Even in today’s business landscape, mentioning the word “cloud” can bring upon anxiety. Many in upper management still associate the cloud with less-than-adequate security, high or unreliable latency and the risk of costly downtime. While those concerns are coupled with potential benefits, including cost savings and minimal management, business executives and IT managers need to be looking at a different solution all together — hybrid cloud.

Implementing a hybrid cloud strategy can benefit organizations of all sizes seeking a reliable, flexible, cost-effective data storage solution, as it combines the benefits of on-site and off-site infrastructure. Hybrid cloud allows organizations to store business-critical data on private, on-premise servers for the utmost control and security, as well as immediate access — while storing additional, less-critical data (for example, data that needs to be stored only for regulatory purposes and not regularly accessed) on public, off-site cloud solutions that are more cost effective and easier to maintain.

Not sold? Here are some other key benefits hybrid cloud can provide:

• Accessibility: Critical data becomes more accessible, as you can access it anywhere, anytime with low latency.

• Easy Maintenance: The cloud doesn’t require the same upkeep as traditional storage, allowing organizations to better manage both their IT and their on-site professionals.

• Easy Expansion: Companies can easily scale and add additional storage as needed, without having hardware costs added on, unless absolutely necessary.

• Protection: Critical information is protected, even if something happens to your on-site operations, such as a natural disaster or equipment failure.

Many in the industry have questioned whether traditional storage can survive if the cloud continues to thrive, but as with anything, we do not live in a one-size-fits-all world. Whether you’re a large corporation that continues to want to maintain an on-site IT infrastructure or a small, agile start-up that relies on the cloud, every organization has continually changing storage needs that must be met. And if your IT infrastructure isn’t able to grow and change as your data storage needs do, then you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage from the get-go.

Bottom Line? To get the most out of your data storage solution, identify the goals and limitations of your organization and use them to map out the best course of action. The mix between public and private solutions can be tailored and updated based on individual needs, as many factors come into play when selecting a solution that best fits the needs of your individual organization, including the type of data you’re storing, how quickly and often you need to access it and the level of security necessary to meet particular regulations.

If companies take the time to do the necessary research, the right data storage infrastructure can help the company prosper in both the short and long-term.