The NDSA is pleased to announce the release of the 2019 Storage Infrastructure Survey Report.
From May 23 to June 7, 2019, the 2019 NDSA Storage Infrastructure Survey Working Group conducted a survey designed to gather information on the technologies and practices used in preservation storage infrastructure. This effort builds upon two previous surveys, conducted in 2011 and 2013. Unlike these previous iterations, however, the 2019 Storage Infrastructure Survey encouraged responses from both NDSA members and non-members, in an effort to gather a broader view of approaches to preservation storage.
Some major takeaways from the report include:
- The amount of preservation storage needed has continued to grow over time. Approximately 57% of respondents to the 2019 Survey indicated that they required more than 100 terabytes of preservation storage, compared to 33% and 34% of respondents to the 2013 and 2011 surveys, respectively.
- Many are responding to increasing storage needs by diversifying their infrastructure with different types of technologies. 66% reported using storage that geographically distributes copies, and 46% reported using cloud storage. Of those using cloud storage providers, 71% said they use Amazon Web Services.
- Preservation storage infrastructure remains a changing field. Over half (54%) of the respondents indicated that their preservation infrastructure was expected to change significantly within the next three years.
The NDSA intends for the Storage Infrastructure Survey to return to a more consistent schedule, allowing for ongoing tracking and analysis of approaches to preservation storage over time. Interested in participating in the next Storage Infrastructure Working group? A call for group members will go out prior to the next survey year.
~ NDSA Storage Infrastructure Survey Working Group
