As we move forward into the digital age, companies, and individuals alike create and store more data than ever before. In addition, there are plenty of situations where the data isn’t being developed by a person at all; instead, it’s machine-generated, marking and logging the changes that occur in a split second on the company’s systems, networks, and hard drives. For this reason, many businesses are seeking data storage solutions beyond in-house servers and turn towards cloud services providers for both hot and cold data storage.
For anyone whose work rests outside the tech field, “hot storage and cold storage” are often confusing and inaccessible. In this article, we’ll break down the differences between these two types of data storage so that you can make informed decisions relevant to your business. The proper data storage solution for your business makes storing critical but rarely-accessed data easy, offering physical and virtual security protocols that ensure you can keep your files on hand without having to pay too much. However, the need for hot vs. cold data storage depends considerably on the type of data you’re trying to store- for many companies; it makes sense to have both.
What is Cold Data Storage?
Cold data storage is a low-cost way for businesses to store data they need to keep but rarely need to access. For the most part, the data that your business holds in cold data storage is archival, but for compliance, legal, or other logistical reasons, you still need to hang on to it. This form of data storage makes the files stored within significantly more challenging to access. Still, the entire storage solution is also substantially cheaper than other alternatives, such as hot data storage on a dedicated server.
Companies’ data within the cold storage format is effectively “dormant data,” meaning it’s rarely in use. Cold data storage, more often than not, uses hard drives rather than more expensive storage options, such as SSDs (solid-state drives). In many cases, the company stores’ data are not accessible online and must be retrieved if needed. Depending on the server’s location and access points, this process may take several hours or days. Backups are another famous use case for cold data storage, ensuring that the records and files of the company can be recovered if there is a data security threat.
What is Hot Data Storage?
Hot data storage is just the opposite of cold data storage- the files stored within are readily available at any time and can be retrieved quickly over the internet. Hot data storage uses significantly higher quality tech in server construction when compared with cold data storage, which also makes it the more expensive option of the two. However, the speed of data transfer is an essential factor that makes it a workplace solution for all its purposes, including photos and videos. A company that’s looking for a storage solution for training videos, for example, might seek out hot data storage options because the video files are large, frequently accessed, but also sensitive in terms of security.
A dedicated server for hot data storage usually contains top-of-the-line SSD NVMe storage, 32 or more GBs of RAM, and upwards of 2 terabytes of open space. The processor for the server is also considerably more expensive than you’d see in residential computers, with products such as the Intel Xeon Gold for pure computing power and the AMD Ryzen line for multi-core performance and stability.
Transfers between the hot storage server and the business’s computers are fast, reliable, efficient, and lift the limits on how many people can access a single file at a time. In almost all cases, hot data storage offers the same in-depth security protocols as cold data storage, ensuring that your company files stay safe and secure. However, depending on the type of files you’re trying to store, it may be a more expensive data storage solution than you need.
Finding the right data storage solution for your business
Data storage solutions allow businesses to keep all of their data safe and secure without managing their storage server hardware and without putting any unnecessary security risks on the company in the event of a hack or DDOS attack. The cloud archive, instance backup features, and hosting solutions that cold and hot data storage offer businesses help ensure that they continue to succeed in the digital landscape. Here are a few ways to decide between hot and cold storage solutions for your business.
File type & access frequency
The type of data storage you need depends on your business’s needs. Anything that’s archival or is unlikely to be re-accessed belongs in cold data storage. Also, most back-end logistical records are candidates for cold data storage.
You may want to consider hot data storage instead of cold for photo and video media files or any other larger digital items. If the files are something you’ll need access to regularly but want to keep private, hot data storage is usually the better of the two choices. Video hosting with hot data storage technology is also a good option for any business that wants to stay away from public cloud video hosting options, such as YouTube, Vimeo, or Amazon.
Cost
Hot data storage costs businesses significantly more per month than cold data storage. When shopping for options that suit your business, make sure to factor in the overhead costs you’ll drop when you no longer have to maintain your servers.
Flexibility
Your business’s correct data storage solutions provider will make it easy to scale upwards or downwards when your data requirements change. Both cold and hot storage are investments in your company’s future, so it’s essential to find a solution that can continue expanding as your business grows.
Understanding cold and hot storage is really essential in this digital time. The data storage solution is an important aspect of a business these days. This is why you must explore everything about this topic in the best way possible.
