Efficient corporate management needs to be based on relevant information — about the business and its processes, the market and customers. For this to be possible, it is necessary to have a system to store the company’s data .
Versatile, this type of solution can help industries and businesses in various sectors in various situations. Therefore, planning data consolidation from now on is essential if you want to successfully progress in business.
In addition to having a technological solution, data storage also requires a strategy and structure to be carried out in a sustainable manner.
Therefore, it is not just about the use of technological tools, but also about business intelligence. And that is what we will reflect on in this article.
Continue reading to understand the importance of data storage in companies and how it can be done both in traditional ways and through cloud computing.
How to choose the best data storage model?
To choose the best data storage model , consider your business and information strategy. The best fit for your organization requires careful consideration of your specific needs, operational requirements, and data goals.
What is data storage?
Data storage basically refers to the process of retaining and preserving digital information for present and future use.
It is an essential part of computing and information technology , as it is what allows the maintenance, access and management of data in an efficient and secure way.
There are several forms of data storage, including physical devices such as:
- Hard drives;
- Solid State Drives (SSD3s);
- USB flash drives;
- Optical discs;
- In addition to cloud storage, where data is kept remotely.
Data storage also varies according to its purpose and accessibility:
- Primary storage (used for immediate access, such as RAM);
- Secondary storage (used for long-term retention, such as hard drives);
- Cloud storage (offering flexible and scalable access to data over the internet).
Effective management of this data is what will guarantee the integrity, availability and reliability of the information over time.
7 Benefits of Enterprise Data Storage
From increasing analytical capabilities to expanding competitive advantages, including items such as information security and mobility, check out below which advantages your company can obtain by working with data storage in a structured manner:
1. Facilitates the analysis of vital business information
Data is useful because it can be transformed into information. In fact, this sentence is better said this way: data is only important when it can be transformed into useful information.
In a competitive market like today’s, having the necessary information makes a difference for any business.
In practice, organizations that better manage their own data and data from external sources tend to be more competitive. This is because business intelligence processes become more efficient.
With good storage software, in addition to storing data, cross-referencing it also facilitates the identification and monitoring of patterns, trends, opportunities and threats.
Imagine an industry that stores its production data. Through a more in-depth analysis, it is possible to find opportunities to optimize its production parameters, either by eliminating a step or automating another point.
2. Helps reduce overall costs and optimizes the quality of investments (in business and IT)
Information is power and, in a more strategic analysis, it is also money. If a business wants to understand more about its sales projection and does not have consolidated data, for example, it is necessary to carry out a complex statistical survey.
On the other hand, when the company’s data storage is well structured, it is only necessary to perform a relevant analysis in search of answers. The capture and processing of information is already in place — such processes are developed continuously.
The issue of cost reduction is also associated with the fact that wrong decisions usually result in losses or, at the very least, lost opportunities. Since the process becomes more assertive and highly effective, the natural result is savings.
In the medium and long term, it is possible to save considerable amounts of money, which make all the difference to the financial health of an organization. And the more savings are made in data storage, the more resources the company has to invest in improvements and efforts for new achievements.
Additionally, it becomes easier to drive the development and construction of technology services to support your market ambitions.
3. Facilitates communication with the market and relationships with the target audience
When it comes to data management, the business strategy is always one of the biggest beneficiaries. And the reason is simple: by analyzing this information, it is possible to create a consumption profile of the target audience, create communication and marketing plans and speak to the right people at the best time.
A small service company, for example, can more easily know who its customers are if it stores data on the history of contract closings. Using this information, it is possible to discover what the consumer wants, who they are and how they consume.
This type of understanding is especially beneficial for sales teams because it makes conversion efforts more effective. By offering exactly what the customer is looking for or structuring speeches based on real information, the result is an easier time convincing them to buy.
Furthermore, greater knowledge about the target audience also leads to greater satisfaction and, consequently, promotes consumer loyalty. With data from past purchases, for example, a reseller can improve customer relationships.
This way, it is possible to achieve more consistent and sustainable results. The more you know about your audience, the more personalized and attractive your business’s service can be.
4. Promotes security and mitigates internal and external risks
Information security has never been so important. With the flow of data increasing, it is increasingly necessary to think about how organizations can protect themselves — today Mexico in the world ranking of corporate information fraud.
Companies that work with storage also increase their security mechanisms . This is because, by creating structured storage, these organizations can more easily build the levels of protection they want.
This process is carried out through network and application access control, encryption layers, and more. Both internal and external threats can be mitigated with a good data protection and storage strategy.
A retail enterprise that handles sensitive data from its consumers, such as credit card information, personal records and business relationship histories, for example, finds in planned and secure storage a way to ensure that content does not become public or easily accessed by unauthorized persons.
5. Enables the mobility that the market demands for business expansion
In the era of digital transformation, it has never been more important to be able to manage data from anywhere. With the growing need for mobility, well-planned data storage can provide this quality.
This happens according to the use of the cloud , which allows greater availability of information. Content can be accessed anywhere and at any time, through any device (desktop, tablet, notebook, smartphone, etc.).
A sales executive on the road can place orders in the system or check inventory at the airport or in a hotel room, for example. Even in this case, security is not an issue, since the company can build a level of protection that is most appropriate for its reality.
6. Makes decision-making faster and more assertive
When it comes to making a business decision, it is best to make it well-founded. More information allows for a more critical analysis of situations, helping to make the right choice. At the same time, every decision has an ideal timing — and taking too long can result in missed opportunities.
With company data storage being done in a more strategic and structured way, the process becomes simple and effective. Analyzing and searching for information are actions carried out more easily and quickly, which ensures that managers can make better decisions in a timely manner.
With data in the cloud , it is even easier to ensure dynamic decision-making, from anywhere. A store, for example, can use sales data from the previous period to identify how much stock to purchase. Without delay, it is possible to purchase in advance and ensure that the reserve is sized correctly.
7. Offers competitive advantages and market differentiation
If an organization better understands the customer and its own operations, it is natural that it will have better results than its competitors.
The result is that this type of storage helps the company to create and find its competitive edge. The more mature the company is in terms of storing and using data, the better and more relevant its analyses and strategies will be.
3 types of information storage your business can use
After understanding the benefits of storing company data in a structured way, below are the main types of storage available:
1. Internal servers
More traditional, this type of equipment allows the storage of data that can be accessed, changed and added to by computers connected to it. Through servers, common applications and files are accessed quickly and securely.
In general, these are good options for small companies without a high demand for information storage, since, when the business grows, it is necessary to add servers or capacities to the existing ones.
2. Storage devices
Storage devices are good alternatives for organizations that only need to store data and files, without the need to frequently transfer this information from the internal network.
They are basically devices that act as if they were external HDs and do not have an interface (operating system, for example) that allows transfer or multiple access.
However, be aware: storage devices can be useful in many applications, but they are not suitable for more complex storage strategies.
3. Cloud storage services
Cloud computing has been gaining popularity in the corporate world, with storage services being the most sought after. This is because there are a number of advantages to this approach:
- Cost reduction;
- Information security;
- Mobility;
- Flexibility;
- Ease of scaling resources (which are provided virtually, over the internet).