Enhancing Costs and Security in Healthcare through Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions
Unleashing the Power of Hybrid Cloud Storage for Healthcare Organizations
As healthcare systems delve deeper into AI, advanced analytics, and IoT, their data storage demands are skyrocketing. The U.S. healthcare data storage market is projected to expand from $25.5 billion in 2024 to approximately $70 billion by 2032, making it crucial for healthcare organizations to have swift, secure, and cost-effective access to their data. A hybrid cloud storage solution could be the answer, as it combines the strengths of on-premises and cloud environments, providing healthcare organizations with the flexibility to tailor and scale their storage based on specific needs.
"We're working with an overwhelming amount of data in healthcare compared to before, and a hybrid approach tends to be a shrewd move in this space," asserts Vincent Tsugranes, Red Hat's chief architect.
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Navigating the Cost and Security Pitfalls of Cloud-Only Storage
Cloud storage has become standard practice in healthcare, with nearly three-quarters of organizations partnering with multiple public cloud vendors. Cloud-based solutions offer scalability, lower upfront costs, and increased data usability due to accessibility via the internet. However, a cloud-only strategy may pose cybersecurity risks and escalating costs over time.
"On-prem storage gives you more control over your data," points out Andy Stone, Pure Storage's CTO - Americas. "Putting your data elsewhere can limit your control to some extent." Public cloud storage can be likened to renting an apartment – the landlord may gradually increase the rent, and while pay-as-you-go pricing models offer flexibility, costs can spike steeply as data volumes grow.
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Building a Smarter, More Resilient Infrastructure with Hybrid Cloud Storage
Both on-premises and cloud-based data storage systems have their merits when it comes to security. On-premises systems provide total control over the data's security and handling, while cloud vendors offer encryption, firewalls, and data backups in case of server failure. A blend of both helps healthcare organizations bolster security and improve access to mission-critical data.
"A sweet spot is maintaining operational systems and data on-prem," suggests Tsugranes, highlighting that this approach keeps sensitive patient data onsite. "Long-term data warehousing, data analysis, storage backups and disaster recovery fit smoothly in the cloud."
A hybrid data storage setup adds resilience in the event of unplanned outages, a significant concern considering that, according to Amazon Web Services, healthcare organizations stand to lose $7,500 per minute of downtime on average.
"In an on-prem or colocation facility, if a server goes down, you're effectively disconnected from those records for some time," explains Stone. "However, the public cloud often bounces back quickly due to its ability to switch the data to another region or part of the cloud."
On the flip side, on-premises storage solutions provide offline accessibility, ensuring critical patient data remains accessible even during widespread or prolonged internet failures.
Vincent TsugranesChief Architect, Red Hat
Innovation and Hybrid Cloud Storage
Hybrid cloud storage plays a pivotal role in fostering innovation in healthcare. "Many organizations start their AI journey in the cloud because it's challenging to acquire graphics processing units, which are expensive," emphasizes Stone. "GPUs are essential for high-performance computing, and they're crucial for powering large language models and other AI-backed applications."
GPUs require substantial storage capacity, and an on-prem data center may not have enough space for this demanding computing power. As a result, healthcare organizations often opt to rent access to GPUs through partnerships with public cloud vendors, allowing them to build and train applications without worrying about space constraints.
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Exploring the Future of Hybrid Cloud Storage in Healthcare
By enabling organizations to scale their storage capacity up or down as needed, hybrid solutions provide healthcare organizations with the ability to adapt to evolving data demands while reducing costs. Tsugranes advises leaders to plan ahead for long-term data storage needs, considering whether their organization is more CAPEX- or OPEX-centric.
Health systems should also ensure that a hybrid storage strategy isn't unduly cumbersome to manage, as most organizations have data in multiple clouds. Centralized control and configuration are essential for maintaining compliance with company policies.
No matter how healthcare organizations' data storage systems evolve, Tsugranes encourages IT professionals to remain vigilant about the basics of data security, emphasizing the importance of robust access controls, strong encryption, audit trails, and regular security assessments.
"Embracing hybrid cloud storage can fuel innovation in healthcare by allowing organizations to access cost-effective GPU resources for powering AI-backed applications, otherwise challenging to acquire on-premises."
"With a hybrid cloud strategy, healthcare organizations can effectively balance the need for data security and control with the scalability and cost-effectiveness offered by cloud storage, ensuring resilience in the face of unplanned outages and protecting their sensitive patient data."
