Storing information, like storing physical things, can be expensive. Information storage is also just as prone to clutter as the storage of real-world items. This is where data compression comes in handy.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the benefits of compressing large amounts of data into a smaller number of bits and how your business can take advantage of data compression.
Data Compression Defined
Before going into the benefits of data compression, it’s important to define what it is. As the name suggests, data compression involves decreasing the digital size of your data. When we compress PDF sizes, for instance, we decrease the amount of space we need to store them.
It’s useful to imagine data compression in physical terms. If you have a landfill of a certain size, you’ll eventually fill it up by dropping trash in it every day. One way to maximise the amount of rubbish you can store would be to use a hydraulic press to compress it so that it takes up less space.
Data compression follows the same logic: just like landfills, digital servers have a limited amount of space. To store more data without having to delete old files, you’ll need to compress it.
Efficient Archiving
One of the benefits of digitisation is the ability to efficiently store vast quantities of information. You can maximise this benefit through data compression, which allows you to store more information in a limited amount of digital space without having to pay to expand the capacity of your servers.
Data compression does not affect the content of your files. You can use various software to shrink your files without sacrificing the integrity of the content they contain or one’s ability to access them. By doing so, you can store more data in a limited space, which is particularly useful for large companies or those that need to store large quantities of information.
Quicker Internet
The rapid transfer of information is essential to doing business in the online world, and data compression allows companies to optimise their network bandwidth by decreasing the total number of bits being processed. The less information you have going around, the faster your internet connection is going to be.
Compressing files into manageable chunks or ‘packets’ leads to faster upload and download speeds. This benefits companies dealing with plenty of multimedia content, including large audio and video files. Using smaller files also allows you to perform tasks like sending emails, loading websites and accessing online tools more quickly.
Faster internet leads to a better experience for your employees. They’ll be able to communicate with each other more quickly, share files more effectively and hold video meetings with colleagues working remotely.
Faster Backups
In the past, backing up your data involved utilising cumbersome systems to slowly save your work, sometimes over the course of days. This information would then be stored in tapes and optical disks.
Today, we have the luxury of ocean-spanning fibre optic networks that can backup terabytes’ worth of data within a few hours. A major reason for this is that it’s now possible to compress huge swathes of information into manageable packets. If you want to increase the speed of your data backups and reduce the chances of valuable information being lost forever, begin the practice of compressing your files today.
Improved Security
Cybersecurity is a top priority in 2024. Strategies like installing cybersecurity software and compressing data are incredibly important when it comes to keeping confidential information in-house.
Storing your data in smaller packets allows you to better store and manage it. This reduces the likelihood of information loss due to human error among your staff. Compressing your data also makes it harder for humans to read, which can deter bad actors who want to steal your files. Finally, data compression reduces the overall number of files you need to keep on hand, which creates fewer opportunities for them to be stolen or lost.
Enhanced Interoperability
Today, people and businesses use a wide variety of devices with different applications, web browsers and underlying operating systems. These devices are not always directly compatible with each other, which can pose a problem when sharing files across devices.
Data compression can help alleviate this issue by allowing users to share compressed files across different devices and networks, enabling seamless collaboration within the organisation and with outsiders such as freelancers and clients.
This is especially helpful when dealing with users with limited internet connectivity. A company might work with remote employees, clients or outsourced workers who live in rural areas with slow internet. It’s much easier to send compressed files that these individuals can then unzip on their own devices than to send the files in their original sizes.
Today’s businesses are having to manage more digital files than ever. This is the natural consequence of digitisation. This means that business owners and staff are having to find innovative ways to streamline how they store, share and access files.
As we’ve explored in this article, data compression is one of the most popular ways of doing it. If you haven’t already, start implementing the pointers we’ve provided in your own business today to boost the efficiency of your daily operations.
