Data has become more essential than ever in businesses, especially as companies shift toward eco-friendly models. However, this greater dependence on data also brings various risks, such as data loss and theft. To meet environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals and sustainability targets, it’s crucial to have strong data backup strategies in place. Thus, organizations should not overlook the need of data backup even as they give increasing focus on these investment ideas.

Effective data backup solutions stop data loss and promote the ESG performance and sustainability of a company in the data-driven environment of today. This article discusses the role of data backup on ESG and sustainability to assist you in harnessing its benefits in achieving your ESG goals.

What is the Role of Data Backup in ESG (Environmental, Social, Corporate Governance)?

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) is a framework for evaluating a company’s sustainability and ethical impact. It is a model that allows firms to recognize and evaluate the non-financial hazards and opportunities resulting from daily corporate activities. However, attaining ESG and sustainability depends critically on data backup. In the following sections, we will explore its role in each vital area.

Protecting the Environment through Efficient Data Storage

Data centers and IT systems consume much energy, contributing to an organization’s carbon footprint. However, you can reduce this environmental impact using backup solutions that help to optimize energy use in several ways:

• Energy Efficiency

Efficient backup strategies can minimize the data used, leading to a smaller environmental footprint. Moreover, modern data backup solutions centers employ energy-efficient data tools, such as cloud storage, that use renewable energy. Thus, using these advanced tools also helps to reduce your overall carbon footprint instead of using inefficient methods. Offline storage media, such as magnetic tape and external hard drives, reduce energy use by storing data inactively.

• Efficient Resource Management

Regular data backup can help an organization optimize its data storage practices, allowing it to use resources more efficiently. This includes avoiding redundancy by only storing necessary data and discarding outdated storage practices that consume excessive energy and materials.

• Reduction in Physical Storage Need

Traditional storage methods, such as paper records, take up physical space and materials, leading to deforestation, increased waste, and inefficiency. However, with modern data backup solutions, organizations can reduce the need for physical storage, reduce waste, and conserve natural resources.

• Disaster Recovery

Backing up your data will ensure quick recovery without needing extensive physical resources in the event of a natural disaster or other environmental impact that could lead to data loss. When such events happen, an organization can minimize downtime and the environmental costs of starting from scratch due to data loss.

Enhancing Social Responsibility through Data Backup

Data backup plays a major role in fulfilling an organization’s social responsibility:

• Protection of Sensitive Information

Sensitive information must be protected and safeguarded. Thus, when organizations collect and store sensitive information, including customers’ and employees’ data, they must ensure privacy and security. Using efficient data backups that employ high-standard security solutions ensures maximum protection for such sensitive information, fostering customer trust.

• Regulatory Compliance

When your organization performs regular data backups, it complies with legal and regulatory requirements. Thus, data backup solutions help organizations adhere to data regulations and standards, enabling them to perform their social responsibilities and ensure data integrity.

• Stakeholder Trust

Generally speaking, stakeholders such as partners, customers, workers, and investors want to collaborate with and support an organization prioritizing data security. Therefore, you gain the trust of stakeholders when you use backups to guarantee the availability and integrity of data. Also, a robust backup solution will ensure immediate business continuity after a data disaster, fostering and maintaining trust with stakeholders, especially customers.

• Positive Social Impact

Companies can make positive social impacts when they back up data to protect their digital assets. Many modern businesses operate with these digital assets, including information. Thus, data backup indirectly supports employment and economic stability, which leads to a positive social impact.

Strengthening Corporate Governance through Data Backup

Data backup also plays a crucial role in strengthening an organization’s corporate governance. By implementing robust data backup strategies, organizations can:

• Regulatory Compliance

Many industries are subject to strict data protection that mandates regular backups. Compliance with these regulations shows good governance practices, helping to avoid legal penalties.

• Risk Management

By safeguarding an organization’s data from possible loss brought on by hardware failures, human mistakes, cyberattacks, or natural disasters, data backup solutions assist to control data risk. This is absolutely important since these events can seriously damage the company’s reputation and cause operational slowdown in the lack of a trustworthy backup plan. However, with a robust backup system, you can ensure quick data recovery, preventing loss of customer trust.

• Accountability and Transparency

Consistent data backup practices enhance transparency and accountability. They ensure that accurate records are available for audits, reporting, and stakeholder communications, which is vital for maintaining trust.

