Dell EMC ECS: Elastic Cloud Storage for successful data management and utilization
Public cloud solutions have long had the reputation of being an ideal storage and management solution for rapidly growing volumes of data. But their shortcomings – costs, latency when accessing data and safety concerns – mean that many companies seek out alternative options. Dell EMC ECS (Elastic Cloud Storage) is a software-based object storage platform capable of saving, protecting and managing unstructured data in a way that is scalable, flexible and failsafe, and does all this behind the enterprise firewall. Combined with services from Informatio and support from DataStore, it enables growing volumes of data to be used to their full potential.
Four questions on the subject for Holger Jakob, Managing Director at Informatio:
Mr Jakob, why is the cloud not for everyone?
The question of whether to use the cloud or not is based on more than just the size of a company. Many companies are not even allowed to maintain their data online. But if they are, they are confronted with a range of security concerns. Data storage in Switzerland by a provider without any US subsidiaries offers a solid foundation. While some systems boast the advantage of being able to be operated on premises, support can be obtained in the form of managed services.
Based on your experience, what do companies look out for? What should be given priority?
When deciding between on-premises, hybrid and online data storage solutions, companies pay attention to their policies and security requirements. However, there are some considerations that are often not sufficiently taken into account: 1. Object storage systems with S3 offer a common interface. Customers should consider all applications that are able to use this protocol. 2. Deletion concepts are often not available. 3. The permissibility of saving data longer than necessary also needs to be taken into account. 4. It is important to check who could access the data.
What is your advice for companies that outsource data to the cloud but still want to maintain data sovereignty?
Data storage in Switzerland with a specialized Swiss company. The online ECS platform based on Dell EMC ECS offers customers the chance to implement hybrid and online approaches. The online service is for anyone who wants to implement a Cloud First strategy or who finds the on-premises system too expensive. When dealing with greater volumes of data, we often recommend running the cloud on-premises, as this pays off more from a financial standpoint.
What are managed services for you and what do you offer your customers?
Managed services for object storage systems are our core business. Their advantage lies in their low operating costs. However, it can be difficult to maintain knowledge of systems and functionalities on an ongoing basis, which is the main reason why many companies choose to outsource their infrastructure operations to us, even if these are on-premises systems. With our managed services, we are able to offer the customer a “Set up and forget” service, so that the systems run without them having to get involved. Every company needs the right storage solution to suit their own requirements. Our partners can be sure that the experts at DataStore, together with Dell Technologies, will find the perfect one for them.
Holger Jakob has been operating object storage environments for large Swiss companies for 15 years. Thanks to innovative managed services, he and his company Informatio help their customers to make operations predictable and secure. www.informatio.ch
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