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Protection of Data using various storage platforms

1. Introduction:

To write this document is motivated by the notice which is display on notice board at the
department of chemistry the Panton Arms [1]. The title of the notice is “Cash Award for
returning my Lost Bag” is shown in figure 1, this notice is from a PhD student. Also I
experience this tragedy in some other way during my master research. In the last months of my
MS research my laptop is hacked leaving a ransom message in every folder of laptop that include
contact and ransom amount. Fortunately I was shared my research data with my supervisor
which I recover from the mail-service and complete my research project and format my whole
laptop. From that day I use multiple platforms for storing data.

Fig.1. notice on the board [1]

From a decade people trend of working on digital platform is increased and peaked level during
corona pandemic so a solid management of data storing is necessary [2]. In this information
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(data) age protection of data sustaining company, research institute also the individual try to
protect their important data to be lost. A large corporation investing a huge amount of money to
protect their data using soft and hard method, the data maybe the customers, information worker
information or designing techniques[3]. Efficient data storage can provide data continuity and
accessibility, reliable preservation of data, easy data recovery, and effective security for
protected file. The best way to protecting data is to use multiple backup medium for data storing.
The different type of storage medium is shown in figure 2.

Fig.2. Types of data storage

2. Types of data storage medium

There are two main storage medium one is conventional and the other is digital to store data. The
digital platform is further divide into direct attached storage (DAS) and Network storage medium
(NAS)[4].
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2.1 Direct attached storage (DAS)

DAS included all type of physical device that store data and connected and use with computer or
other microprocessors based system. From these device data can be physically travel, retrieve
and read easily. This type of storage can be only use with one machine. Some common types of
these devices are solid-state drives (SSD), hard drive, CD/DVD drive, flash drive etc[4], [5].

2.2 Network Attached Storage (NAS)

In NAS system multiple machine are allow to share and storage of data over a network. In RAID
configuration this can be achieved with multiple hard drive or other storage devices. The main
advantage of NAS is the ability to centralize data and improve collaboration. In this system data
can be easily share, transfer among multiple machine and security permission level can be set on
data to control and protect the data. NAS system is costly than DAS system but this technology
is very reliable as compared to DAS[4], [5].

2.3 Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is another flexible storage medium for computer. The cloud is not a single device
but a large collection of servers which hold datacenter around the globe. Once a documents are
save to the cloud the same documents is store on multiple server[6]. It need only internet
connection to upload, modify and share all type of data. You can access your data through online
and did not use any computer memory hence save space in the individual computer and provide
high security of your data and you can access every location around the word. Today multiple
companies provide cloud storage service some is free and some is charging annual fee for
service. Some example cloud storage provider is Google Drive, Icedrive, pCloud, Mega,
Internxt, WorkDrive etc [7].

3. Recommended storage solutions for research data

The individual researcher need to store their data at multiple platform so that it any failure of
one system don’t affect their work and accumulate their data from other source. Some
recommended backup storage system is given below.

3.1 Google drive

Google drive is a free storage service which is provided by Google you can access to the drive
and utilize it according to your application by just e-mail id. It provide 15GB free space for every
Gmail Id user for more space a specific charge would be apply. There is no restriction regarding
the type of storage data. You can access the data everywhere in the word using PC, cell phone ,
tablet etc easily. The Google have well security system to protect the data from hackers and
other loss of data [8].

3.2 Local drives and external portable storage devices

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Generally user use specific drive of PC/laptop to storing their important data. so in case of failure
of device or virus attack on specific drive the use lost their whole data. Which is some time very
difficult to recover and the person go through very hard time and sometime time a costly
experimental data is loss which is consequence of mismanagement of data. The following steps
is needed managed their data in local storage system[9], [10].