• Ethical Data Management

Data backup supports the ethical handling of data, which aligns with the governance principle of integrity and ethical conduct. As a result, an organization can showcase its commitment to protecting stakeholders’ information and ensuring proper data security.

• Decision-Making

An organization can access accurate and complete data with a reliable backup system when needed. Thus, you can make strategic decisions backed by correct information.

How Does Data Backup Foster Sustainability?

Data plays a crucial role in any organization, so data backup enables its sustainability by ensuring continuity, security, and efficiency. The following are some significant ways that data backup supports organizational sustainability:

• Quick Disaster Recovery

Backing up the data of a firm helps to stop human error, cyberattacks, or data loss during natural disasters. Having a good backup plan and disaster recovery strategy guarantees swift recovery in case of data loss, so reducing downtime and ensuring business operations carry on fast.

• Data Security

Preserving data in its original form is crucial, and regular data ensures that you can always restore data to the state it was before a cyber attack or disaster. Thus, an organization can always preserve data integrity and prevent unauthorized alterations.

• Cost Efficiency

Data loss can incur a significant loss for an organization, including lost revenue, legal fees, and damage to reputation. However, backup solutions prevent such loss by enabling quick recovery and optimizing data use and management, leading to long-term cost savings.

• Reputation Management

Improper data management can ruin an organization’s reputation during situations like a data breach or significant downtime after a data disaster. However, with robust data solutions, you can manage your reputation by fostering trust among customers and stakeholders. Quick data recovery also shows that an organization is reliable and trustworthy, ensuring sustainability.

• Operational Efficiency

Regular backups guarantee that data is constantly accessible for the operational requirements of an organization—that is, for analytics, reporting, and decision-making. It also lessens the effects of data loss on a company’s operations so that staff members may continue to be productive long after a data disaster.

Conclusion

Data backup plays a crucial role in ESG. Therefore, it has to be given great attention to guarantee responsible social and environmental effect, the improvement of corporate governance, and a sustainable company environment. Giving data backup top priority in your environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and sustainability plans can assist in safeguarding data assets and support the development of a more ecologically friendly digital future.

Storware places great importance on sustainability. That’s why we’re happy that the technology solutions we create support these values. Learn more from our other articles:

• Backup Under the Sign of Sustainable Development
• Server Virtualization: A Game-Changer For Green IT

備份和災難還原（DR）解決方案通常與可持續發展無關。然而，隨著數據保護格局的轉變，將「綠色技能」與技術知識相結合的能力將變得愈加重要。

 

至今，決定備份工具選擇的常見因素包括價格、功能、效率（由 RTO 和 RPO 指標衡量），以及與供應商的合作關係。能源效率在目前仍不是主要考慮，但隨著能源價格上升和《企業可持續發展報告指令》（CSRD）等新規範的引入，企業可能會越來越關注這一因素。

根據 Moor Insights & Strategy 的研究，到 2025 年，數據中心的電力消耗將超過全球總用電量的3%。其中，儲存系統將佔數據中心總能耗的 30%。隨著數據量的持續增長，系統啟動、資源遷移、備份和複製等過程也需要更多的能源消耗。

IT 部門面臨來自管理層、員工和客戶的壓力，要求他們提升系統性能、保障安全並降低成本。此外，隨著 CSRD 的推行，約 5 萬家歐洲企業將被要求報告可持續發展進展，這將對 IT 部門的運作產生直接或間接的影響。IT 領域的可持續發展不僅僅意味著減少能源使用，還涉及更加精細的基礎設施設計和合理的數據管理。

減少數據，節省能源

在個人和企業設備上，都充斥著大量無用的數據。對於企業來說，這些無用數據不僅浪費儲存資 源，還增加了成本。為了實現更可持續的數據儲存，企業需要明確認識到其過渡成本，但通過精 心規劃，可以有效克服挑戰。

能耗大的任務如儲存和備份會顯著增加能源消耗，特別是針對老舊或「暗數據」（ Dark Data）。這些數據往往對業務的實際價值甚微，並且對環境也有負面影響。比如影片文件，它們 被認為佔數據中心二氧化碳排放量的 70%。企業可以採用數據刪除和壓縮技術來降低儲存需求， 提升系統性能，同時減少備份時間和能耗。未來，這些技術可能會在可持續數據儲存實踐中發揮 更加重要的作用。

為了更有效管理數據，企業需要加強對儲存環境的可視性，並對不必要的數據進行有針對性的刪 除或存檔。例如，Pure Storage 兩年前推出了一項可持續性評估功能，能夠監控磁盤陣列的能耗 和二氧化碳排放量，並提供減少耗能的建議。

