data storage.

Data storage refers to magnetic, optical or mechanical media that records and preserves digital information for ongoing or future operations.

There are two types of digital information: input and output data. 

Users provide the input data and computers provide the output data. However, a computer's CPU can't produce output data without the user's input. 

Users can enter the input data directly into a computer. This could be done manually, which would be time and energy inefficient. Instead, users can save data onto a storage device and instruct the computer to pull data from the storage device. 

A computer can read input data from various sources as needed, and it can then create and save the output to the same sources or other storage locations. Users can also share data storage with others. 

Organizations and users require data storage to meet today's high-level computational needs like big data projects, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and the internet of things (IoT). 

The other side of requiring huge data storage amounts is protecting against data loss due to disaster, failure or fraud. To avoid data loss, users can employ data storage as backup solutions. 

Modern computers connect to storage devices either directly or through a network. Users instruct computers to access data from and store data to these storage devices. 

data storage devices.

To store data, users need storage devices. 

There are two main categories of data storage devices: 

• direct area storage means that storage is nearby and directly connected to the computing machine. DAS can be floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, HDD, flash drives and SSDs and can provide decent local backup services, but sharing is limited.

• network-based storage means that it is off-site and more than one computer can access it through a network, which makes it better for data sharing. As an off-site storage capability it is also better for backups and data protection.

Two common network-based storage setups are network-attached storage (NAS) and storage area network (SAN).  NAS is often a single device made up of a redundant array of independent disks (RAID). 

SAN storage can be a network of multiple devices of various types, including SSD and flash storage, hybrid storage, hybrid cloud storage, backup software and appliances, and cloud storage. 

types of storage devices.

• SSD and flash storage

Flash storage is a solid-state technology that uses flash memory chips for writing and storing data. 

A SSD stores data using flash memory. Compared to HDDs, a SSD has no moving parts and, therefore, has less latency so fewer SSDs are needed.

• hybrid storage

SSDs and flash offer higher speed than HDDs, but all-flash arrays can be more expensive. Therefore, manufacturers developed a hybrid approach, mixing the speed of flash with the storage capacity of hard drives. This solution offers an economical way to transition from traditional HDDs without going entirely to flash. 

• cloud storage

Cloud storage offers a cost-effective and scalable alternative to storing files to on-premise hard drives or storage networks. Cloud service providers allow you to save data and files in an off-site location that you access through the public internet or a dedicated private network connection. The cloud provider hosts, secures, manages, and maintains the servers and infrastructure and ensures you have access to the data whenever you need it.

• hybrid cloud storage

Hybrid cloud storage combines private and public cloud elements. Organizations can choose which cloud to store data on; for example highly regulated data with strict archiving and replication requirements is usually stored to a private cloud while less sensitive data can be stored in the public cloud. 

• backup software and appliances

Backup storage and appliances make periodic data and application copies to a separate, secondary device and then use those copies for disaster recovery. Backup appliances can be HDDs, SSDs or servers.  Backup storage can also be offered as a service, also known as backup-as-a-service (BaaS).  BaaS protects data loss from disaster, failure or fraud and provides a low-cost option to protect data, saving it in a remote location with scalability.

how supply chain issues affect data storage.

We are facing great supply chain issue challenges and uncertainty has become the new normal.

Since the pandemic began, the world has been dealing with labor and material shortages, increased costs, global shipping problems, extreme weather events, intensified international political tensions, shifting customer buying patterns etc., and it is still unclear when these issues will end. 

The fact that 90% of the world’s advanced chips are built in Taiwan by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) makes a bad situation for data storage even worse.

A semiconductor chip shortage has affected storage systems both directly and indirectly. 

The direct effect is that the semiconductors for flash drive controllers are harder to come by and take longer to get. The same goes for the NAND chips and other memory types.

Indirectly, the chip shortage has also affected IT equipment that supports the storage systems. This equipment includes storage, backup servers and network equipment. There have also been shortages in resistors, capacitors and power management integrated circuits, which manage power on electronic devices, such as SSDs and high-performing servers.

prices of data storage.

As a result of all the above-mentioned problems, the prices of data storage are increasing, especially for SSDs which rely on semiconductor materials. 

Prices are on the rise at every stage of the manufacturing and delivery process. At the same time, increase in demand generated by the work-from-home and demand for data centers is causing an all-together increased demand for these products, contributing even further to the higher prices. 

On top of that, there is also the impact of crypto mining on the data storage market.

The rise in the farming of cryptocurrency caused prices for large capacity hard drives to jump, with crypto miners buying large cap drives for their mining rigs. Unlike the standard supply chain model in which customers and manufacturers communicate openly about their needs, crypto miners are an unknown entity. They consist of individuals and crypto farms without a direct connection to the manufacturers, making it nearly impossible to confidently accommodate them. It is difficult to ascertain how long this phenomenon will last, what the long-term effect on supply will be, or whether the demand spike will disappear.

how to protect against disruptions.

To protect against future disruptions, you need sufficient flexibility.

• plan ahead.

With escalating data volumes, planning is key.

Whether you are a storage administrator for a company or an individual home user, you should implement effective storage capacity planning. Order equipment in advance, buy extra components and store them. Have a good understanding of what it will take to support your storage requirements. 

• broaden the supplier base.

Be flexible, consider different purchasing approaches, such as purchasing pre-owned or refurbished components. Cultivate good relationships with suppliers. 

• look at the equipment at hand.

Identify what is inactive or underutilized, and then put that equipment to better use. At the same time, try to extend the lives of current systems as much as possible. Monitor and maintain these systems on an ongoing basis. Implement good data management practices to eliminate unnecessary or duplicate data, and archive the data that doesn't require everyday access.

• optimize operations.

Make operations as efficient as possible. Evaluate storage practices and modify them as necessary to optimize maintenance and utilization. 

• turn to the cloud.

Storage administrators might be able to address their immediate data needs quicker if they move some of the data to the cloud. This option is even more appealing for smaller organizations and individuals who compete against bigger customers for data storage products. 

delete or retain.

With the soaring prices and skyrocketing rate of data growth, businesses and individuals have to weigh the current and perceived future value of data against the burden and costs of storing, protecting and making that data available.

Business leaders recognize that data is a core driver for growth. Losing valuable data is equivalent to losing time and money. 

On the other hand, storing, protecting and extracting value from data is hindered by cyber threats, data sprawl and rising costs. 

So the question is: When do you delete or retain data?  

The challenge of what to retain, for how long, and at what cost is a struggle of modern society.

After you determine which data must be kept, whether that is classified business documents or treasured photos of your family, you should have a backup or secure archive of your important information, so that you can restore your data quickly and seamlessly in the event of data loss.

If you have accidentally deleted or lost your valuable data due to software corruption, hardware malfunction, physical damage, viruses, malware, or cyber criminals, Kotar Data Recovery Experts can help you recover your data using their advanced data recovery facilities and techniques.