It starts with corporate policies around
data management. This is not a new idea.
We've had issues around various types of data for years. Whether
it's security,
backup,
disaster recovery or
business continuity, there is a certain lack
of understanding -- in some cases a total lack of understanding
as to what corporate data is being stored -- and even
noncorporate data that ends up on corporate storage.
@34158 The problem in most cases is that there are no clearly
defined policies around data. We just buy more storage because we
know storage is cheap now and we just keep adding to it. I've said
that cheap storage equates to procrastination when it comes to
retention policies. So, ultimately it's important to understand the
data that you have and then identify what you need to keep and how
long you need to keep it. If you keep everything forever, your mass
of storage will just keep growing making data, particularly
unstructured data, more difficult to manage.
Retention should employ practices, like data classification and
information lifecycle management (ILM), to
help identify the data on hand. Then, use that knowledge to
determine the appropriate retention, archiving and deletion
strategies for your industry and specific business.
Listen to the
Unstructured data FAQ audiocast.
Go to the beginning of the
Unstructured Data FAQ Guide.