document management solutions from Pro-Doc

Online document management solutions provide secure data storage for the future

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Document management solutions designed improve efficiency and reduce storage costs

Sometimes it seems as though the world of work is changing at breakneck speed and thanks to rapid developments in document management technology, there’s now a very real possibility that the prospect of a paperless office could move from science fiction to reality during the next decade. Not only is this great news for businesses keen to improve their environmental credentials and increase efficiency; it could also help reduce storage and administration costs. There’s little doubt that electronic document management solutions offer massive potential, but what are the trends for the future and how will the way we work be affected?

Cloud storage offers a secure solution

If you run your own business you’d have to have been living on another planet to have missed any talk of ‘cloud storage.’ In case there’s anyone out there who doesn’t know what cloud storage is; it’s simply a term used to describe the practice of using a network of remote servers to manage, store and process data. Cloud storage has moved into the mainstream over the last couple of years, and thanks to the benefits it can offer in terms of efficiency, data recovery and the ability to share data and work from anywhere, it’s now widely used by businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Despite the fact that many business owners worry about the security of cloud storage, this isn’t an issue which is confined to online document management. Any form of document storage has an element of risk attached – paper documents can be copied, stolen or destroyed, for example – the benefits of cloud storage far outweigh the minimal risks.

Findability is the latest trend in document management

The ‘findability’ of digital documents looks set to become a real talking point amongst companies providing document management solutions. Findability is very different to ‘search-ability’ and it’s important not to confuse the two. Findability is the term used to describe how easy it is to find a piece of information on a website, for example. Search-ability, on the other hand, is the way in which we find information using known information such as a phrase or keyword.

In the very near future it likely that the way we search the web or data will take into consideration who we are, where we are, what we do and what we already know; providing tailor-made search results which are unique and relevant to the searcher. We’ve all got used to using search engines – after all they’ve been with us for some time – and have come to realise that there’s an awful lot of information out there and that it can be very time consuming trawling through it all to find exactly what you need to know. With this in mind, the search engines have cottoned on to the fact that it would be much better if they could direct relevant information in the direction of individual users. This technological leap means that the document management systems of tomorrow will be designed to make content searches incredibly accurate.

It looks as though document management and electronic content management solutions are moving from the shadows into the spotlight. Remember when you first heard about email and what a novelty the web seemed when we first used it? This is the way electronic document management is likely to be seen at some point soon and it’s unlikely that, just like email, there will be many businesses left who aren’t making the most of the benefits on offer.

Contact Pro-Doc to discuss your requirements

If you would like to find out more about the document management solutions available from Pro-Doc, or to talk through your requirements, why not get in touch with us today?

secure document storage from Pro-Doc

The pros and cons of traditional vs cloud storage

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Could your business benefit from secure cloud document storage

Although many businesses are increasingly relying on cloud storage, it’s interesting to speculate on the advantages (and disadvantages) that this form of storage can offer.

Incredible amounts of data are generated by businesses on a daily basis and this means that many organisations have to choose the safest and most cost-effective way. The two main choices on offer are traditional local storage or cloud-based storage. However, choosing the right storage for your business sometimes isn’t as straightforward as it might seem and it’s important to find an option which best suits your individual requirements.

When deciding which is best secure document storage for your business you might like to consider the following:

How much control do you need?

On-premises storage hardware is usually most suited to organisations who want or need a high level of control over their storage, and who would like to maximises the performance of various applications by providing increased support in areas such as file system replication, back up capabilities and data tiering. In addition, on-premises hardware will also provide increased direct management of the security and compliance of your data in comparison to cloud providers who might not offer the level of privacy your organisation needs to comply with specific regulations.

On the other hand, organisations who decide to work with a cloud storage provider will have to comply with the terms and conditions as set out in the service level agreement, meaning that there may be some loss of control for IT professionals. However the benefits of using cloud storage far outweigh those offered by traditional forms of storage; smaller businesses are likely to find that despite their limited budget, the build in data management offered by cloud storage proves highly cost effective, regardless of the service level agreement.

Easy access document storage

One of the biggest influences on whether cloud storage is right for your business is the ability to store and the ease of access it offers. Cloud storage is likely to exceed the benefits of traditional storage as the systems designed to access cloud data don’t usually have just one point of failure which could bring down the whole system. In addition, using cloud storage means that data can be quickly accessed from a number of locations.

Despite the fact that cloud storage can present difficulties in terms of latency, traditional on-premises storage which has been configured to provide high-speed availability is likely to prove to be a costly option.

Cost-effective storage

There’s little doubt that one of the most significant advantages of cloud storage is in terms of potential cost savings. Choosing cloud storage means that it is possible to buy the right amount of storage for your organisation instead of having to invest in costly hardware which comes with a big price tag – not least in terms of the extra costs of storage and power. In addition, cloud storage is designed to grow as your business does, helping you with a smaller initial outlay whilst ensuring you are prepared for future expansion.

Contact Pro-Doc for advice on the best document storage solution for you

Here at Pro-Doc we provide secure document storage solutions for business of all shapes and sizes. If you would like to talk through the options available, or to find out more about cloud storage, why not get in touch with us today?