What Data Challenges Do Businesses Face?

The challenge for organisations is to understand the following key points; how their data evolves, determine how it grows, monitor how its usage changes over time and consequently how long it should survive for. 

Through these key understandings a comprehensive ILM approach can be adopted.  This sets in stone the process and management objectives of any information and associated data from its conception, storage and use, right through to determining when it can be justified as obsolete and consequently disposed of.

A key factor when employing an ILM policy is not to implement one just for the sake of it.  Its guardian-like purpose ensures that strict guidelines are understood and adhered to throughout an organisation rather than data being processed and used on an employee’s own terms.  

But planning and communication to staff are key to ILM success.  Without due care and attention, an ILM policy and its process can have a disruptive effect on an organisation leaving data in a predicament, as well as the organisation incurring unnecessary and unwanted costs with the extra administration needed to alleviate a poorly executed ILM plan and system.

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Today there are two additional objectives IT Managers are trying to meet - store vast quantities of data, for the lowest possible cost and meet the new regulatory requirements for data retention and protection.  An ILM policy can help achieve these goals through outlining key factors needed in the successful management of data.