While business has moved on from requiring as much data as possible to focusing on the quality of data, companies still need to process incredible amounts of information to stay competitive. And the more data they need to store, the less effective their systems become.

The solution to this ever-growing problem is data archiving. By moving lower-priority or outdated information off their main network, businesses can keep everything running smoothly. 

In this guide, we define what data archiving is, detail the benefits and drawbacks, and lay out some best practices to help you get the most out of the process.

What is data archiving?

Data archiving is the process of storing older or less critical information in a long-term storage system that’s separate from your main IT infrastructure. This could be outdated customer information, old processes, or data that you need to maintain for compliance. It’s rarely used or accessed, but it is valuable in specific scenarios.

Data archiving vs. backup

Because of their similarities, people often confuse data archiving with data backup. Here are the main differences between the two processes:

• Purpose: Data backups are a failsafe measure that makes sure critical information is retrievable and restorable if it’s lost or corrupted. Archives store information that isn’t operation-critical, ensuring it's retrievable without taking up unnecessary system memory or storage space.
• Retention duration: Companies regularly overwrite backups to ensure they’re current and complete. Data archives are often retained for months or years, so historical information is accessible in case of audits or trend analysis.
• Storage location: Backups need to be accessible 24/7 in case of emergencies, so businesses often keep them on premium storage platforms. Archive data storage is usually less urgent, so companies usually keep these files in lower-priority locations.
• Searchability: Data backups are usually a snapshot of a system, rather than collections of individual files. This makes it difficult to find and restore specific information. Archives are made up of tagged and indexed files, making it easier to find relevant information.

How does data archiving work?

So what exactly does archiving do? Here are the key aspects of what the process actually involves:

• Storage tiering: Companies must decide how and where to store the data based on their storage capacity and how accessible it needs to be. Lower-tier storage provides large capacity at a low cost. Higher tiers offer advanced features, but at a premium price.
• Data identification and classification: Files and information are categorized based on topic, sensitivity, importance, and regulatory requirements.
• Retention and lifecycle policies: Policies are set that define which data needs to be maintained, backed up, archived, or deleted, and when.
• Indexing and metadata: Files are tagged and indexed, which adds context that makes archived data more searchable. This often includes details like the owner or creator, creation and modification dates, file format, and size.
• Data transfer: Data is moved from existing systems into the company's chosen archive location. This can be a manual process, or you can automate it with the help of data movement platforms like Fivetran.
• Data retrieval: Companies occasionally need to access or restore data from archives. This often occurs during audits or client or employee disputes, or when information has been archived incorrectly.

Benefits and challenges of data archiving

Being aware of the benefits and drawbacks of the data archiving process will help you pick the best strategy for your business.

Benefits of data archiving

From reducing infrastructure costs to improving system performance, there are many reasons companies might look into data archiving solutions. Here are just a few.

Compliance and regulatory readiness

Many industries require companies to store data for a specified time period. This includes patient records, legal documents, and financial data. But this information isn’t usually needed for everyday operations, making it an ideal candidate for archiving.

Reduced storage costs

Storage space, especially in high-performance systems, is costly. Moving low-priority or outdated information away from these networks means you only have to pay premium rates for what’s needed. 

Improved system performance

Storing vast amounts of data in infrastructure not designed for this purpose slows down any systems and processes on the same network. Programs require storage and memory to operate, so unnecessary data sitting on your systems will lead to delays. 

Reduced administrative burden

Keeping files and documents up to date takes significant time and effort. The more data there is to manage, the longer it will take your teams to maintain it. Archiving older data and setting up workflows to automate the process helps streamline administrative tasks.

Enhanced institutional knowledge

Historical data often contains critical institutional knowledge. Archiving this information means you have a record of previous processes and operating procedures, helping you understand what worked well for your business and what didn’t.

Data archiving challenges

Of course, there are drawbacks to the data archiving process you should be aware of, too. Here are some of the biggest challenges.

