IT News: Cloud, Storage (Sept. 27th, 2021)
Posted in Volume 282, Issue 4 - Sept 20th, 2021 — Sept 26th, 2021
Selections from the weekly newsletter, “IT News and Events.”
Storage
14 Things You Need To Know About Data Storage Management
When it comes to storing data, there is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution, so before you decide where or how to store your data, first understand the amount and type you have and why you need to store it.
"So how do you formulate a sound data-storage management strategy? IDG asked dozens of storage and data management experts, which resulted in these top 14 suggestions regarding what steps you need to take to choose the right data storage solution(s) for your organization-and how you can better ensure your data is properly protected and retrievable..." [Networkworld, September 22nd, 2021]
7 NAS Encryption Best Practices To Protect Data
Data storage security is as important now as it's ever been. Encryption is one way to make NAS devices more secure against such threats as ransomware.
"Encryption is one of the most effective tools to protect data on network-attached storage. Even if cybercriminals gain access to the drives or intercept communications to or from them, encryption makes the data unreadable to anyone who does not have the cryptographic key.
Use NAS encryption to prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access to confidential data at rest or in motion. The data might include credit card numbers, intellectual property, medical records, personally identifiable information (PII) or other types of confidential data. Also, use encryption to comply with regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA..." [SearchStorage, September 21st, 2021]
6 Best Free NAS Software For 2021 (Open Source Choices)
Network Attached Storage or NAS devices can be used to overcome space and storage issues and provides a centralized place for your data.
"Here users can access as well as share their data 24/7 through the network. Many companies in the market offer software plus hardware boxes which are out-of-box solutions, like Synology and Qnap are two different veteran vendors. We are sharing the 6 of the best NAS software 2021 that can be used with any operating system and are 100% free..." [Securedyou, September 20th, 2021]
Seagate's Gen-2 HAMR blow
Seagate has a second-generation 30TB HAMR disk drive in development, and sees Gen-1 HAMR as having limited appeal.
"Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) is Seagate's chosen technology to increase disk drive areal density beyond the limits of current perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology, and uses laser-produced local bit area heating to make a hardened magnetic material accept a write signal and then hold it in a stable fashion. Seagate is shipping a Gen-1 20TB HAMR drive in a limited way..." [Blocks & Files, September 21st, 2021]
What The Heck Is Storage Modernization?
We often hear the word 'modernization' thrown around these days.
"The push is to get the end user to refresh their infrastructure, and the storage infrastructure market is rife with modernization word. Is your storage ripe for 'modernization'?
To modernize, it has to be relative to legacy storage hardware, and the operating environment that came with it. But if the so-called 'legacy' still does the job, should you modernize? ..." [Storage Gaga, September 20th, 2021]
Thursday, September 30th, 202 —— 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
What To Know For Your Virtualized Storage Selection Process
Not all storage virtualization is created equal. Get familiar with the types, methods and implementation considerations before you buy hardware or software for your organization.
"To choose the right storage virtualization tool, be sure to look at both file- or block-based virtualized storage, storage virtualization methods and the main business and technology considerations during the evaluation process.
Data storage requires a lot of optimization and configuration knowledge. There's always more data, and infrastructure gets more complex as data intake increases. Luckily, storage virtualization can help maximize how much data you store and extend storage hardware lifecycles..." [SearchServerVirtualization, September 21st, 2021]
Top 5 Rising Vendors For On-Premises NAS Consolidation
DCIG Top 5 Rising Vendors for On-premises NAS Consolidation
DCIG recently completed another phase of its research into SDS solutions. We evaluated these solutions for the on-premises NAS consolidation use case. We identified 5 rising vendors that provide new capabilities, substantial deployment flexibility, and the multi-petabyte scalability that many organizations require.
Challenge of Unstructured Data Growth
Many organizations struggle with rapidly expanding volumes of unstructured data. Storing, protecting, and providing secure access to this data creates challenges around cost, complexity, and scalability. New data sets-and even individual files-surpass the capacity limits of some legacy filers. Too many data centers are filled with too many storage systems. [StorageNewsletter, September 20th, 2021]
Cloud
Misconfigurations Are The Biggest Threat To Cloud Security, Period
There is no doubt that cloud adoption is accelerating at an exponential rate. Whether it's for business collaboration or to store critical data assets, organizations are increasingly relying on the cloud - in fact, recent reports have found that 62% of organizations utilize at least two cloud platforms.
As a result of this acceleration, we have also seen a multitude of data breaches occurring due to misconfigurations in the cloud, which occur because of improper settings being used when architecting and deploying services within the cloud platform. This leads to an expanded attack surface for cybercriminals to access any data stored within the cloud environment and increases the risk of a cyber attack.
