The traditional way of backing up data was complicated. It was usually done nightly or weekly. Data could be stored using a number of different devices: floppy disks back in the 1980s and 1990s, magnetic tapes (the most common form of data storage), hard disks, optical storage, and solid storage.
As email became the primary mode of communication for business, the amount of data that needed to be stored has grown to staggering proportions. Finding a method to create an archive of information that is organised, uncluttered and functional became problematic. Email archives and backed up data would far too often end up being locked away in a cupboard gathering dust and cobwebs. The data would be there to meet obligations for legal compliance, but doing anything meaningful with that data would prove near impossible.
In more recent times, thanks to the proliferation of high speed broadband, remote backup systems have become a viable and increasingly popular business option. Email archives and backed up data can now be saved off-site and made accessible via a web browser.
Archiving information online offers a number of advantages over the traditional method of local data backup, but there have been some concerns around data protection when choosing solutions from cloud providers. Let’s take up this debate with a look at email archiving.
The advantages of email archiving online
Despite the benefits offered by online backup and archiving, there can still be a justifiable reluctance to move business operations online.
Moving your data online is not a decision to be taken lightly. Ensuring your data is protected is of utmost importance. You need to choose a cloud provider who can guarantee real-time data visibility. They must be open and transparent. And most importantly, they should have the necessary support and protocols in place to justify your trust.
Do not move your data into the cloud unless these criteria can be met.