Cloud Storage - Should I use it?
Digital data has become one of the most important items that any one person has. We use our computers and phones for everything and our entire lives are stored on them. So, shouldn’t we have a backup? Most people I come across do not back up their devices in any way and just operate in daily life. Unfortunately, that always ends in disaster. When a device dies or experiences some hardware or software error, your data can be lost and most people in my experience learn that the hard way. So, should you use cloud storage? I always recommend it.
Well, what is cloud storage?
Cloud storage basically is a service where you have hard drive space that is hosted somewhere else. So essentially. its like you have a big hard drive that you access through the internet instead of being directly connected to your device.
A service provider will own an large amount of servers and storage space and essentially lease it to users who generally pay a subscription to use. Cloud storage is can be very cost-effective and is very easily scalable to meet new and changing needs for its users.
Its become a very useful solution for both the individual and businesses.
Pros and Cons:
As with all things there are always pros and cons. Here are some of the most notable.
Pros:
Easy Set up: Having a cloud storage service is as simple as choosing your size needs and paying. Your storage is generally available instantly.
Management: Your cloud provider assumes responsibility for maintaining and protecting the stored data. This frees your staff from tasks associated with storage, such as procurement, installation, administration, and maintenance. As such, your staff can focus on other priorities.
Cost: Gone are the up front costs for equipment and set up. You really only pay for the storage that you need so you can upgrade or downgrade as you see fit.
Disaster Recovery: Having all your crucial data stored off-site if there is ever a disaster event your data will be safe and can be accessed and/or redeployed within a day.
Cons:
Security: One of the biggest cons is that your crucial data is being stored in an external place that can be accessed over the internet. Data breaches and losing data can happen.
Control: You can access and manage your data but only to a certain extent. At the end of the day you are at the mercy of the provider you use.
Compliance: Some industries have strict rules when it comes to who can see certain data and how long data has to be kept. Cloud storage can become an issue depending on your field.
Disruptions: Transmission delays and outages are also a con. Not everything will be instant all the time and your provider can experience outages leaving you without access to your data.
What are the best choices?
When it comes to recommending cloud storage options I always say it depends on what you’ll be using it for. But here are some general categories and what service I recommend for them.
Best for Business Use:
Best for Personal Use:
Personal Recommendation:
What is consistent across most cloud storage services is price. You can expect to pay between $7 and $11 a month to have around 1TB of storage which is considered the basic plan. Most options have a free version that is between 5GB and 20GB of storage with some bandwidth limitations.
Sharepoint: For business use I always say to go with Sharepoint from Microsoft. For businesses in general I always recommend the Microsoft 365 family of services for professional email, azure AD, and cloud storage. If you’re already a subscriber to 365, adding Sharepoint is fairly easy. The hardest part is getting all your data into the cloud initially. After that, its smooth sailing.
2 main points are integration and collaboration. Since Sharepoint is a Microsoft product it can integrate with Windows very well and be used seamlessly on your PC. Collaboration is generally good with Sharepoint as well, You can share, and interact with your team easily.
OneDrive: Another option from Microsoft that is usually geared toward the individual or household is OneDrive. OneDrive in my eyes is just the personal version of Sharepoint. One of the top features is its integration with Windows. Its very easy to use and for most people is what they need for storage and backup capabilities.
OneDrive offers a free plan that has 5Gb of storage so you can try before you buy or if 5GB is enough for you(It’s not) you can stick with the free plan.
Mega: My personal choice for cloud storage is Mega. I’ve used it for over 5 years starting with the free version and upgrading to a paid plan after some use.
Mega shines the most with sharing. You can encrypt and share your folders or files with anyone and you can control the encryption keys. Sending and downloading files is seamless and you don’t need an account to download. If security is one of your concerns Mega is also a great choice.
But the one thing Mega offers that free users will appreciate the most is the amount of space free accounts get. With a free account you get 20GB of storage. OneDrive only gives 5GB.
No matter what you pick having a cloud storage service is beneficial to most people. Just do your research and choose the best option that suits your needs.
Thanks for reading - M