage systems to enhance system performance and reduce costs.
- Reference and analysis: Archived data contains insights, trends, and patterns from past business operations. When accessible, past data can aid in making informed business decisions and help forecast future trends.
- Improved data management: Removing inactive data keeps active storage locations well-organized. Users will be able to quickly identify and retrieve the data they need without delay, keeping your business running smoothly.
The Benefits of Data Archiving
Data archiving goes beyond dumping old data into alternative storage. The process involves supportive tooling and automation to drive efficiency into your data lifecycle management policy. Effective archiving improves productivity, guides business decisions, and secures digital assets for long-term retention. Here are some of the many benefits of data archiving:
- System efficiency: Active data needs ample storage and processing resources. Moving inactive data to another location frees up resources to optimize system efficiency and lower expenses. Data archiving also helps locate redundant or aging files that can be removed instead of using unnecessary resources.
- Data preservation: Data loss occurs when records, documents, and research are damaged or destroyed. Data archiving prevents any interruption to operations that may occur if essential data loss occurs.
- Educated decision-making: Data archiving provides historical data that can be analyzed and examined to drive more educated decision-making for your business.
- Enhanced security: Proper data archiving methods include advanced security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access and data breaches.
- Better visibility & discovery: Data archiving keeps active and inactive data well-organized, accessible, and properly classified. Your data will be tagged and indexed for optimal storage that allows the user to perform searches and gain insights quickly.
Data Archiving Best Practices
Data lifecycle management moves your data through phases as it completes different tasks or meets certain requirements. The process provides structure and organization for your business data while keeping it secure and accessible. Typically, files are managed based on type, size, and age from data creation to deletion.
Building a strong data archival strategy is a key component of data lifecycle management. Here are some of the best practices to consider when creating a data archiving efficient strategy for your business:
1. Develop a Data Archiving Policy
Consider the requirements for your data archiving strategy and create a comprehensive policy that covers all relevant processes and procedures. Specify the type of data that needs to be preserved, the parameters for when it should be archived, and how long it should be kept. Clearly state data eligibility criteria and determine who can access archived data. Make sure your archival plan aligns with your data lifecycle management strategy.
2. Identify, Sort, & Prioritize Data
Examine your data and create an inventory. Categorize the data by its value, sensitivity, and frequency of use. Consider which data is needed for ongoing operations and what can be archived. Prioritize archiving based on business needs, legal compliance, and historical importance.
3. Secure & Comply
Your archive strategy should maintain high security and legal compliance. Encryption, access controls, and authentication systems will keep your data private and safe. Enforce strict compliance standards wherever necessary and monitor access regularly to prevent illegal activity.
4. Select Scalable & Efficient Archiving Tools
Many tools can aid in your data archiving strategy. While some focus solely on data archiving, others offer end-to-end data solutions and built-in archiving capabilities. Consider systems that can grow with your expanding data volumes and apply cost-effective storage systems such as tape archives or cloud archiving systems.
5. Record & Modify
Document your data archiving operations including your rules, methods, and the reasoning for your data archiving choices. This will help make changes if necessary and function as a reference for audits and future decision-making.
Data Archiving Solutions from Record Nations
Data archiving is pivotal in today’s digital era. Archiving allows businesses to maintain compliance, preserve past data, and organize data efficiently. With the right data archiving solutions you can make educated decisions, navigate complex industry regulations, and optimize your resources.
Record Nations provides secure and reliable data archiving solutions for businesses nationwide. We are happy to help you select the right tools and find competitive pricing in your area. Give us a call at (866) 385-3706 or fill out the form to connect with local providers today.
