What Is Data Redundancy? Definition, Benefits, and Drawbacks

What Is Data Redundancy?

What is data redundancy? Data redundancy means that the same pieces of data are kept in two or more places within a database or data storage system. This kind of situation often happens in an organization or business intentionally or accidentally.

Some organizations will use it to ensure operation continuity when some accidents, such as data corruption or loss, occur. The redundant data can be used for backups or disaster recovery.

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However, some mistaken operations can also make redundant data without users’ knowledge but in this case, a variety of issues can appear to hassle users a lot, such as data inconsistencies.

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Since data redundancy needs to be stored in more than one place, which will occupy much storage space. Once the primary data gets corrupted or missing, the redundant data stored in an array can remedy the hole.

Benefits & Drawbacks of Data Redundancy

No matter whether the redundancy in a database is created by accident or on purpose, there are some benefits and drawbacks you should pay attention to.

Benefits of Data Redundancy

1. Create data backups. As we mentioned, redundancy in DBMS can store the same pieces of data in different places, which can rebuild and replace missing or corrupted data to protect and reinforce data backups.
2. Enhance data security. The same data is stored in two or more separate places, which makes it harder to be accessed by cyber-attacks.
3. Improve data access speed. People can access data from redundant sources to enjoy faster access to the same data. Quick access helps you accomplish more work in little time, providing higher efficiency.
4. Ensure data quality and accuracy. Data management systems can examine and evaluate the differences to ensure data accuracy.
5. Expedites data recovery. Data redundancy can help data recovery run quicker and minimize downtime of access to data.
6. Ensure workflow continuity. Since data redundancy can avoid some data failure incidents from happening, the whole workflow can run without any significant delay or interruption.

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Drawbacks of Data Redundancy

1. More storage space demands in the database. A redundant copy of a large amount of data may cause a longer load time in accessing the data, increasing the size and complexity of a database.
2. More need for an extra cost. That will demand more overhead and resources to maintain the redundant data.
3. Data corruption issues. Even though the copied data can prevent data failure just in case, the multiple copies can make it easier to get damaged or corrupted in writing, reading, storage, or processing of data.
4. Data inconsistency. The situation possibly occurs when the same piece of data exits in different formats and locations in multiple tables, providing missing records or incorrect values.

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Is Data Redundancy the Same as Data Backup?

Data redundancy is kind of similar to backup because they both can be used to prevent data loss. There are many differences between them. For example, backups can be performed only with people’s permission but data redundancy can occur unwittingly.

Data redundancy often offers a synchronized copy of the data and takes effective ways to prevent service outages, but it does not offer enough recovery point options. Data redundancy is inclined to ensure continuity in services and minimize service disruption.

Different from data redundancy, data backup just creates copies of data to prevent data loss caused by data corruption, hardware failure, malicious hacking, or other cyber-attacks.

Backup is often accompanied by many other features and you can customize it as you need. It is usually used by those who need to bring a system back to its previous state.

Even though you’ve created data redundancy, we still highly recommend you should prepare a backup plan for your important data because corruption issues often happen on data redundancy.

You can use MiniTool ShadowMaker – free backup software – to back up your important data. This program allows you to back up systems, files & folders, and disks & partitions. You can also perform the backup tasks regularly via Schedule Settings in it.

Please download and install the program to enjoy the 30-day free trial version.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Wrapping It Up

What is data redundancy? After reading this article, you may have an overall picture of the definition and know how to deal with this situation. If you need any further help with that, you can leave your messages and we will try our best to resolve that.