What is Cloud Data Management? Strategies for Effective Data Governance in the Cloud

Companies generate and consume vast amounts of data, making effective data management an important part of modern business strategies. As organizations increasingly adopt cloud computing and migrate their data to cloud platforms, strong cloud data management practices are non-negotiable.

According to a recent survey, 94% of companies reported avoidable cloud spend, highlighting the importance of efficient cloud data management strategies. However, as the survey findings reveal, many firms need help with challenges such as over-provisioning resources, idle or underused resources, and lack of specialized skills, leading to unnecessary expenditures and inefficiencies. Effective cloud data management is not merely about storing data in the cloud; it’s a comprehensive approach that combines data governance, data integration, data security, and data quality assurance. This blog post dives into the nuances and strategies of effective cloud data management, helping you to implement best practices for your business.

Summary

1. Cloud data management is the process that stores, organizes, and analyzes data within cloud environments.

2. Data governance in the cloud is critical for mitigating risks, ensuring compliance, and maximizing the value derived from data by establishing policies, processes, and a framework for proper data management.

3. DigitalOcean offers a comprehensive suite of cloud data management solutions, including scalable cloud storage, managed databases, data analytics capabilities, and cost-effective options to manage data effectively while ensuring security and compliance.

What is cloud data management?

Cloud data management is the processes, policies, and technologies employed to store, organize, secure, and analyze data within cloud environments. In this process, cloud platforms and services streamline data management processes, eliminate cloud sprawl, and enable organizations to derive more value from their cloud data assets.

The importance of data governance in the cloud

By 2025, statistics say the world will contain around 200 zettabytes (a trillion gigabytes) of data . Effective data governance is essential because of the vast data around us. Data governance or cloud governance refers to the underlying framework, policies, and processes that ensure the proper management of an organization’s cloud data. In the cloud environment, cloud governance is instrumental in mitigating risks, ensuring cloud compliance, and maximizing the value derived from data.

However, implementing data governance in the cloud presents unique challenges. In multi-cloud companies, where data is distributed across multiple cloud platforms and service providers, maintaining consistent data management processes and adhering to data regulations can be complex. Additionally, the dynamic nature of cloud environments, where resources can be provisioned and de-provisioned rapidly, can make maintaining visibility and control over data access and usage challenging. An effective cloud data management strategy is required to overcome the challenges, which we will cover in the next section.

Developing a comprehensive cloud data management strategy

Crafting a practical cloud data management strategy is essential for your organization to use the full potential of your data assets while operating in the cloud environment. This strategy should align with your business objectives and address data security and compliance concerns.

1. Create a data governance framework

Develop a clear data governance framework that outlines policies, processes, and roles for managing data throughout its lifecycle, ensuring data quality, security, and compliance. This might involve developing standardized procedures for data classification, implementing regular security training for all employees, and establishing protocols for emergency data breaches. Establish a data governance committee or council to oversee and enforce these policies, ensuring optimal cloud application management across the organization.

2. Design a logical cloud data architecture

Design a scalable and flexible cloud data architecture that integrates various data sources, cloud platforms, and developer tools, enabling data integration and accessibility. Use cloud-native technologies such as serverless architecture and managed services offered by cloud providers to construct a scalable, flexible, fault-tolerant data infrastructure that can adapt to changing workload demands and ensure high availability.

3. Develop processes for data migration and integration

Define processes for migrating data from on-premises systems to the cloud, as well as integrating data from different cloud platforms and third-party sources. Understand the cloud migration challenges and use cloud migration tools and technologies that support real-time data ingestion, transformation, and synchronization across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

4. Choose the right data storage and processing tools

Evaluate and select appropriate cloud storage solutions and data processing tools based on your organization’s needs and workloads. For instance, when comparing block storage vs object storage, consider block storage for high-performance requirements such as databases or transaction-heavy applications, and object storage for scalable, cost-effective solutions ideal for storing vast amounts of unstructured data like multimedia files or backups. Implement cloud-based data processing frameworks to efficiently handle large-scale data processing and analytics workloads.

5. Implement data security and compliance

Implement efficient security measures, such as encryption, access controls, and audit logging, to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with relevant data regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS). Consider cloud service providers like DigitalOcean, which has six robust security pillars and adheres to popular security control frameworks, including SOC 2, SOC 3, and GDPR. In addition, DigitalOcean will sign Business Associate Agreements with organizations processing ePHI as part of our HIPAA program. Details can be found on our HIPAA Information Site.

