data management and storage

What is Data Management?

Data management is the new buzzword on the block for business owners who haven’t realised the importance of it – until now, that is. Organisations are responsible for the data they collect. They need to have valid reasons for collecting it and have the necessary measures to protect themselves from data breaches.

To understand data management, you need to understand what it means and how it works. A broad definition of data management is “a wide range of practices and methodologies intended to help organisations better control their data”. The main objective of data management is to ensure data is kept safe and accessible while providing value to the organisation.

Effective data management follows the below processes:

  • Data Collection: Organised collation of information to improve value of data
  • Data Access: Easy and strategically implemented access to data across the organisation and archives
  • Data Storage: The various data storage types where information is saved such as on-site hardcopy files, off-site backup & cloud storage
  • Data Availability: Disaster and recovery plans that can be implemented in the event of data breaches
  • Data Security & Privacy: Continuous monitoring and implementation of strong security and privacy policies

It’s important to note the difference between data management and data governance. Data governance sets the standards and baselines that control the processes managed by data management. It does this by setting expectations for the use, security, and integrity of data, while data management implements the objectives defined by data governance

key best practices for data management

1. delete duplicate data

Duplicating data for backup purposes in the event of a disaster is prudent. However, only the most recent data copy is required to restore previous versions. Deleting unnecessary data copies saves storage space and costs and keeps your data trail tidy and ready to be used when needed.

2. maintain quality data

Data should be accurate, relevant, and useful for ongoing analysis.

3. emphasise the importance of data protection and security

Data protection and privacy standards should be regularly updated and comply with the rules set by regulators’ where your organisation operates. Keeping your data secure requires the following measures:

  • Access control –  users only have access relevant to their role
  • Encryption –  encrypted data is only decipherable by your organisation
  • Physical security – strong security measures on-site
  • Keeping data off-site – doing encrypted backups of your data to the cloud

 4. setup monitoring and alerts

Set up metric-based monitoring processes to provide valuable insights into crucial data patterns and events.

If an organisation’s data is not relevant, inaccurate, and outdated, it won’t be a useful source of information should a disaster or data breach occur. Nor can it provide any valuable insights for the organisation to analyse or action.

last word on data management

The more data you have, the more you need to manage it. There’s no time like the present to prepare a data management or get your current plan up to date. Let us know if you have any tips on how you best manage your data.