As we venture further into the digital age, data is continuing to rise in value for all kinds of business. So much so that the days where you simply had all-encompassing ‘data’ are gone. Now, data can be broken down into cold and hot – depending on the nature of that data and how it will be used.
Read on as we outline the difference between the two and how to store them…
Broadly speaking, cold data refers to information that needs to be stored digitally but doesn’t need to be accessed very often. As an example, it could be data from an old project or past customer. There’s always a chance it could be called upon, which is why it’s stored, but it’s not something you’ll need to access weekly, monthly or even annually.
On the other hand, hot data covers the things you need the most – account access information or client contact details which are used on a daily basis. The two terms can also apply to assets like images and videos – while some will be archived and unused for long periods, others will need to be on hand almost constantly.
It’s important to note than hot and cold data or assets are simply opposite ends of the scale. Given that it’s about how frequently they’re accessed and used, it won’t always be easy to label which data is hot and cold – and some data may be hotter or colder than others.
Because of their different access requirements, there are some differences in the way cold and hot data need to be stored. Hot data typically requires premium storage which can be accessed quickly and easily whenever required. For cost-efficiency, businesses with large volumes of cold data may require more basic storage options.
However, there are also some things the two types of data have in common. Regardless of how hot or cold they are, data and assets need to be stored securely. They should also be organised efficiently, so they can be retrieved without delay when they are needed. This applies to hot data, which naturally has an element of immediacy when it’s used. But it’s equally true for cold data, to avoid files becoming lost the older (or colder) they get.
If your company is struggling to find the right storage for hot and cold data or assets, a digital asset management (DAM) system could provide the optimal solution. Hot or cold, new or old, you can store assets with sophisticated metadata that makes them easy to retrieve whenever (and however frequently) they’re needed.
With iBase’s cloud-based DAM solutions offering potentially unlimited storage space, you can store and retrieve even the coldest assets rather than having to delete things to save space. That could save a lot of hassle if those assets are called upon at a later date.
To find out more or request a live one-to-one demo, don’t hesitate to contact our team online.
