Since the dissolution of floppy discs and the impracticalities of a USB drive, the rise of cloud storage and file sharing services has largely increased in recent times.
Everything is easier when it’s accessible through the touch of a button on your device. Even if you want to share files that are private, you have options to do so through file sharing services that can guarantee there is a two-step verification before opening sensitive information.
Cloud storage services are versatile and come with many options and plans to accommodate all of your filing needs.
Sharing and collaboration has never been easier now that we don’t have restrictions on file sizes and amount of files that we can share at one time.
Whether you need a cloud storage service for your small business or you are simply looking for the best free cloud storage, there is a service for you out there. Don’t fret, this guide includes free trials.
“Throw it in the cloud” and “Can you save that on Dropbox?” are common phrases that we are used to hearing. But what does it all mean?
When someone tells you to save something in the cloud, is that something that’s only available on Mac computers? Or is it some mystical place where all of our files go when we save them from our device?
Well, cloud storage is a place to save data on remote servers that users can access from “the cloud” or, to put it in simpler terms, the Internet.
When you store a lot of files in your computer, especially extensive files and media, computers become slow and cannot function at maximum speed and capacity.
A computer comes with limited storage space. This is the main reason computer techs are always encouraging users to save their files in an external drive as backup or in a storage service.
A cloud storage service provides users peace of mind and functionality. By storing files in cloud storage, your data is managed, maintained, and backed up remotely.
Users can remotely upload and download content from their storage services whenever they want.
Even if there is a fee to pay for the service or it comes with data caps, most cloud storage services allow users to extend their data caps to accommodate their needs.
Plus, you can free yourself from purchasing USB drives or servers to share and/or carry your data anywhere outside of your own filing storage.
Cloud storage lets users access their data from the Internet, so it doesn’t matter where you are, you will have access to your files as long as you have an Internet connection.
The way cloud storage works is actually very simple. All the data that you are uploading into your cloud storage service is saved in data servers that are maintained by a third party and are located pretty much anywhere in the world.
This is the feature that makes cloud storage accessible and easy to use; since the data is hosted on servers that are everywhere, users can easily access and share their files from any point that has an Internet connection without needing their personal computer with them.
A lot of cloud storage services offer a certain amount of free cloud storage for users to save their files. However, depending on your saving and sharing needs, cloud services offer paid plans to increase storage space.
Don’t worry though, even if you have to pay for your cloud storage, in the long run, you will save money that you would have spent on stronger servers for your business (or personal use).
Even though you might have to pay for a service, you will only pay for the amount of space that you are using with the data.
Besides the fact that saving things online is convenient, cloud storage also provides an array of services for their users.
Even though cloud storage and online backup have similarities, they are not the same thing.
Cloud storage refers to saving data online through a storage service. Think of it as your computer’s hard drive, except instead of it being a part of your computer, it’s a part of the Internet.
Online backup is there to provide a copy of what is already on your computer and save it on a cloud storage for safety.
An online backup is a way for you to recover anything lost on the computer due to it being stolen or crashing.
Keep in mind that even though you might use your cloud storage to save a backup, cloud storages rarely replicate file structure. They are there for users to save data, but it’s not their job to run online backups.
It’s also worth mentioning that online back ups offer protection against data loss and can restore everything back exactly the way it was in case your device crashes.
Devices usually prompt their users to run online backups for safety. Next time this happens, don’t let the opportunity pass. It’s always a good idea to have a backup.
There are different cloud storages for every type of user. Users have a range between personal, private, or public cloud storage depending on their needs.
As a final takeaway, it is worth mentioning that while you may have reservations about storing information online, using a cloud storage service is completely safe.
While using your own computer’s hard drive to save information may seem like the safest option, in actuality you’re more likely to expose private information through your personal computer than you are through a cloud storage service.
Remember that hackers can infect computers through malware that gives them access to your hard drive. Cloud storage services offer security measures that protect information against threats and don’t compromise your personal files.
If you haven’t switched your files to a cloud storage yet, it might be time to rethink that.