In the modern world, cloud computing has become prevalent. It is a server that you can access from anywhere with the help of the internet.
Today, cloud technology has become an integral part of countless businesses and enterprises. One of the greatest advantages of the cloud is that it eradicates the need to manage physical servers. But that’s still not the best part. Another important benefit of cloud computing is that it allows you to share data without going through a tedious process.
But how can you share data using cloud technology? And why is data sharing so vital for businesses? Read on to discover the top 4 patterns for sharing data on the cloud and the importance of sharing data.
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Why is Data Sharing Essential?
The act of granting access to data to users within a company or external stakeholders is called data sharing. The underlying purpose of data sharing is to eliminate the hurdles that come in the way of accessing desired information.
So, how does hassle-free access to data benefit a business?
Simply put, it encourages transparency, allowing companies and enterprises to spot loopholes by conducting a detailed analysis. Additionally, it gives them the room to create new opportunities and an edge over major competitors. But that’s only the gist of it. Let’s take a detailed look at all the benefits of data sharing for businesses.
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Limits the Spread of Misinformation
One of the major benefits of data sharing is that it gives equal access to information to all employees. Consequently, all staff remain on the same page instead of relying on word of mouth. It results in a reduced spread of misinformation which serves to boost your company’s efficiency considerably.
Increased Collaboration Among Workers
All workers’ access to the same information helps boost company growth with collaborations. Peer learning becomes more prevalent with data sharing.
Boosts Transparency
Transparency is the key to boosting workflow efficiencies for businesses and enterprises. Data sharing promotes transparency within the company and among external stakeholders.
Mitigates Inaccuracies
Minimizing errors via data sharing is easier as it allows employees to look at the complete picture instead of having access to limited information. Additionally, it also saves time by reducing redundant efforts.
4 Patterns of Data Sharing on the Cloud
Now that we have established how important data sharing is for enterprises let’s look at the top 4 data sharing patterns on the cloud.
- Static Data Pattern
In this pattern, data sharing occurs via copying or moving. Typically, multiple servers can run on the same cloud. In this case, storage and computing are dependent. You may think of it as the simplest form of data sharing. But it should be noted that the static data pattern is only suited for simple architectures. If you must use information from a different service, all the related data will first be copied or moved.
Let’s understand this data-sharing pattern with the help of an example. Suppose there are two services, service A and service B. Both services contain a single data set; let’s name them data A and data B. If you prefer to use service A but want access to data B, all the data will need to be copied or moved to service A. - Direct Access Pattern
You don’t need to copy the data in the direct access pattern to enable sharing. It is much more popular than static data patterns. However, it is somewhat similar.
In this case, multiple services are present on the same cloud. However, computing and storage are kept separate. Businesses widely adopt this pattern because of its scalability, budget-friendliness, and direct data access. You could even say that it is the complete package.
Instead of copying the data, information is shared by replicating it from one region of the cloud to the other. - Twinning Pattern
The twinning pattern is mostly used for data sharing when a system is spread across several regions or clouds. Additionally, organizations that opt for systems managed by third parties also use this pattern for data sharing.
Any consumer using a system containing multiple clouds can virtually access any data they desire using the twinning pattern.
However, using this pattern isn’t exactly cheap. It requires replication which adds to your overall cost.
Let’s understand with the help of an example. Let’s say there are two clouds named X and Y. If you wish to coordinate data in between the two clouds; you will need to use Azure Arc, Anthos, or other similar management components. But these components will add to the cost, even for minimal data sharing. - Data Portal Pattern
The data portal pattern is a no-copy data sharing module containing multiple clouds. In this model, computing and storage are kept separately. Additionally, you can easily run a single service across multiple clouds. Consequently, data can easily be stored across multiple clouds.
In this case, direct data access is possible, so there is no need for moving or copying the data, making it a feasible solution for organizations.
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The Bottom Line
Now you know the 4 different patterns for sharing data on the cloud. Each one differs from the other considerably. Ultimately, your business’s requirements determine which module is the best.
The most crucial aspects to consider before choosing patterns include latency and cost requirements. It is recommended to start with a static data pattern for small businesses. And once your data sharing requirements change, you can switch to using different approaches.
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