根據 IDC 的數據，90% 的數據中心仍在使用硬盤（HDD），而這些設備在能源效率方面也有進 展。Western Digital 的專家指出，應從整個生命周期的角度來評估硬盤的能源消耗。雖然 SSD 比 HDD 更具能源效率，但 SSD 的生產能耗更高。愛沙尼亞創新公司 Leila Storage 則提出了一 種創新解決方案，可以減少 HDD 的能耗。

Storware 與 Leil Storage 的合作

愛沙尼亞初創公司 Leil Storage 提供了專屬的備份和存檔儲存系統，包括標準版（最大容量 1.5 PB）、進階版（9 PB）、和企業綠色版（最高 15 PB），它們使用 Western Digital 製造的 28TB UltraSMR 磁盤。這些 SMR 磁盤比傳統磁盤具備更高的儲存效率和能源效益。

Leil Storage 計劃推出一個名為 ICE（Infinite Cold Engine）的模組，該模組可在磁盤閒置時自動 斷電，預計可節省多達 43% 的能源消耗。隨著技術的進步，到 2026 年這一數字有望提升至 70%。

Leil Storage 的設備目前已與 Cohesity 和 Rubrik 等公司兼容，並且正在與 Storware 的軟件進行 進一步整合。這一合作將為企業提供更可持續的備份和儲存解決方案。

 

關於 Storware

Storware 是一家專注於備份軟件的企業，擁有超過十年的行業經驗。Storware 的備份與還原解 決方案適用於各種數據環境，無論是虛擬機、容器、儲存提供商、Microsoft 365 還是運行在本地 或雲端的應用程式，均能提供支援。其小巧的設計使其能夠無縫整合進現有的 IT 基礎設施或企業 級備份方案中，提供極為便捷的備份保護。

Backup and DR solutions are generally not associated with sustainable development. However, in the changing landscape of data protection, “green skills” that combine technological awareness with technical knowledge will become increasingly important.

The price of the solution, functionality, efficiency (measured by RTO and RPO indicators), functionality or relations with suppliers are the most common factors that determine the choice of a backup tool. So far, a small group of customers attach importance to energy efficiency, although creating backups and disaster recovery processes can have an impact on electricity bills. It is not excluded that with rising energy prices, as well as new directives such as the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), entrepreneurs will start to pay more attention to this factor.

According to Moor Insights & Strategy, by 2025 data centers will consume over 3% of electricity. On the other hand, storage accounts for 30% of the total energy consumption of data centers. This coefficient is likely to increase. Managing and storing constantly growing data and the associated processes of starting storage systems, migrating resources, creating backups, replicating or ensuring a safe and functional environment require more and more electricity.

IT departments are under constant pressure from management, employees, and consumers who are making increasing demands on system performance, their security, and cost reduction. As if that weren’t enough, in the coming years there will be another challenge. Under the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), around 50,000 European companies will be obliged to report on sustainable development. This will also indirectly affect the functioning of IT units. Sustainable development in the case of IT is not only about using less energy, especially when it comes to its use in server rooms, but also about designing a more thoughtful infrastructure and rational data management.

Less data, less energy

A lot of unnecessary data lies on the disks of computers or smartphones – old photos, paid bills, never used recipes or emails from a few years ago. The same is true for corporate resources. On NAS servers, there is a lot of completely useless data that is often replicated. While for consumers, the mess on disks does not have a major impact on the household budget, for business users it can lead to a significant increase in costs. Organizations that want more sustainable data storage must be aware that there are costs associated with this, and the transition to new systems and operations can be difficult. However, with careful planning, some of the obstacles can be avoided or at least mitigated.

Energy-intensive tasks such as storage and backup significantly increase energy consumption, but the value of this data – especially in the case of older or “dark” data – can be negligible. They also have a negative impact on the natural environment. A classic example is video files. It is estimated that they are responsible for 70% of CO2 emissions generated by data centers. It often happens that a large broadcaster stores over a hundred versions of the same episode of a series on its servers, although it would be enough to limit this number to a dozen or so. Meanwhile, long-available deduplication and compression techniques help to clean up the server room of unnecessary data. These methods eliminate redundant or duplicate data, reducing storage requirements and increasing overall system performance. Minimizing the data footprint saves costs, shortens backup and recovery times, and reduces energy consumption. Everything indicates that deduplication and compression technologies will likely play a significant role in sustainable digital information storage practices.