6. Use data analytics and reporting tools

Use cloud-based analytics and business intelligence tools to gain insights from your data, enabling data-driven decision-making and reporting. Consider cloud-native analytics platforms and services offering scalability, performance, and advanced machine-learning capabilities for data analysis. For example, integrating a platform like Google BigQuery can provide real-time analytics and insights, allowing your organization to analyze petabytes of data with ease while scaling automatically according to demand.

7. Put data lifecycle management in place

Establish data backup, archiving, and retention processes to ensure data availability, recoverability, and adherence to retention policies. For instance, implement nightly backups to multiple geographic locations to safeguard against data loss from regional outages, and utilize automated archiving solutions to move older data to cost-effective storage systems while keeping them accessible for future audits. Automate data lifecycle management tasks using cloud storage lifecycle policies and cloud-based backup and archiving solutions.

8. Draft a cloud vendor management strategy

Develop a strategy for managing relationships with cloud service providers, including vendor selection, service-level agreements (SLAs), and contract negotiations. Regularly review and evaluate cloud vendor performance, security measures, and compliance certifications to ensure alignment with your organization’s requirements. This might include establishing a formal process for conducting annual performance reviews against SLAs, focusing on metrics such as latency, uptime, and incident response times to ensure the provider meets agreed-upon standards.

5 cloud data management best practices

Following best practices is essential for your organization to effectively manage your data in the cloud while ensuring data security, compliance, and privacy. Here are some essential best practices to consider:

1. Data classification and risk assessment

Organizations should implement a data classification framework to categorize data based on sensitivity levels and follow best practices to secure cloud data. Assessing potential risks associated with each category enables your business to implement appropriate security controls and data handling procedures based on the data’s risk profile.

2. Access controls and authentication

Implementing strong access controls, authentication mechanisms, and cloud audits helps to protect sensitive data in the cloud. Two-factor authentication and the principle of least privilege ensure that only authorized users can access and manage data based on their roles and responsibilities.

3. Data encryption

Encrypting data both at rest (stored in the cloud) and in transit (during transmission) supports safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access or interception. Organizations should implement industry-standard encryption algorithms and key management processes to protect their data.

4. Audit trails and monitoring

Maintaining comprehensive audit trails and monitoring data access, usage, and security events can help detect potential threats, unauthorized access attempts, or anomalies that may indicate data breaches or misuse. Regularly monitor and analyze audit logs to proactively identify and respond to security incidents.

5. Third-party risk management

Assess and manage risks associated with third-party vendors, cloud service providers, or partners who may have access to your data. This includes conducting thorough due diligence, implementing solid contractual agreements, and regularly monitoring third-party security practices and compliance.

Elevate your data strategy with DigitalOcean’s cloud solutions

DigitalOcean’s strong focus on simplicity, performance, and affordability helps organizations streamline their data management processes and ensure data security, compliance, and accessibility.

• DigitalOcean Spaces, an object storage service, provides a secure and durable solution for storing and managing unstructured data, such as backups, media files, and large datasets. With built-in features like versioning, lifecycle policies, and cross-region replication, organizations can efficiently manage their data lifecycle and ensure data protection and availability.

• Additionally, DigitalOcean Volumes offer network-based bock storage solutions, providing features like snapshots, automatic backups, and high-performance storage options to store and manage structured data efficiently.

• DigitalOcean offers Managed Databases, a fully managed database service that supports popular databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Kafka, and Redis for structured data management. This service simplifies database administration tasks, such as provisioning, scaling, and backups, allowing organizations to focus on their applications rather than database maintenance.

• DigitalOcean’s cloud data management solutions allow businesses to pay for only the resources they consume and scale horizontally or vertically as their data evolves, This flexibility enables organizations to optimize their cloud ROI and avoid over-provisioning or underutilizing resources. Moreover, DigitalOcean facilitates powerful data integration and analytics.

Whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, DigitalOcean’s products provide the tools and services you need to manage your data effectively, drive innovation, and optimize cloud costs.

Sign up to see how DigitalOcean’s infrastructure can help you build hassle-free data governance and management for your business.