12 Different Pros and Cons of Cloud Storage
Cloud storage has taken the world by storm. It was developed in the ‘60s, but the Cloud, as we know it, really only started being used in 2006. Cloud storage is a way for people to share and access data remotely and is almost a given for the storage of many different types of data in our lives. However, some companies are still not on board – and aren’t sure if they should be.
To help you make a decision on what IT services to use, below are twelve different pros and cons of cloud storage:
1. Save on operating costs
If it doesn’t ultimately save money or make money, it wouldn’t be a good business move, would it? That’s why businesses who can benefit from the cost savings of storing their data in the cloud should consider this option. Typically the cost for cloud storage is less than the cost to purchase the necessary software and services to host the data internally.
2. Recovery
Data saved in the cloud can be used as disaster recovery – a backup plan in case all of a company’s data is lost. Businesses may not opt for cloud storage as their primary source of data storage but may still invest in it for assurance that they can always access their data.
3. Accessibility
Cloud storage allows data and files to be accessed from anywhere, at any time, as long as the internet is available. This is highly beneficial for people who work remotely or for teams who are located in different offices, cities, or countries.
4. Syncing
Changes made to documents, and any added data will be instantly synced among all users, allowing everybody to work in real time, no matter where they are or how they are accessing the data.
Reduced bandwidth requirements
Instead of having to send entire documents through email or other document sharing services, links can be used, which require less bandwidth. This saves time and effort, and facilitates the document sharing process.
5. Scalability
Scalability is one of the best pros of cloud storage. With cloud storage, you are able to scale up or down what you get based on your needs. In other words, you will only pay for the data storage you need, and you can change that at any time.
6. Usability
Another pro of cloud storage is its easy usability. Cloud storage makes it easy to add files in or copy them out onto a private computer. As such, usability, for accessing, retrieving, and uploading documents is very good.
7. Remains up to date
Unlike internally hosted methods of storing data, cloud storage remains updated, and will not likely become obsolete quickly – of if it does, it would adapt to the times. This is unlike the equipment that would be used to store data which could become obsolete very quickly, or the constant operating system upgrades which are time consuming and often present problems.
8. Security
Cloud storage services are in the business of hosting data, which means they are also in the business of keeping it safe. These services will often add extra layers of protection – more than what would be on your internal system – with the goal of ensuring that data never ends up in the wrong hands.
9. Requires Internet
Without the internet, you would have no access to your data. This is becoming less and less of a problem as the internet becomes more common throughout the world, however there are still locations and entire countries who have a hard time securing a consistent, secure, and efficient internet connection.
10. Lack of control
By giving data to a third-party cloud storage provider, you lose a level of managing power on how to set up your data and work with it. If you want to do any kind of particular customization, you may run into a problem with cloud storage.
Because your data is stored elsewhere, you rely on the customer support abilities of someone else, not yourself or your internal IT staff. This can be a problem if you have issues that need to be addressed immediately.
11. Privacy and security problems
There have been concerns as to the ownership of the information after it has been put into the cloud. While the data is considered secure, and security is therefore an advantage of cloud storage, it also presents as a disadvantage. When a third-party cloud storage service provider hosts data from a company, the question is whether or not the data still belongs to the client or the service provider.
As a company, you must have trust and faith in the third-party cloud storage service provider that your data will remain safe and confidential.
12. Fixed contracts
While there are some pay as you go types of plans, some third-party cloud storage is paid on a fixed contract. If the terms of that contract become undesirable to the user, it could be a pricy service to pay for while waiting for the contract to be up.
When it comes to protecting your data in a cloud-based platform, examine the risks as well as the rewards. Then you won’t be disappointed in the end and your data will be safe and secure.
