Data replication is the process of making one or more copies of a dataset or database and storing these copies in different places for the purposes of fault tolerance, backup and general data accessibility. Replicated data can be stored in a wide array of locations such as on-site, off-site, the cloud or in a mix of on-site and the cloud. A recent academic paper has noted that data replication can be a solution to the bottlenecks which occur when too much data is stored in the cloud. It also noted that data replication can be a particularly energy efficient solution to this problem as well.
While some technologies will come with data replication abilities right away, many others will not and a third party data replication tool may be needed. For example, EnduraData provides a a hybrid solution for data replication which has recently been adopted by certain agencies of the US government. EnduraData’s solution enables rapid data replication across any type of network to allow replicated data to be stored, accessed and edited anytime and anywhere.
Benefits of Data Replication
There are many benefits of data replication and that is why most businesses today utilize some form of data replication in their day-to-day operations. These are the four most common benefits which data replication provides.
Increasing the Access Speed to Data
Many modern businesses have offices and operations across the globe. This can lead to slow loading times when data is being accessed from the other side of the world. Data replication can solve this issue by creating a replica of the data on a local server so that users do not need to wait to access their data. This can drastically speed up loading times and improve overall convenience for employees.
Improving Data Availability
While data is often the backbone of a business it can sometimes fall prey to unreliable technology and be corrupted or lost. Data replication can save the day in circumstances such as these because the data will be replicated on another device or node within the network. Therefore, losing one network device will not mean that no-one is able to access data and the system will be more robust overall.
Allowing for Recovery from Disaster
If an entire system or network fails then data replication can again be a business’s best friend. Data can be replicated on the cloud or on external hardware to ensure that even if an entire network fails the data can still be recovered. This is particularly important in the modern business environment in which data both of the company and the customer is vital to normal business operations. This can also be used if a company suffers from a data breach or data loss of some kind as data replication can ensure that no data is lost permanently.
Enhancing Performance of Servers
Data replication can improve server performance by reducing bottlenecks and distributing data throughout a network. This way a primary server can be free to conduct only write tasks while secondary and tertiary servers can do the heavy lifting of reading tasks for the data. Dispersing data across a network can improve the performance of the entire network by ensuring that no single server node is forced to conduct more than its fair share of database maintenance.
Final Thoughts
Data replication is an important process for modern businesses which are becoming more and more reliant on both their own data and the data they have stored about their customers. There is no valid excuse for permanently losing data and any situation in which this does occur will result in a great deal of both lost trust and revenue. Data replication can ensure that this unfortunate eventuality never occurs and protect a business’s most valuable asset.
In addition to this, data replication makes servers and networks operate more optimally allowing employees to access data with greater ease and convenience. This means that employees will have a better time accessing data and an easier time completing their day-to-day tasks. Additionally, data that is faster and more accessible will only serve to benefit a business of any kind. Businesses of all industries rely on their data to make informed decisions of all kinds and data replication is one of the best ways of ensuring that this data is safe, accessible and secure.