However, in order to see irregularities and then put things in order, you need to have insight into data and storage environments. With greater visibility, organizations can make informed decisions about deleting or archiving unnecessary data, archiving it to the cloud or to tape. Pure Storage introduced a sustainability assessment function to its offer less than two years ago, which controls the level of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by the disk array, and then recommends how to reduce both coefficients.

It is worth noting, however, that according to IDC, about 90% of carriers in data centers are hard drives. Their manufacturers also have their own arguments for energy efficiency and sustainable development. For example, specialists from Western Digital recommend that in the case of HDDs, the entire life cycle of the carrier should be assessed. Although from the point of view of I/O, flash memory is more energy-efficient than mechanical disks, although much more energy is needed to produce SSDs than in the case of HDDs. In addition, interesting solutions are appearing on the market that allow you to limit the energy consumption of mechanical disks. One such example is a product offered by the Estonian startup Leila Storage.

While some manufacturers, such as Pure Storage, are announcing the imminent end of mechanical disks. that even by 2026. However, this is an unlikely scenario. Leil Storage is trying to prove that HDD users can also save a lot of energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.

Collaboration Between Storware and Leil Storage

According to the Estonian startup, companies often make the mistake of assuming that erasure coding, media recycling, tape longevity, or 50% compression will achieve sustainable development goals. However, it is not that simple. Therefore, Leil Storage offers a shortcut, providing its own backup and archive storage systems, available in three versions: standard (maximum capacity 1.5 PB), advanced (9 PB), and enterprise green (up to 15 PB). Leil Storage uses 28TB UltraSMR disks manufactured by Western Digital.

This choice is not accidental. SMR disks are currently only used by hyperscalers. Unlike universal models with CMR recording technology, data is not written to magnetic tracks located next to each other on a single platter, but overlaps. This design allows you to fit 30% more data on the same area as with CMR media. Additionally, an SMR disk consumes the same amount of energy as a CMR disk, which translates to greater energy efficiency per 1TB of disk space (Leil Storage estimates it to be around 18%).

The startup will introduce a special ICE (Infinite Cold Engine) module this summer, which will cut power to unused disks. According to Leil Storage’s analysis, this will allow for a 43% reduction in energy consumption compared to a classic disk array. The startup predicts that as ICE evolves, savings will increase to 50% in 2025 and even 70% in 2026.

Leil Storage devices are currently compatible with products from companies like Acronis, Cohesity, and Rubrik. Recently, the Estonian startup began work on integrating its product with Storware software.

Server virtualization, a pivotal technology in modern computing, has emerged as a transformative force in Green IT. According to a report from the UN, the IT industry is responsible for approximately 2% of global CO2 emissions. These emissions, primarily stemming from traditional server setups, significantly contribute to environmental challenges worldwide. This highlights the pressing need for sustainable technological solutions: a call for server virtualization. Server virtualization involves partitioning a physical server into multiple virtual machines, each capable of running independent operating systems and applications. This technology enables more efficient use of hardware resources, allowing multiple workloads to coexist on a single physical server.  It significantly reduces energy consumption and ultimately contributes to a more sustainable and eco-conscious approach to technology. This blog post explores how server virtualization has taken center stage in the green IT revolution.

Areas of Green IT

Green IT, or Green Information Technology, is a philosophy that emphasizes the responsible use of technology to minimize its environmental impact. By adopting practices that prioritize energy efficiency, resource conservation, and waste reduction, businesses can play a pivotal role in reducing their ecological footprint. This aligns with global sustainability goals and leads to cost savings and operational efficiency improvements. Energy efficiency in IT infrastructure is crucial. It involves optimizing the consumption of electricity and resources to minimize waste. This is achievable through technologies like virtualization, which allows for consolidating multiple virtual machines onto a single physical server, significantly reducing the overall energy consumption. Moreover, resource conservation involves efficiently utilizing hardware and software to extend their lifespan, minimizing the need for constant upgrades and replacements. Lastly, waste reduction focuses on responsible disposal and recycling practices to minimize electronic waste, creating a cleaner environment.

