Check out these charts on the rise of cloud computing from GigaOm. It’s the last figure entitled “Projected Storage Shortage by 2020″ that really grabbed my attention. In 2009 30% of the digital content created could not be accommodated in the cloud, by 2020 that number is expected to rise to 60% shortage. Sounds like it is time to start issuing ration books for storage or to change our ways.
It’s surprising that the projected shortage of cloud storage hasn’t got more attention but perhaps it’s a topic akin to discussing the drought in California while it’s raining – not too many interested listeners. For many organizations moving to the cloud, it offers the opportunity to tap into unlimited computing power and storage – well maybe not quite unlimited.
Somehow I don’t think the rate of creation of digital data is going to slow (check out Data Tsunami – 5 Exabytes of Data Created Every 2 Days?) but we certainly could do a better job of managing the storage of data. Many of today’s IT systems are designed as if storage grew on trees. In some cases it’s the system that is wasteful and in some cases it’s the user who is wasteful.
In the world of email attachments we have wastage on both fronts, but if I had to pick sides, the users are probably the worst offenders. At least with email systems, IT administrators can put limits on the size of individual mailboxes and on the size of email attachments that can be attached. Unfortunately these constraints can make it impossible for a user to get their job done. Email attachment limits are the IT equivalent of flow control valves on showerheads and toilets. While they constrict the flow which is good, they also prevent people from getting done what they need to, which is bad. You have to shower longer to rinse the soap off, the kids now flush the toilet twice, and your users go off looking for IT workarounds for file transfer.
One of the most popular features of Accellion secure file transfer is the automatic file cleanup, which means that file storage is rarely an issue with Accellion. Files transferred via Accellion are available for a specified period of time, typically 14 to 30 days. After that it’s “Hasta la vista” and the file is automatically deleted.
So our Accellion tip for today is – if email storage has got to the point where you are considering ration books it might be time to consider a solution for those email attachments – it’s called Accellion.
Other related blog posts
Do These Files Make My Email Look Big?
10MB Email Attachments Heading for Extinction
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