Part 1 in our series on Data Problems & Data Compression

Part of our series on Software and Data Management

Data Problems Are Only Growing

In the information age, data plays a vital part in the day-to-day operations of nearly every organization. Not long ago, data was measured in gigabytes. Now, many companies are dealing with terabytes, and in some cases petabytes, which truly boggles the mind. According to Data.gov, the Department of the Interior alone manages more than 40,000 databases, as of June 2017.  

With more data comes the need for large databases. While popular database storage options like NoSQL and cloud storage seem to be able to handle these increasingly heavy loads, physically transferring mountains of data to a client is another story entirely, and often comes with its own unique set of challenges. 

Disclaimer: transferring big data is a lower back hazard

1. Storage 
Successfully transferring big data to a customer means moving a lot of little pieces. First, the relevant databases need to be located. Then, you need a suitable storage device, which usually means locating a viable DVD or sometimes even a floppy disk if the databases are being delivered to a remote location or if the client needs to be able to upload them to their own data framework.  

2. Downloading 
Depending on the size of the database being downloaded, the process can take anywhere from half an hour to the better part of a day. Unless you have a dedicated server for the process, this downloading process can increase latency times for employees or clients accessing the server where the data is stored.

 
3. Financial Costs 
If a client is regularly receiving physical data, this could add up to be a fairly significant financial investment in the form of postage, printing and shipping costs, especially if the destination is on the other side of the country. 

4. Logistics 
There's also the matter of logistics. Unless the timeframe for delivering your client's data is very flexible, all of the above has to be coordinated and implemented in a timely matter to ensure that your client gets the critical data they need when and where they need it the most. 

5. Diminished UX
In addition to all this, clients are likely to experience a less-than-optimal user experience as they must wait to receive their data and then find time to manually upload it so that it can be analyzed.  

Solutions to Data Issues
Managing large amounts of data for your clients doesn't need to be so complicated. In fact, with data compression, you can improve your data file-sharing processes and eliminate many of the challenges associated with physically sending data to clients.

Want to know more about the pros and cons of data compression?

Read our article on surprising new developments in data compression solutions.