Significance of Reducing Carbon Emissions in Green IT

Reducing carbon emissions is a pivotal goal in Green IT. The IT sector accounts for significant global carbon emissions, and adopting sustainable practices can lead to substantial reductions. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report consistently lists environmental risks, including carbon overload, among the top global threats. These risks can lead to economic instability, impacting industries, supply chains, and infrastructure. Organizations can make substantial strides towards a greener and more environmentally conscious IT infrastructure by minimizing energy consumption and employing efficient technologies like server virtualization.

Why It’s Good to Invest in Server Virtualization?

Server virtualization offers many benefits, with cost savings and efficiency leading the way.

Cost Savings

Server virtualization is a game-changer when it comes to cost savings. The economic cost of natural disasters related to climate change and carbon overload is substantial. In 2020 alone, these costs reached approximately $268 billion globally. Businesses can significantly reduce their hardware expenses by consolidating multiple virtual machines onto a single physical server. This includes not only the cost of purchasing new servers but also the expenses associated with maintenance, cooling, and physical space requirements.

Energy Savings

Traditional server setups often operate at a fraction of their capacity, leading to inefficient resource allocation and high energy consumption. Server virtualization addresses this issue by enabling businesses to utilize their hardware to its full potential. Virtual machines can dynamically allocate resources based on demand, ensuring optimal performance and reducing waste. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report found that server virtualization can lead to energy savings of up to 80%. By adopting server virtualization, businesses can reap the benefits of reduced energy consumption, resulting in lower electricity bills and a lighter environmental impact. The reduced hardware footprint also leads to lower cooling costs, further contributing to overall cost savings.

Optimized Resource Allocation

In traditional server setups, it’s common for individual servers to operate at a fraction of their capacity. This inefficiency results in wasted resources and increased energy consumption. Server virtualization addresses this issue by allowing businesses to make the most out of their existing hardware. Virtualization technology enables dynamic resource allocation, meaning that each virtual machine receives precisely the resources it needs to operate efficiently. This eliminates the inefficiencies associated with static resource allocation in traditional setups. Imagine a scenario where every computer in your office adapts its performance to the task at hand. That’s the power of virtualization.

Flexibility and Scalability

Businesses today operate in a dynamic environment. Needs change, and they change fast. Server virtualization provides the agility to adapt quickly to these changes without needing constant hardware upgrades. With virtualization, adding or expanding new applications is as simple as creating a new virtual machine. Investing in additional physical servers is unnecessary, saving both time and money. This flexibility ensures that businesses can respond promptly to evolving demands, staying competitive in today’s fast-paced market. Whether scaling up to meet increased workloads or scaling down during slower periods, virtualization provides the flexibility to adjust resources on the fly. This means businesses can operate efficiently and confidently, knowing their IT infrastructure can meet their changing needs.

How Does Server Virtualization Help to Reduce CO2 Emissions?

Traditional server setups are known for their energy-hungry nature. They involve numerous physical servers, each with its own power requirements and cooling needs. This leads to a significant carbon footprint, as the energy demand for these servers directly contributes to CO2 emissions. A study by the Green Electronics Council paints a compelling picture: firms implementing server virtualization technologies reduced their CO2 emissions by an impressive average of 63% compared to those relying solely on physical servers. Server virtualization does wonders in cutting down energy consumption and CO2 emissions. By allowing multiple virtual machines to operate on a single physical server, the need for multiple servers diminishes. This consolidation leads to a proportional drop in energy usage and CO2 emissions. Moreover, virtualization ensures the smart use of resources. Each virtual machine gets precisely what it needs, precisely when it needs it. This means no more overloading of resources, which is a common inefficiency in traditional server setups. Virtualization platforms also come equipped with power management features. These features dynamically adjust the power consumption of servers based on workload demands. This responsive approach further minimizes energy usage and, in turn, CO2 emissions.

Security and Server Virtualization

Managing security in traditional server setups can be complex and daunting. With multiple physical servers, each requiring individual attention, it’s easy for security gaps to emerge. This complexity can lead to vulnerabilities that malicious actors might exploit. Server virtualization simplifies this process. Businesses can centralize their security measures by consolidating multiple virtual machines onto a single physical server. This means fewer points of entry for potential threats, making monitoring and protecting sensitive data easier. Virtualization platforms come equipped with advanced security features that provide additional protection. These features include secure hypervisors, network segmentation, and secure boot processes, all working together to safeguard critical business data. Virtualization is a powerful tool in fortifying your business against cyber threats. It’s like having a digital security guard who’s always on duty, ensuring your sensitive information stays safe and secure.

