What is Cloud Storage
When you save files to your computer, they are committed to the hard disk. Now, with cloud storage, instead of keeping your files to your computer, you instead send them over the internet to a remote computer called a server. You can access the server and the files from any location in the world. Your files are not tied to your computer at home. As long as you have an internet connection, you can access your files from any device, whenever you feel like it. There are a bunch of upsides to using cloud storage, as well as some minor downsides.
Types of Cloud Storage
Private Cloud
Private cloud services are internal storage devices deployed in an isolated environment, protected behind firewalls. Personal cloud storage hosted internally implementations mimic the capabilities of public cloud services that are commercially available, offering easy access and distribution of storage resources to business users in addition to access to objects storage protocols. Private cloud storage is suitable for users who require customization and greater security over data or strict data security or regulations.
Public Cloud
The storage services are an environment with multiple tenants ideal for unstructured data accessed on a subscription basis. The information is stored in the service provider’s data centers, and storage data is distributed across several places or continents. Most clients pay for each user per month, similar to the model of utility. There are transaction fees dependent on the amount and frequency of data used. A few examples of these types are Amazon offering ‘Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3)’ and ‘Amazon Glacier’ to store your documents in archival depth or cold storage. Google is providing Google Cloud Storage and Google Cloud Storage Nearline for complex data. And Microsoft offering you their Microsoft Azure.
Hybrid Cloud
The cloud storage solution is a blend of cloud-based storage that is private as well as third-party cloud storage solutions and an orchestration management layer to manage the integration of both platforms.
The model gives businesses more flexibility to deploy data and offers more options. A company could store the regularly used and structured data in an internal cloud and then archive non-structured data on the public cloud. The hybrid cloud helps deal with unexpected spikes in creating data or cloud bursting access to external storage services and not investing in internal storage resources.
The popularity of cloud hybrid models has increased in the past few years. Although hybrid cloud models have numerous benefits, they pose technological, business, and management issues. For instance, private applications require interaction with cloud storage providers that are public. That is why compatibility, reliability as well as comprehensive network connectivity are essential.
The Pros and Cons
Pros
Get Your Files from Anywhere:
So, we already mentioned how your files are always available to you anywhere there’s an internet connection. Now, this by itself brings with it a ton of other benefits. For example, you don’t need to lug around your files on a laptop, an external hard drive, or even a USB.
Log in to your cloud account while at work and view all of your files there. Now, most of the time, a cloud service will offer what’s called cloud sync. And this means you’ll have the exact version of a file across every device. With cloud sync, whenever you change to a cloud file, the file gets updated everywhere. Another helpful feature is that when your files are online, it’s super easy to share them.
File-Sharing:
Most cloud storage services offer file sharing, at least reputable ones. And this lets you share private photos with people you care about without having to post them on Facebook for the world to see. But cloud sharing is also great if you need to collaborate with people remotely. We’ve all seen how tricky remote work can be, and if you’re one of the billions of people who’ve had to work from home this past year, you have probably already used the cloud.
Co-Operation:
Several cloud storage services let you create documents right within the cloud app, like Google Drive and OneDrive do. Because that document isn’t just on your computer, this enables you to work on the same paper with your coworkers simultaneously.
Security:
Now let’s talk a bit about security. Generally, you’ll want your files to be protected by what’s called zero-knowledge encryption. But in general, zero-knowledge encryption makes it so that only you can ever access your files. It even stops the cloud provider from seeing what you’ve uploaded, so it’s the highest form of cloud encryption possible.
If we have you convinced by now that cloud storage is the way to go, here’s one thing to consider. Making a long-term commitment always pays off, and in the world of cloud storage, there’s nothing better than a lifetime plan. This feature is a bit of a unicorn, as there are only two reliable providers with lifetime plans, Icedrive and pCloud. Not all providers have this feature, so be on the lookout for services that have it, like Synvc.com and MEGA. For your convenience, they are two of the most reliable cloud services in the market.
Finally, having a backup of your files in the cloud ensures you always have a copy of them available. Even if your laptop gets stolen or it breaks over you, your data will be secure on the cloud.
Cons
Needs Connection:
Cloud storage has a few negatives, but none of them are that serious. For example, you generally can’t access your cloud files without an internet connection. You can prevent this to some extent by synchronizing your files. And this will let you access them even when you’re offline. However, if someone else makes a change to that file while you’re offline, you won’t be able to see that change until you get back online.
Paid:
Another thing to remember is that you’ll have to pay for storage space. No surprise here; online services are usually not accessible. Keep in mind that most cloud services come with some free storage too. Now, if you don’t need more than 10 or 15GB of storage, you’ll be happy with a free service, but you’ll need to pay to get anything more than that. Thankfully, there’s a bunch of providers that won’t break the bank, like Sync.com and Icedrive.
Privacy Issue:
Finally, some cloud providers are just not safe to use. For example, Google Drive might be an excellent service for collaboration, but Google is known for harvesting its users’ data. And while it’s not likely to get hacked, some people aren’t comfortable with Google or any other company scanning and looking at their files. Another common mistake people make is that they’ll see a service offering 100GB or 500GB for free and dump all their important files onto that service. These services are usually terrible to use or just straight-up scams that take your data and sell it. In these situations, it is essential to keep in mind the saying: If the product is offered for free, it’s probably using the product.
Cloud Storage vs. Cloud Computing
The distinction between cloud storage and traditional storage comes down to data storage instead of applications and computation. Cloud storage’s purpose is to preserve backup copies of files and data to be used as a backup. This way, if the original file or data has been damaged, corrupted, or destroyed, it will store a backup in cloud storage to retrieve. If data gets lost or destroyed, the user can access cloud storage to gain access to duplicate data files.
Cloud computing is a way to make the power of computing and cloud storage accessible as an online service. Similar to cloud storage services, customers have access to any or limited capacity as they want. Cloud computing also provides access to apps through a virtual computer as well as a cloud-based PC.
Conclusion
Cloud storage is generally managed via a web-based programming interface, which is remotely implemented by connecting to the client’s cloud storage infrastructure in-house for input/output and read/write operations. If an external company provides cloud storage, cloud-based storage could be termed storage used for utility.
Cloud storage is the most important factor that businesses are using today regarding price and user-friendliness. Many of the biggest and most successful companies worldwide have built applications in record time using the flexibility, speed, and cost-effectiveness that cloud storage offers. Even static sites can be upgraded at a surprisingly low cost. Web developers across the globe are turning to pay-as-you-go storage solutions that eliminate problems with scale and management.