In fact, a survey conducted by Fugue also found that 73% of the organizations reported having 10+ incidents per day due to misconfigurations, 36% reported having 100+ incidents per day, and 10% suffered from 500+ incidents per day. [Cyber Defense Magazne, September 21st, 2021]
10 Key Skills For A Successful Cloud Strategy
Success in the cloud also means tweaking your skills mix. From architecture expertise to vender relationship management, here's what your organization needs to make the most of the cloud
"More than a decade into cloud adoption, CIOs still report that a lack of the latest needed skills has slowed or stymied their cloud strategies.
One recent report, for example, found that the lack of in-house skills was a top inhibitor of cloud programs, coming in at No. 3 just behind cost and security concerns. Indeed, the State of Cloud Strategy Survey from HashiCorp found 41% of respondents listed the in-house skills gap as an issue, while 57% said the overall skills shortage is a top cloud challenge..." [CIO, September 20th, 2021]
What Is Hybrid Cloud Storage?
A hybrid cloud storage solution can provide extra data security
Hybrid cloud storage is a way of storing business data using both your local servers and cloud-based storage. It lets you combine your on-premises information with data you've uploaded to a public or private cloud, and gives you greater flexibility for your data retention and management needs.
We'll cover what hybrid cloud storage is, how it works, and the best cloud storage options for businesses. [ITProPortal, September 23rd, 2021]
10 Top File-Sharing Services: Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, And More
Most file-sharing services have evolved into full-blown collaboration platforms. We look at 10 online services ranging from basic to enterprise-level
"Back in the pre-cloud days, sharing files involved using file transfer protocol applications or else copying files to a disc and then mailing it or walking it over to a colleague (affectionately known as 'sneakernet'). Emails could also be sent (and many people still use email as their main 'file-sharing' option), but size limits on attachments and security concerns discouraged this practice..." [Computerworld, September 24th, 2021]
How To Reduce Overheads By Switching To The Cloud
This might seem daunting, particularly from a cost point of view, but cloud computing can in fact help to reduce a business's overheads
Countless organizations have accelerated their digital transformation plans as a result of the global pandemic and the mass shift to remote working that followed. A report from the UK government found that businesses were quick to invest in technologies to re-shape the workplace and how we work and interact, and credits these technologies - such as cloud computing - as 'essential to business survival'. [ITProPortal, September 22nd, 2021]
Tips For Successfully Deploying Multi-Cloud Strategies
Making the decision to implement a multi-cloud strategy is difficult. From the decision to pursue a multi-cloud journey to defining the requirements to laying the foundation to identifying and deploying applications and services to the multi-cloud environment, the process requires a solid strategy and flawless execution to succeed, say experts at Taos.
Rather than simply utilizing multiple clouds, a true multi-cloud environment is designed to have applications and services deployed on disparate resources with an existing network to route between locations. This allows organizations to leverage the strengths of different cloud service providers (CSPs) to better meet their needs for any particular data set or application. A multi-cloud strategy can enable choices in cloud locations that result in better performance or satisfies residency requirements; provide cost advantages or ensures business continuity; offer better protection, or help avoid vendor lock-in.
Regardless of the reasons why an organization might pursue a multi-cloud strategy, Taos offers these tips to avoid the pitfalls of deployment: [Continuity Central, September 23rd, 2021]
Benefits Of Cloud Computing: The Pros And Cons
A list of advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing, including some you may not know existed.
Everybody knows the differences between using software housed in a company- or home-based server versus subscribing to that same software through a cloud service, right? Maybe, but maybe not; sometimes there's a gray area connecting them, and a user might know some of the differences, but it's more likely he or she won't know them all. [ZDNet, September 20th, 2021]
IT Leaders: Here's How You Should Navigate The Growing Cloud Market
Most organizations agree that they cannot continue 'business as usual' in the post-pandemic era. The buying patterns for cloud services are no exception.
In the past, cloud models drove use cases, but today the opposite is true: Use cases are driving the adoption and selection of cloud and cloud providers. Early cloud adopters embraced disruption and were more risk-tolerant, but as cloud became mainstream, organizations invested in cloud to resist disruption and make incremental improvements. [siliconANGLE, September 20th, 2021]
Top Cloud Computing Companies For 2021
Companies around the globe have been talking about digital transformation for years, but with the entrance of the COVID-19 pandemic and new workplace challenges, most enterprises have necessarily sped up their tech modernization efforts.
Hybrid cloud, multicloud, and cloud computing companies and services have recognized this digital transformation push and are providing a wider range of cloud services accordingly.
Advancing a strategy in cloud computing - or making computing capabilities available over the internet and distributed virtual data centers rather than on-premises data centers - is one of the top priorities for most organizations today. The data reflects this: according to a study from Fortune Business Insights, the global cloud computing market hit $250 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $791.5 billion by 2028. [CIOinsight, September 23rd, 2021]