I. Spread a copies of your data in every drive of your PC

II. Use external portable storage devices such as USB, external hard drive to back up your
data in case of failure of PC.
III. If the experimental data is achieved very costly use third backup system such as
CD.DVD storage

III.3 Backing up research data using manually

To protect and avoid loss and corruption of data researcher need to back up their data manually.
Every online journal and magazine volume publishing their data online and also printing their
publishing data manually or in physical hard copies so that data secure permanently and also
provide owner evidence for their authors against any corruption or losses. At university level
after a completion of research project the student are advised to submit soft (digital format) and
three to four (3-to-4) hard copies of thesis. These hard copies of the thesis can be store at
multiple location in the institute including library, department etc. when data backup manually
the 3,2, 1 Rule is best way to remember take 3 copies of your data 2 copies place on other
medium 1 copy place on other location[11].

4. Efficient data storage benefits

The number one priority of scientist, researcher, and business leader is to preserve and protect
his data information and how much money they need to for storage solution to protect their
business or research ownership or how quickly the get their data back or recover in case of
failure of one system?

Consider these storage benefits of data determined the impact of right storage solution in your
business and scientific area. Some common benefits of efficient data storage is given below.

I. Reliable storage of data

II. Data accessibility & continuity
III. Easier & quicker data recovery
IV. Flexible capacity & price options
V. Effective security for data files

5. Future of Data Storage

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The data storage systems highlighted above is common storage solution. However technology
improves day by day and data storage system is evolving. If an organization has more complex
data they need more advanced solution. The emerging technologies of data storage is software
define storage (SDS). In conventional data storage hardware and software both are necessary
while in SDS system separate the software layer from the physical hardware where the data is
store.in SDS the software is responsible to generate the data. If we utilize artificial intelligence
with software concept in a shape of algorithm and apply to the data file then a few code will
store a huge amount of data[12].

References

[1] pm286, “Why YOU need a data management plan | petermr’s blog.”
https://blogs.ch.cam.ac.uk/pmr/2011/08/01/why-you-need-a-data-management-plan/
(accessed Oct. 25, 2021).
[2] “How the pandemic impacted data creation and storage,” i-SCOOP. https://www.i-
scoop.eu/big-data-action-value-context/data-storage-creation/ (accessed Oct. 25, 2021).
[3] “Who’s Spending Money on Big Data?,” Data Excellence, Jun. 15, 2015.
https://www.intersystems.com/data-excellence-blog/whos-spending-money-on-big-data/
(accessed Oct. 25, 2021).
[4] “What is Data Storage? - Data Storage Types & Methods | CDW.”
https://www.cdw.com/content/cdw/en/articles/datacenter/what-is-data-storage.html (accessed
Oct. 25, 2021).
[5] Q. Wu, “Research on the application of storage technology in Digital Library,” in 2010
International Conference on Future Information Technology and Management Engineering,
Oct. 2010, vol. 2, pp. 166–169. doi: 10.1109/FITME.2010.5654723.
[6] I. Odun-Ayo, O. Ajayi, B. Akanle, and R. Ahuja, “An Overview of Data Storage in Cloud
Computing,” in 2017 International Conference on Next Generation Computing and
Information Systems (ICNGCIS), Dec. 2017, pp. 29–34. doi: 10.1109/ICNGCIS.2017.9.
[7] R. Peterson, “15 Best FREE Cloud Storage & Unlimited Online Drive Space,” Jan. 31, 2020.
https://www.guru99.com/free-cloud-storage.html (accessed Oct. 25, 2021).
[8] “Cloud Storage,” Google Cloud. https://cloud.google.com/storage (accessed Oct. 25, 2021).
[9] “External storage,” Wikipedia. Sep. 05, 2021. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2021. [Online]. Available:
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=External_storage&oldid=1042589239
[10] “Hard disk drive,” Wikipedia. Oct. 23, 2021. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2021. [Online].
Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hard_disk_drive&oldid=1051371241
[11] U. of Sheffield, “Data storage - Research Data Management - The University Library -
The University of Sheffield,” Jul. 03, 2020. https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/library/rdm/storage
(accessed Oct. 25, 2021).
[12] “Software-defined storage,” Wikipedia. Oct. 24, 2020. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2021. [Online].
Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Software-
defined_storage&oldid=985197660