Outdated storage methods and data degradation

Printing off reams of paper and keeping them in binders can be a more affordable and secure storage method than digital systems. But anything physical is also subject to wear and tear. Even digitally, older data may be stored in outdated file formats or on legacy systems you no longer have access to. 

Slower retrieval

The most cost-effective way to archive data storage is using low-tier solutions, but these don’t have as many resources assigned to them, which can slow down data retrieval. There’s also often a limit on who can access the data, making the process even more sluggish.

Security and accessibility

Cloud-based storage is easily accessible, but this option introduces security risks that need to be considered. On the other hand, physical storage options are more secure when they’re properly maintained but are less accessible than online solutions.

Data management complexity

While archiving data reduces administrative burdens in the long term, setting up an effective archiving process is complex and time-consuming. It can also be difficult to understand the different options and tiers available to you.

Data archiving methods

We’ve laid out some of the most common data archiving methods for you to consider.

Online archiving

Online data archives store data on disk-based systems that’re easily accessible over a network connection. This could be on-premises, in a data center, or in a cloud environment like Microsoft Azure or AWS. While online access means increased accessibility, it also poses a cybersecurity risk if you don’t protect or maintain the system. 

Offline archiving

Offline data archives store information on physical systems, including external hard drives, flash drives, optical discs like CDs, and paper filing. These methods are more secure, since they aren’t vulnerable to online attacks. But since they’re only available in one location, they’re much less accessible. They’re also more prone to failure and degradation.

Hybrid archiving

Hybrid data archives balance the benefits and risks of online and offline solutions. Data you need access to is stored online, while information you won’t access often is kept offline. This approach requires careful planning and maintenance to ensure you’re getting the best of both systems, and not twice the drawbacks.

Tiered archiving

Tiered data archives balance data between public and private cloud storage solutions. Public cloud solutions use shared resources, making them more cost-effective. Private clouds prioritize security and come with more flexibility in how resources are allocated, but at a premium price point.

Effective data archiving best practices

Want to get the most out of data archiving? Follow these best practices.

Define responsibilities

Make sure you clearly understand IT responsibilities and hierarchy within your organization. Assign a dedicated person or team to manage archiving and maintain data integrity.

Train employees

When your teams understand how data management works, they’ll be better prepared to integrate it into their routines. Explain the importance of accuracy, integrity, and archival, and the role complete metadata plays in finding the right information when needed.

Automate data archival

Set up processes that automatically archive data after a certain period of inactivity. This can include transferring information from active systems to cloud storage. 

Set up role-based access controls

Set up roles within your storage platform and assign access permissions based on employee departments or roles. This ensures that only the right people have access to the archived information they need. 

Monitor archive health and integrity

Regularly review your archives to check that processes are running as expected, data is recoverable when needed, and environments are as protected as possible.

How Fivetran supports data archiving workflows

Setting up data and database archiving can be complex and time-consuming. Your teams need to know how to tag, categorize, and index data, or you’ll end up with archives that feel impossible to navigate.

Make things easier by using a data platform that brings information from various platforms together and stores it in a single data lake. Fivetran reduces manual work and administrative burden by automating processes while also keeping in mind data archiving best practices to keep your information secure and accessible. You’ll spend less time on data categorization and indexing, and you won’t need to worry about multiple versions of files being pulled from different platforms. Database deduplication features take care of that for you.

Learn how to manage your end-to-end data pipeline at scale with Fivetran’s extensibility management platform by booking a demo today.

FAQs

What’s a data archiver?

A data archiver is a tool that automatically moves rarely accessed data from an active system into an archive solution.

What are the disadvantages of archiving data?

Archived data can be slower to access. It’s also often stored on low-tier solutions that are cost-effective but offer limited security or accessibility features.

Can archived data be edited?

Archived data is often stored in a read-only format. This reduces the risk of tampering in case of a data breach. Information would need to be restored if editing is required.

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