About seven years in the past, Simon Bacher and his spouse got here up with an thought for an interactive language studying app known as Ling. They have been pretty assured they may do every thing on their very own since Bacher had a background in software program growth and IT consulting.

When it got here time to resolve how one can retailer the app’s sound information and pictures, Bacher and his small crew determined to add the info to its personal server, managing it themselves. But as Ling grew to 35 staff and greater than 5 million customers, the corporate wanted to revamp the way in which they saved and managed that information. The homegrown storage system required customized code for any adjustments, suffered from reliability points, and struggled with file updates.

Related: 9 Popular Cloud Storage Providers: Which Is Right for You?

After exploring varied choices, Bacher selected to change from its system to the Firebase utility growth platform, which gives its personal cloud storage. Firebase, now a part of Google, allowed Ling to retailer all information on the platform whereas housing textual information within the Firebase database.

The selection of the Firebase platform was partly pushed by its capability to instantaneously replace information, making them available throughout the app. That’s one thing Firebase might do proper out of the field.

Over the 5 years of utilizing Firebrand, Bacher stated that Ling hasn’t skilled any downtime.

Why We Change Data Storage Technologies

Making a swap in your information storage applied sciences might be motivated by many components.

Dissatisfaction

Companies typically search a change as a result of dissatisfaction with their present storage applied sciences and practices. There could also be too many bugs, a scarcity of vendor assist, delayed updates, safety vulnerabilities, or an impending end-of-life announcement from the seller.

Costs

Cost considerations can play a significant function, prompting reevaluation throughout upkeep or service contract renewals.

Accumulation of minor points

Seemingly minor points – sluggish efficiency, file learn/write difficulties, errors, or system crashes – might accumulate over time and inspire a change.

External components

At instances, adjustments can stem from exterior components which can be exterior the management of storage directors, like new corporate goals or strategies. “When companies announce they are going to do an IT transformation, it may require a new type of storage,” stated Randy Kerns, a senior strategist and analyst with The Futurum Group.

Technological issues

Technological selections, corresponding to a wholesale shift to the cloud or to repatriate storage again in-house, might necessitate a change in storage programs.

FOMO

Fear of lacking out on the latest and greatest storage technologies might spur corporations to endure an overhaul.

For Roman Surikov, CEO of app growth firm Ronas IT, a number of components influenced his resolution. Ronas IT had primarily used customary SQL databases with on-premises storage. However, as the corporate’s consumer base and information volumes grew, the corporate wanted an infrastructure that might effectively scale. Additionally, the corporate had reached a stage the place it required real-time information processing and the flexibility to deal with advanced information constructions. Other drivers included safety, efficiency, and reliability.

“We realized it was time to change when our traditional data-handling mechanisms started proving to be inadequate for managing rapidly growing data volumes,” Surikov stated. “The increase in ad-hoc scalability needs, paired with the quest for more performant solutions and increasingly diversified data, drove us towards this fundamental shift.”

Similarly, Peter Michaels, CEO of parental monitoring firm Yeespy, sought new information storage know-how when the current system struggled to fulfill rising information calls for. Moreover, Michaels stated he felt that the present system had reached its finish of life, with insufficient vendor assist affecting buyer satisfaction.

Finding the Ideal Storage Technology

When it’s time to alter information storage applied sciences, what needs to be your first step?

Here’s what not to do.

According to Kerns, corporations sometimes look to unravel one specific downside and so select storage to fulfill that want. This method lacks foresight. “You definitely need to get what matches greatest now, however you’re investing that may final for 5 to 10 years, so image what is going to change in your surroundings and what your group’s wants will likely be,” Kerns stated.

Evaluating a storage vendor isn’t straightforward, however Kerns recommends researching the next components:

1. Experience and longevity: Consider the seller’s observe file and the way lengthy they’ve been available in the market.  
2. Comprehensive choices: Assess the completeness of the seller’s storage choices to make sure they will meet a variety of your group’s necessities.
3. Expense and consumption fashions: Do the seller’s pricing fashions align together with your group’s price range and consumption patterns?
4. Research and growth funding: Find out whether or not the seller frequently invests in R&D to remain up-to-date with emerging technologies and trends.  
5. Ease of doing enterprise: Talk with peer organizations to grasp how straightforward and cooperative the seller is to work with.

In Ronas IT’s case, Surikov stated the corporate sought alternative storage applied sciences that may are purpose-built for the job. That meant evaluating and adopting a number of applied sciences, together with MySQL and MongoDB for document-oriented information dealing with and Debezium for information change seize.

To get thus far, Surikov’s crew analyzed the various information storage necessities of the corporate’s vary of functions. The crew thought of the kind of information the functions would deal with, information quantity, progress charge, and the necessity for real-time entry.

After compiling a shortlist of potential merchandise, the crew performed pilot tasks to guage efficiency, cost-effectiveness, scalability, ease of use, and the extent of group assist.

Michaels additionally launched into an in depth analysis course of to search out the best storage system for his firm. He began by figuring out key standards corresponding to efficiency, scalability, information safety, and cost-effectiveness. Seeking steerage from business specialists and trusted friends, he narrowed down the sector to some choices.

The storage system Michaels selected impressed him for its state-of-the-art know-how, strong scalability choices, and superior information safety options. He famous important efficiency enhancements and located the brand new system higher outfitted to accommodate the corporate’s rising information calls for.

Despite being happy with the brand new storage setup, Michaels stated he needs hold tempo with technological developments and enterprise progress. As such, he plans to usually reevaluate storage methods.

“We understand that technology is constantly evolving, and we must be adaptable to embrace future opportunities and stay at the forefront of innovation,” Michaels stated.

About the writer

Karen D. Schwartz is a know-how and enterprise author with greater than 20 years of expertise. She has written on a broad vary of know-how matters for publications together with CIO, InformationWeek, GCN, FCW, FedTech, BizTech, eWeek and Government Executive.