10 data storage issues and how to overcome them

1. Finding experienced data storage professionals

As with virtually any aspect of IT management, finding suitably qualified and experienced employees is one of the most significant challenges. Lack of staffing means it might be necessary to reassign data storage duties to IT generalists.

Find employees who have a solid background with no security issues. Staffing is often an issue when organizations use third-party data storage services, such as cloud-based storage. Customers probably won't know the people who work with their data and applications, which presents potential security concerns.

Search firms are an important source of qualified candidates. An organization's human resources department is a key partner to IT leadership. Candidates can also emerge from internal transfers and recommendations from staff. A succession planning program is an important strategy because it identifies and prepares candidates to take on new responsibilities, such as in data storage management.

2. Security to protect stored data

Increasing cases of cybersecurity breaches, particularly with ransomware, create data storage issues for IT department leadership. While network perimeter security is the first line of defense for data storage security, the potential always exists that employees with sufficient privileges could access secure data, use it, and possibly corrupt or destroy it.

Accessing the stored data requires various techniques, such as authentication, to ensure the correct permissions. These concerns are especially true if the company uses third-party storage. Encryption for data at rest and in transit is an important strategy to keep critical data safe.

3. Choosing the right storage hardware and software

For on-site data storage, IT needs equipment racks, along with the necessary servers, storage devices, power systems, network connectivity and a suitable operating environment that includes backup power and redundant HVAC systems. IT also needs adequate floor space for the storage equipment rack and probably needs a raised floor. Managed data storage, especially using the cloud, can reduce or eliminate the need for hardware and save money on floor space.

From a software perspective, many data storage products and services can manage available disk space and deliver effective storage management. These products can be applications in server OSes, standalone storage applications and even freeware that can handle small to medium storage requirements at a lower cost. The key is to know current and longer-term storage requirements, along with corollary activities such as data archiving and data recovery, before implementing a storage hardware, software or networking platform.

4. Proper data protection and data management

The principal goal for data storage is to be able to access the data when needed, without fear that the data has somehow been altered, deleted, corrupted or stolen. This is especially important with the emergence of data protection standards and regulations. Perhaps the most significant is GDPR, which specifies stiff penalties for noncompliance.

To alleviate these data storage issues and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, data protection and management software applications ensure stored data will be available in its original form when needed. If an organization doesn't plan to access data for a while, it can use an archive function for future retrieval, such as for e-discovery required by litigation. Further, if IT no longer requires data, or it has been eclipsed by newer data versions, various applications can help destroy the data -- and even the storage device.

5. Resource scalability

Storage media must change to accommodate new requirements. Storage components must be able to scale upward or downward. IT could increase capacity by adding circuit boards to servers, more servers or standalone storage devices, or storage through an alternate data center or third-party managed storage.

Ease of scale is an important benefit of third-party storage, with no customer investments for additional racks, floor space, storage devices or software. Admins can confirm the need for scalability during the ongoing process of assessing short- and long-term data storage requirements.

6. Managing and optimizing costs

Storage costs can be a large portion of an IT department budget. The cloud continues to grow in popularity because it can reduce or eliminate key overhead and capital expense costs.

An organization that uses the cloud might need less equipment, floor space, power and staff than one that primarily uses on-site storage. Use of open source storage software and refurbished equipment can also keep costs under control.

7. Data accessibility in a disaster situation

Ensure that the organization can quickly and securely recover data and technology resources needed to run the business following the onset of a disruptive event. Secure data storage is increasingly important in the event of security breaches, especially ransomware attacks.

Access to data in a disaster recovery situation is an important part of IT operations. Organizations might store backup data on-site, off-site or a combination of the two. Frequently testing data access and retrieval in an emergency is an important part of that strategy.

8. Consistent data storage testing

Failure to regularly test and verify that IT properly stores data could cause storage problems in a real disaster event. Testing and troubleshooting help identify glitches or bugs in any of the storage infrastructure.

Testing enables the chance to fix data storage issues and optimize performance before they turn into a major disaster. This is especially important when the organization uses cloud storage for all or part of its storage requirements.

9. Data storage patching

Patching is one of the most important IT activities, as it ensures all infrastructure elements run optimally and use the most current software releases. Failure to keep data storage infrastructure elements properly patched could result in a system failure or interruption at a highly inopportune time.

When using third-party storage, the vendor must provide updates on its patching activities to its customers.

10. The impact of AI

AI has become an integral part of IT operations. It can have a significant impact on data storage, though it's easy to get overwhelmed with potential uses. As a result, it's important to find the right ways to incorporate AI into a storage strategy.

For example, AI can enhance the use of tiered storage by analyzing data usage and storage patterns, and moving data into high-use or low-use tiers as needed. In addition, it can quickly identify potential malware that could impact storage resources, facilitate data compression and deduplication, and automate various management functions such as data cataloging and cleaning. AI can quickly transform data storage activities from reactive to proactive.

Paul Kirvan, FBCI, CISA, is an independent consultant and technical writer with more than 35 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, resilience, cybersecurity, GRC, telecom and technical writing.