What Are the Pros and Cons of Cloud Data Storage?

37719968_m

The need for storage continues to rise. After all, our smartphones and company servers have limitations as to how much data they can carry. Due to this, one option you might consider is a cloud data storage.

What is Cloud Data Storage?

Simply, this is where you store files, pictures, videos, music, and more in a digital vault. A great example of how it works is Dropbox. With Dropbox, you can download the app then choose how much storage you want. From there, you can import your files. This gives you access to them anytime you want them while also freeing up space on your device.

What Are the Benefits of Cloud Storage?

What you’ll find is that there are many advantages to using this kind of service for both personal and business users alike. Here’s a look at some of them:

Scalability

Many cloud providers offer different storage solutions with some even offering customized ones. This means you don’t have to pay for the storage you won’t need. And as a business owner, this provides you with the flexibility to make adjustments to your storage solutions as your business operations dictate.

Lower Cost

This applies more to companies. When it comes to data storage solutions, the traditional approach is to have onsite servers, but this can cost much in the way of money and time to keep the servers running well. With cloud data storage, businesses can create a storage plan that meets their needs for a fraction of the cost, without the hassle of trying to manage their data. 

whatisdigitalpreservation hvaderdigitalbevaring digitalpreservation 2 1024x829 - What Are the Pros and Cons of Cloud Data Storage?

Remote Access

Many cloud storage companies like Amazon and Google offer remote access, meaning you can get the files you need on your mobile device no matter where you are. This is invaluable for personal users in that you don’t have to lug your computer everywhere. Meanwhile, for businesses, this functionality improves operations since staff can access the files they need in an expedient fashion.

Safe Storage

The whole goal is to keep your data protected. By having it stored offsite, it’s an added safety feature compared to having onsite servers which might incur damage due to hardware failure, fire or other disasters.

What Are the Cons to Digital Cloud Storage?

While the lists of benefits are impressive, it’s also important to weigh the cons of using cloud-based services.

Outages

Cloud servers are not perfect and outages can occur. While it’s a rare occurrence, with an outage you won’t have access to your files, which from a business standpoint could hinder operations.

Bandwidth Usage

If you are storing large files in the cloud, it requires much bandwidth to transfer the information. Therefore, if you don’t have enough bandwidth capacity, other internet-based operations might move slower until the data transfer completes.

It Isn’t Fail Safe

By storing your data with a third-party service, you’re placing enormous trust in them. While most providers return that trust in kind my employing strict security standards to keep your data safe, your data could still be susceptible to breaches.

Ultimately, storing your files on the cloud gives you a backup in case your devices become corrupt or fail due to hardware problems. And should this happen, trust the team at Outsource Data Recovery to help you regain access to your files in a secure and expedient fashion. Learn more by contacting us today!