If you’re like many smartphone and computer owners in 2022, you backup most of your files on Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or iCloud. Backing up your phone contacts, photos, and work files ensures you can access them at any time in the future.
Cloud storage works the same way, whether you need it to store personal files or office systems.
Cloud Storage for Businesses: What is it?
Cloud storage is a method for storing data in remotely managed servers. It is a branch of cloud computing—a system that provides access to on-demand gaming, software development, video streaming and real-time communication.
Cloud storage for business involves storing large amounts of data for a computer for easy access and management. As already mentioned, cloud-stored data isn’t just floating somewhere in the cloud.
Usually, your company’s information is stored at one or more data centers owned by the cloud storage provider. Amazon has the largest share for cloud storage services. However, it faces stiff competition from Google, Microsoft and other fast-growing providers like Nord Locker.
Does your Business Need Cloud Storage?
Cloud storage is certainly important in today’s data-driven world. But does a business with its own data center really need it? Yes!
Cloud storage means your employees don’t have to report to the office to accomplish their duties. They can work from home, on the train or while on a field trip as long as they have a laptop and Internet access.
To expand more, cloud storage enables businesses to share files to their employees quickly wherever they might be located. This means accountants can process payments without leaving their homes.
Marketers can turn in their reports while still in the field. On the other hand, managers can communicate and delegate work through emails and other online communication channels.
In other words, storing your company’s data on the cloud can make it less likely to collapse during a pandemic or any other disaster. If you need more evidence, most cloud-based startups continued to run smoothly at the height of COVID-19.
Generous Storage Space
Cloud storage providers have plans for every kind of business. On average, the cheapest plans range from $5 to $10 per month. Here, you can get about 500GB worth. For a price of $11 to $20, you can get up to 5GB worth of storage.
Amazon and Google have more flexible plans. Amazon charges $0.023 per every GB storage for the first 50TB. Then the prices decrease to $0.022 up to 450TB or $0.021 per GB up to 500TB. Amazon’s prices also depend on the frequency of accessing your data among other factors.
Likewise, Google’s storage plans depend on the location of the data centers you choose and the specific package. Either way, the standard package ranges from $0.020 per GB per month to $0.023.
Saves on Infrastructural Costs
Storing data safely costs money. If you run a data center, this means you need money for servers, a dedicated server room and a team of IT experts to maintain it.
Using the cloud for your business’ storage needs can help you save money you would have used to run a data center. This is money you can use to increase your inventory, market your business or give your employees a raise.
Now, using data storage doesn’t mean you won’t need IT employees. You’ll still need people to help secure your company’s data before it’s backed up. However, you’ll need fewer employees compared to a business with an in-house data center.
Better Security
We know—the Internet isn’t entirely safe. However, top-tier data storage providers use state of the state security systems to keep your company’s data safe.
They encrypt their websites using Secure Socket Layer. What’s more, they keep your business’ data in multiple data centers located across multiple states, countries and continents.
Additionally, they support two-factor authentication, strong passwords, anti-DDoS and anti-phishing measures. To put it simply, the cloud protects your data much better than hard-drives stored in your office.
Safety from Technical Failure
When you think about it, the reason we backup our personal files and photos is to have a way to access them if our devices break down. Most smartphones can store up to 256GB worth of data. Computers can store up to 5TB.
However, if your computer’s hard drive suffers a technical issue, you risk losing all the data inside it. Storing data on the cloud helps protect you from such incidents.
In case your local data center gets breached, you don’t have to pay ransomware to get your data back. You can rely on your cloud storage provider to retrieve data dating back to when your company started.
Fast Synchronization and Multi-Users
The modern computer is relatively fast until you use it to transfer large files to more than one person. Then it becomes painfully slow. As a business, saving time should be one of your top priorities.
Cloud storage can help you save plenty of time through fast synchronization of data and accounts. You see, large data centers have enormous cloud computing power, ensuring your business can communicate and work smoothly.
Additionally, cloud storage providers offer multiple accounts and multiple user support. Importantly, the process is fast and hassle-free.
Flexibility
Cloud storage is excellent for a growing business. You might not have a lot of money to build a large data center. So, you can buy a cheap storage plan on the cloud. As you grow, you can then invest in a bigger plan that will better suit your needs.
Another benefit of working with cloud storage companies is that they help you focus on your core business. If you’re a marketing startup, you don’t need to worry about data management. Instead, you can invest more time and resources in the things that maximize your company’s profits.
Conclusion
Cloud storage is a service that helps businesses store data, systems and apps on the cloud. In doing so, they can save money on data centers and IT staff. In the past, cloud storage was a luxury for large corporations.
In 2022, every futuristic business needs to store data on the cloud. First, cloud storage provides a backup in case of any failures. Secondly, it’s cheaper than running a data center. Also, it helps improve efficiency at the office.