Overcoming Challenges in Implementing Server Virtualization

Implementing server virtualization might seem like a big step, and it’s natural to encounter some initial challenges. One common hurdle is the need for staff training. Getting your team up to speed on virtualization technologies may take a bit of time, but the benefits, in the long run, make it well worth the investment. Another consideration is the initial setup cost. While virtualization can lead to significant cost savings over time, acquiring the necessary hardware and software may be an initial investment. However, it’s important to remember that this investment pays off through reduced operational costs and improved efficiency.

Best practices for success

To ensure a successful transition to server virtualization, it’s important to follow some best practices. Learning from the experiences of successful implementations can provide valuable insights. For example, conducting a thorough assessment of your existing IT infrastructure will help plan the virtualization process. This includes evaluating your current hardware, software, and applications to determine compatibility with virtualization technologies. Additionally, considering factors like workload distribution and redundancy planning is crucial for a smooth transition. Implementing a phased approach and conducting thorough testing can help identify and address any potential issues before full-scale implementation.

Protecting Your Virtualized Environment

Even with the superhero-like capabilities of server virtualization, don’t forget about data protection! Virtual environments are susceptible to data loss from accidents, hardware failures, or even cyberattacks.

Storware Backup and Recovery offers a comprehensive solution specifically designed to safeguard your virtualized data centers. It provides features like:

• Easy Backups and Recovery: Streamlined processes to ensure your virtual machines are always protected.
• Flexibility: Supports various virtual environments and offers granular recovery options.
• Advance Security Measures: Linux-based installation, RBAC, Air-gap Backup, Retention Lock and more, keeping your data safe and secure.

By implementing Storware Backup and Recovery alongside server virtualization, you’ll have a winning combination for a sustainable, secure, and efficient IT infrastructure.

Paving the Way for Greener IT

Server virtualization is not just a technological advancement; it’s a critical step toward a more sustainable future in IT. By adopting these practices, businesses can save costs, reduce their environmental impact, and enhance their overall operational efficiency. Incorporating virtualization into your IT infrastructure isn’t just a smart business move; it’s also a responsible environmental choice. The benefits extend beyond the bottom line, contributing to a healthier planet for all. Consider taking the first step towards a greener IT future. Explore the possibilities of server virtualization and discover how it can revolutionize your business operations while positively impacting the environment.

If you have ever wondered why data keeps growing and creating big data, there’s a simple and familiar concept behind it. As organizations grow, amassing vast amounts of data, the amount of data in their repository keeps growing, creating an ever-increasing repository of information.

This has to do with how large data attracts more data, applications, and services, increasing in size over time. This phenomenon is called data gravity. Since data gravity is unstoppable, it’s crucial to understand what it is and how to manage and optimize it.

This article explores the concept of data gravity, its effect on organizations, and how to manage it to help you use it to your benefit.

What is the Definition of Data Gravity?

Data gravity is very similar to the physical gravity you are used to. It refers to how big data attracts applications, services, and more data, leading to a snowball effect that quickly increases data size. According to Newton’s law of gravity, the earth attracts other smaller objects to it. Similarly, large data sets attract applications, services, and other data.

Typically, the larger the data set, the more data it attracts, creating a gravitational pull that keeps the data pool close by. This concept applies not only to data in physical proximity to big data but also to the digital realm, that is, data in cloud storage. Examples of data gravity are data warehouses and data lakes.

Consider a business keeping vast volumes of consumer data in a data warehouse. The warehouse expands in complexity and scale as it gathers and analyses increasing volumes of data.

This expansion will draw new uses and services, including customer relationship management (CRM), which is applied for more thorough consumer analysis. This analysis also draws in more data, creating a continuous cycle of data growth over time.

History of Data Gravity

The history of data gravity is relatively close. The term was first introduced in a 2010 blog post by Dave McCory, who was a software engineer at GE Digital. When explaining the concept of data gravity, he used the analogy of physical gravity to explain how large datasets attract IT systems, like how a planet’s gravitational pull attracts objects around it. For example, the moon orbits around the Earth because of gravity. So, similarly, large data, which in this case are applications and services, is like the Earth, attracting the moon.

David McCory also explains in another blog post that data gravity doesn’t only occur naturally; external forces like costs, specialization, and legislative can indirectly influence data gravity. This is called artificial data gravity. He gives an example of AWS S3 that allows unlimited transfer inbound traffic for free. This free unlimited transfer encourages users to gather data, leading to artificial data gravity because it is externally influenced.

