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5 Insider Tips for Building Your Data Management Infrastructure Using Cloud Services
Data is an essential part of running any business and depending on your industry, how you manage your data directly correlates to your bottom line. But in order to properly manage the ever-increasing load of data in tandem with all of your other responsibilities, having a carefully planned system is critical.
Simply keeping scans of documents and two dozen Excel spreadsheets isn’t good enough. You need a solid infrastructure that can reliably handle data in its various states and locations.
The Effects of Remote Work on Data Management
Spreading your employees out physically over an entire city instead of in one office comes with its challenges. For one, employees need partial or complete access to the company’s system and data in order to do their jobs. And while that used to be as simple as setting up an internal network, it becomes more complex without a physical office. But it’s not just accessibility, data in transit is also vulnerable. You need a trustworthy cybersecurity framework.
You need managed IT services as the foundation of your infrastructure to keep data secure. Building a data management infrastructure is both an art and a science. To get it right the first time and make the most of limited resources, here are a few tips you should keep in mind.
1. Take Advantage of Cloud Services
If you’re just starting out with data management or don’t have the required expertise and resources to set up and manage your own cloud environment, find experts who can do it for you.
Cloud computing services are on-demand, remote computer systems and infrastructure. They range in scale, availability, and cybersecurity levels. And while creating and managing a network is more cost-efficient in the long run, enterprise cloud solutions don’t require the same upfront investment.
2. Prioritize Cybersecurity
Your company’s data remains valuable as long as it retains its integrity and security. It doesn’t matter if you have a state-of-the-art data management infrastructure if its security element is subpar. By introducing remote work to the equation, cybersecurity becomes more of a priority than ever before, especially because attacks seem to target remote workers more than in-office employees.
3. Plan for Scalability
When it comes to setting up a data management infrastructure, whether you build it yourself or use cloud services, scalability can be easy to overlook. After all, you’re likely searching for a solution that meets your business’s current needs and aspirations. And while that may result in an infrastructure that’s the perfect match for your business, it can have serious repercussions later on.
Instead of designing one interconnected infrastructure, consider using multi-cloud infrastructures. They make it easier to add or remove elements and smoothly scale your infrastructure’s capacity up and down.
4. Automation Is Key
The average requirements of a successful data management infrastructure are becoming increasingly more complex. The skyrocketing demand for human participation would gradually decrease the efficiency of your infrastructure as your employees would no longer have time to focus on critical tasks.
By planning for automation in your cloud infrastructure from the start, you can improve the quality of mundane and repetitive tasks, and reduce the burden on your employees. Depending on the type of data you regularly manage, solutions range from pre-implemented into your data management software to specialized products that you’d need to purchase and integrate separately.
5. Work Online
While working offline might have been the recommended option a decade ago — mostly due to low internet speeds — it’s now the exact opposite. Working online is more affordable, allowing you to start working right away and from anywhere.
Working on the cloud allows for more flexibility and accessibility when it comes to large volumes of data. Additionally, keeping the majority of your company’s data stored in a remote location keeps it safe in case of a natural disaster, where on-premise devices and servers can break down.
Getting Started
The process of creating a cloud-based data management infrastructure is easier said than done. After all, there are multiple types of cloud computing technologies you can use to bring your vision to life.
If you don’t need a lot of customization or control, utilizing Software as a Service (SaaS) might be your best option. For more control over the ins and outs of the data management infrastructure, you can instead opt to use Platform as a Service (PaaS) or even Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
Start by contacting a trusted IT services provider that operates in your region and industry. Global IP Networks serves businesses in the Oil and Gas, Banking and Finance, Healthcare, and Manufacturing industries in several countries around the globe
Want to learn more? See our related resources for more information on cloud services and remote working.
