Are you looking for a reliable and highly secured online platform for storing your critical business data? After evaluating various storage options, have you decided to go with cloud storage? Cloud storage is the mainstream storage option for businesses that want to store data without compromising with security. The cloud provides freedom from storing an overgrowing collection of data within the in-house servers with restricted storage space. But, with the introduction of the cloud, a reliable online data storage medium, firms now get unlimited storage and that too at a low cost. But, before investing your money in the cloud storage, you must evaluate both sides of the coin, i.e., the benefits and drawbacks of the online storage platform.
The reason why cloud storage has gained attention from every corner is that it offers an affordable way to store data online and access data anytime and anywhere in a cinch. But, the question is how cloud storage works. Everyone knows where a file goes when we save it on PC. It stays on the hard drive or in the folders present on your system. Such files will only be present on your system, and if anything goes wrong with your system or Hard Disk Data Recovery Singapore, you will lose data.
But what about the cloud? Trust us; the cloud is just a fancy name for a network of servers. When users save data from the cloud, they can access it from any system as long as it’s present on the cloud network. The cloud is a system of thousands of servers present in a spaceship-sized warehouse. It’s the responsibility of firms to manage and protect these warehouses from hackers or a malware attack like ransomware. So, the cloud is not a nebulous concept; in reality, it’s physical, tangible, and real. To access data from the cloud platform, you have to sign in to the cloud platform. For instance, let’s take the example of Google Drive. When you use Gmail, you will be able to access the drive anywhere through the email account.
What are the benefits of storing data in the cloud?
Do you know cloud service and storage providers offer valuable and reliable IT storage solutions to businesses of all sizes? Despite this fact, many people think that cloud storage is restricted to personal use. But, in reality, cloud storage has various applications for business. From storage to software to security, the cloud is taking over all the aspects of technology. Businesses at present can benefit from secured cloud services, hosted applications, infrastructure as a service, and much more. But before you start storing your data in the cloud, you must look at the key advantages the online platform offers to businesses.
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Cloud storage is the cost-effective data storage solution:
Cloud storage is based on the concept of economies of scale. A cloud vendor purchases storage space and passes those savings to the customers. And it’s not just the per-Gb cost that provides savings to users. By switching over to the cloud storage, users will be able to reduce the cost of purchasing hard disks, the hard disk enclosures, the Raid cards that are responsible for data redundancy, and hardware warranty services that protect the hard drive failures. Another cost-saving is the decrease in the management costs by reducing the on-premise hardware and software management, simplifying monitoring, and reducing the requirement for expensive capacity planning. When there is a reduction in management costs, firms can focus more on the crucial tasks. Also, by moving over to cloud storage, firms will experience an increase in productivity.
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The cloud comes with data redundancy and replication features:
With cloud storage, users will enjoy the feature of data redundancy. Cloud vendors usually keep multiple copies of data even within a single data center, thus offering excellent object durability to reduce the chances of data loss. The cloud also provides advanced data protection options like geographic replication options that allow users to create multiple copies of data across various regions. Some cloud vendors offer geo-replication, while others offer replication services that will enable you to move data between data centers. In this way, your backup will be well protected.
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Employees can work from anywhere:
Cloud storage allows employees to work from anywhere at any time by using the internet connection. This benefit results in an increase in productivity within the firm as employees can work across remote locations and still have access to critical business information and documents. The mobility benefit offers various opportunities to business organizations irrespective of their size. With the cloud storage working outside, the office has become easy and less time-consuming. You can work on multiple devices without worrying about manually adding the latest file to each device. With the cloud storage, you will get the latest version of your document and it will be accessible from any device.
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High scalability:
Do you wish to pay for only the service you use? If so, cloud storage is what you need. With the cloud, you don’t need to predict how much space you need for storing data or face the risk of paying for the unused space. Users can adjust the resources available and pay on the basis of their current needs, modifying whenever a need arises.
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Cloud vendors also offer cost savings:
Many cloud vendors provide different storage classes and tiers to cloud users. Now the selection process will depend on the frequency and speed at which you want to restore backups and how long you want to keep the backup in the storage. If you want a long-term backup, you have to keep the data in the archive storage. But, if you want to frequently restore the backup, use the vendor’s hot storage for fast retrieval of data. Many vendors offer object lifestyle policies for automatically moving data between different tiers, giving rise to more cost savings.
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Higher security:
With cloud storage, you don’t have to maintain hardware in your office; instead, you get an in-house data center that offers enterprise-level security. Since the data is present in multiple servers, you don’t have to worry about the loss of data. The reason being, if one server fails, your data will be safe in other locations. With cloud storage, users no longer have to face the risk of hardware malfunction as data is present in redundant locations.
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Ransomware/Malware protection:
We all know ransomware has disastrous consequences for businesses. It will destroy the data and expose your business to higher security threats. But, with the cloud storage, you get protection against ransomware as it offers backup security advantages. With cloud storage, without proper authentication, no one can access the data.
But, like any other storage technology, cloud storage also has its drawbacks. Some of the disadvantages of cloud storage include:
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Bandwidth limitations:
Depending on the service, there will be a bandwidth allowance. But, if you surpass the bandwidth allowance, you will have to experience higher charges. Some vendors offer unlimited bandwidth, and this is one factor you have to take into account before choosing the right provider.
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Vulnerability to attacks:
As you store business information in the cloud, prepare yourself for external hack attacks. We all know that the internet is not completely secure, and there is every possibility of a loss of sensitive data.
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Difficulty in managing data:
Want to store data in the cloud? Get ready to experience hassle with your data management process. There is every possibility that the storage management system of your business will not integrate with the cloud vendor’s system.
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Compliance can be an issue:
Sometimes, the regulatory framework within the industry makes it difficult for businesses to work within the cloud network. This is especially true for those working in the health care industry, financial services, and public trading companies. Such firms have to be extra careful while deciding to switch over to cloud storage.
Do the pros have the upper hand over the cons of cloud storage?
After reading about the advantages and drawbacks of cloud storage, the question is whether to go for cloud storage or not. Despite the security concerns and complicated data management process, disaster recovery, cost savings, and the ability to access data anywhere and anytime make the cloud a preferable storage option for users. Trust us; the cloud storage is here to stay for a long time, and it’s worth investing your money in the online storage solution. Also, the transition from the local disk storage to the cloud storage can be stressful, but it’s happening more and more at present. The reason being the drawbacks of the cloud storage are few as compared to the benefits. So, if you are planning to switch over to the cloud, take these drawbacks and advantages into account.