Effects of Data Gravity

Data gravity has both positive and negative effects on organizations. Being aware of both sides can help you manage data gravity effectively.

Pros of Data Gravity

The perks include:

• Centralized Data Management: Data gravity allows organizations to manage data in a centralized data hub, making it easier to manage data across multiple applications and departments.
• Improved Data Integrity: Centralized data management reduces the risk of data inconsistencies by helping an organization manage its data from one location. Thus, they can monitor data and ensure it is up-to-date and accurate.
• Better Data Utilization: Big data enables organizations to utilize data effectively. For example, the availability of more data provides more information when performing data analysis.

Cons of Data Gravity

Some major disadvantages are:

• Scalability Problem: As the size of the data increases, organizations could face scalability issues. Due to the large data size, migrating to better resources or another platform could be uneconomical. This can lead to vendor lock-in as the organization will find it difficult to switch to another platform. Thus, you may become solely dependent on a single provider.
• Latency: Organizations can face the issue of latency if the applications and services are far from the large data set. If the distance between where data is stored and processed is significant, this distance causes latency, crippling performance. To reduce latency, it’s best to ensure that the data and the gravitating applications and services are close or co-located.
• Higher Costs: Another problem data gravity poses is the higher cost involved. For example, organizations may need to acquire new storage tools and applications, which could significantly increase data management costs.

Managing Data Gravity

Big data can be overwhelming, so managing data gravity is crucial to ensure that you take advantage of its benefits. Below are some ways to manage your growing data:

• Cloud-Based Solutions

Opting for cloud storage offers a scalable and flexible solution, enabling organizations to manage large data sets better. Also, cloud services reduce the complexity of data management by making data accessible across different devices and departments. However, storing all data on the cloud is not always possible. So, organizations that need on-premise storage systems should opt for scalable systems that reduce latency. One such solution is hyper-converged systems, which combine storage and networking in one platform, cutting down latency and ensuring effective data management.

• Data Integration

You can take advantage of data gravity by integrating several data sources into one data hub. Although combining data to form one gigantic data set may seem ineffective, one data source means you have to contend with only one outlet instead of several, making it more organized. Doing so also makes accessing and managing data easier, leading to better performance and fewer errors.

• Data Governance

Robust data governance policies can also help manage and utilize data gravity. These policies include data standards, access controls, and accountability measures set to ensure the smooth management of big data.

• Decentralized Architectures

Decentralized architectures like cloud storage can also reduce the risks associated with data gravity. Since these tools don’t need a central physical location, data can be processed closer to where it is generated. As a result, latency can be reduced, and data processing times can be improved.

• Effective Data Planning

Generally, effective data management can help prevent the risks involved in data gravity. Taking care to consider not just the current needs, but also the future data needs of an organization. Making the right decisions for your data can help manage data gravity.

The Importance of Data Backup in Data Gravity

The more data there is, the higher the risk of corruption and loss. In the event of a data disaster, an organization will lose a large amount of data created by gravity. Thus, it’s crucial to implement robust backup solutions that will protect against data loss during disasters.

However, the biggest problem with data backup in such an environment is not its size. Data attracts new applications or services, which often decentralize data processing, creating new data sources. Therefore, without versatility, data protection can focus only on selected silos, ignoring new data sources. In such a case, we may: 1) consciously not expand the ecosystem with modern tools, 2) agree that some data will not be secured, 3) or implement an additional tool to secure modern workloads, which will only complicate the data management process and may negatively impact their consistency.

No. 4 is, of course, replacing the backup tool with Storware Backup and Recovery, which supports protection for virtual, physical, and cloud data and allows integration with enterprise-class backup devices, expanding their data protection capabilities with new sources.

Also, modern data backup facilitates data mobility by moving data to a different site, reducing the effect of data gravity. Data gravity could easily make data heavy and difficult to move around, but with backup systems, you can reduce the load through regular backup that provides bits of data available for a period. Thus, it’s crucial to prioritize data backup as data pulls more data, application, and services, increasing its bulk.

Conclusion

Like physical gravity, data gravity is inevitable, and unfortunately, if not well managed, it can lead to negative consequences like latency, high cost of operation, and scalability issues. Hence, organizations need to understand how it works, how best to manage it and how to use it to their advantage. Data gravity can lead to better data utilization, centralized data management, and improved data integrity. By following our guide on managing data gravity, you can harness these perks and ensure they work to your advantage.