Cloud storage is the new answer to data loss. Nothing sets a business back than losing important company information.
While most businesses are aware of the importance of backing up information, most of them are still using old data backup methods such as in-house servers. As the business world continues to thrive in the digital age, it’s inevitable that we have to adapt to new ways of doing business.
Cloud storage is one of the new digital age changes that are propelling businesses to new heights.
What exactly is Cloud Storage?
Cloud storage is still a considerably new concept which is still highly misunderstood. Many business owners are still not aware how it works, its advantages and disadvantages and even what it is and what it’s not.
So the real question in most people’s mind is: What does cloud storage actually do?
As defined by Techopedia.com, “Cloud storage is a cloud computing model in which data is stored on remote servers accessed from the Internet, or "cloud." It is maintained, operated and managed by a cloud storage service provider on storage servers that are built on virtualization techniques.”
Cloud storage systems are quite numerous and function differently. There are some systems that will mainly focus on storing specific forms of digital data such as Web e-mail messages or digital pictures only while others can store any form of digital data. All storage systems are housed in data centres.
A cloud storage system has one or more data servers that are connected to the internet. If you are connected to a cloud storage system, your computer will send copies of your files to the data server over the internet. The data server then records the information contained in your files.
If at any point you want to access the recorded information you can easily do so via a Web-based interface. The server will then either send the files back to you or can manipulate the files on the server itself.
The popularity of cloud storage is growing fast with current statistics showing that nearly two out of every three global businesses (65 percent) are now using some form of cloud-based storage. The numbers in the US are even higher with 93 percent of small businesses using cloud storage to backup a portion of their data.
But why is cloud storage becoming so popular? Should your business be using cloud storage instead of relying on physical servers only? To answer these questions let’s explore 7 benefits of cloud storage that can transform your business today.
1. Increased Efficiency
The various parts of cloud-based systems are interconnected allowing data to flow seamlessly from one end to another. The fact that your data is stored online makes it very easy for you to access your data and documents from anywhere you are.
You can quickly access documents from the comfort of your home, access important company reports from a hotel conference room, or even collaborate on an ongoing project while on a plane.
This kind of unlimited access will make doing business more efficient as you can now access to the information you need, whenever you need it. With local servers access to files is limited to the in-house network.
2. No Need for Costly Infrastructure
Buying, installing and maintaining in-house servers on regular basis is quite expensive. Save on such costs by backing up your data on the cloud. You don’t require installing or maintaining any servers, all you have to do is pay for the service. The storage system provider deals with any necessary infrastructure.
You also get to save more money on running antivirus because Cloud is already safe and you don’t need to buy any antivirus to protect your device from virus attacks. Recovering your data in the event of data loss is also free.
3. More Storage Space
Cloud storage doesn’t require as much memory as in-house servers. You can hence save indefinite amounts of data. Cloud storage systems such as Google Drive, DropBox, OneDrive, iCloud etc. do not limit the amount of data that you can store on their servers. You can purchase as much storage space as you want at a very affordable cost. It’s possible to expand this space whenever you want without the need to install a new server as is with in-house servers.
4. Protection against Disaster
Significant data loss can greatly affect your business and might even lead to the death of your business. Having a data backup is, therefore, non-negotiable. While in-house servers are great for backing up your data, they are also prone to failures, human error and natural disasters.
Cloud storage, on the other hand, are 100% safe from disaster and hackers as well. Cloud storage service providers invest heavily in their systems to ensure that you have access to your information anywhere, every single time no matter what is going on. You never have to worry about you or your employees deleting your data by mistake.
5. Easy Integration
Businesses today use various systems to make file sharing and business management easier. You can easily integrate cloud systems together for easier management. For instance, you can integrate your project management system with your CRM, and skip the need to swap between the two software systems.
6. Ensures Business Continuity
You want to be able to continue with business no matter what is going on in the business world or even in-house. You want to still be able to access your emails even if there has been a fire in your office. You want to still be able to finish up on that important proposal even when your server is running. In short, your business needs to keep running even during a failure or disaster with little to no downtime.
Cloud storage gives you guarantee to access your data no matter what the disaster may be. With your data safely stored in the cloud, you can access your files remotely without the need to check into your office.
7. More Opportunity for Innovation
When your mind is rested assured of data safety and recovery, you can easily take on risks to come up with innovative ideas. You are not bound by geological barriers and you can, therefore, collaborate with others no matter where you are based.
You can easily come up with a concept, store, prototype, test and even deploy and measure it in a cloud environment. then rapidly deployed and measured for success. Information can easily be shared and accessed on the cloud.
Best Cloud Storage Sites
Who are some of the big players in cloud storage that you should consider?
1. Zoolz Cloud – Lifetime Access
Zoolz Cloud backup allows you to back up all the data you have in your network drives, hard and external. You can even save of your cloud data locally so that you can recover it faster should you have the need to.
The service allows you to choose the files you want to store. If you want to retrieve your files, you can do so in just 3-5 hours. Your data is easily available on multiple facilities and devices. Once you initiate the first backup, only new and changed files will be backed up in subsequent back up schedules.
The service normally goes for $1800 for 1TB space but currently you can get a 97% off discount and buy it for $39.99 only for a lifetime. So grab the deal now before it expires.
2. Dropbox
Dropbox is one of the biggest players in the cloud storage industry. You can get 2GB of free storage, but this is definitely quite small for a business. You can, however, increase this space to 2 TB for $12.50 per month or unlimited space for $20 per month.
DropBox is easy to use and quite effective. You can easily collaborate on work with other people. You also get enhanced features for file recovery and versioning with a DropBox Business subscription.
You can also protect your files with a password or choose to grant limited access to certain files. You can easily save and access files on desktop, iOS, Android or Windows Phone.
3. Google Drive
Google Drive gives you 15 GB of free Google online storage immediately you sign up. You can store any type of digital data on Google Drive. Files are easily accessible from anywhere on your desktop, tablet or mobile phone. Invite your employees or colleagues to view, edit, download, and collaborate on any files you want
Google Drive is quickly replacing Microsoft Office as you can now use the system to easily create documents, spreadsheets and even slides online. You can also sync your Microsoft Office files to your Drive.
Google Drive for work subscription comes with unlimited storage for files, folders and backups for $10 per user per month.
Cloud storage is clearly the best available data backup method that every business should be using. It’s not only affordable but also safe, reliable and efficient.
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