In simple words, Cloud storage facilitates the user to store and synchronize their all sort of data and information to an online server. Instead of storing it in local drive, the files are saved in the cloud that makes it possible for the user to access their data from distinct computers, mobile devices. They can perform view their file, can edit and comment on files as they wish to do so.
It is a better alternate for workarounds such as sending across emails for future reference to yourself. Majorly, Cloud data Storage is one among the best way to back up your hard drive data. It supports storage solutions for distinct kinds of file extensions including text documents, videos, audios, pictures and so on.
As your data is being backed up, stored, maintained and managed on a cloud server, you will be charged based on your storage consumption on a monthly rate.
Currently, even though the per-gigabyte cost seems to be radically decreased, the cloud data storage service providers have implemented the practice of adding a consistent portion of amount as operating expenses , which makes this technology quite expensive than user’s generic expectation. Cloud computing enables the user to enjoy seemingly infinite storage that can be later used for all their computing needs.
Most of the cloud service providers are trying to their par to deal with user’s data storage as it still prevails to be an issue among the users. Authentication and Encryption are few security features that are being used to deal with data security. One may opt for either public cloud storage or private cloud storage as per their individual requirement. Under public cloud, the user storage environment will be shared by multi-tenant as the data will be stored in global storage data centre across different continents and regions. A user can get dedicated and secured environment in a customized manner over their files and data in case of private clouding. Hybrid cloud is a combination of public and private clouding with more flexibility and different data deployment choices.
Based upon the cloud computing service provider opted for, the user will be provided with various mechanisms to access, edit and share their files. Certain cloud service providers fix a limit on the file size that can be upload which a user should understanding prior uploading. Similar, the level of security and administration aspects of cloud computing differs with distinct service providers and it is rest with the user to go with a preferred choice as per their needs. Listed below are the top four cloud storage service providers who offer excellent service for a decent price.
Google DriveÂ
Approximately close to a billion numbers of users, Google drive is one among the best choice of cloud storage service which is available at an affordable cost and very easy to use. The user can create, modify, store and can share any sorts of data file. Unless, one individual requirement exceeds 15GB they can make use of Google drive at free of cost. Still, the paid version of Google drive is also available with most storage upgrades and features.
The strong backup support, two-factor authenticity, In-app collaborations and excellent customer support are the major strength of Google drive. Especially, Google owned Office suite is the biggest contributor to its clouding service that let the user to create and collaborate all sorts of documents with others including word documents, spreadsheets and presentation slides. Other note-worthy apps that are provided by the Google are Keep Calendar, Photos and Videos and more that facilitates the user to manage, upload and share in unlimited numbers at high quality.
Apart from its in-house apps, Google drive provides with third-party app library that comprises more than hundreds choices of software integrations which the user can add to their storage according to their individual requirement.
Still Google drive notably lacks when we discuss about security and privacy aspects which you can get it cost worthy from some of its competitors. In short, the major aspects like poor security for shared files, no option for private encryption, no option for block-level synchronizations are few reasons that makes it less popular.
Dropbox
Being often meant as godfather in cloud computing, Dropbox requires no intro. It was founded in the year 2007 with a motive of creating revolution in cloud computing. Dropbox with major features such as data syncing and sharing, it is one among the top ranking file cloud storage service providers. It is a sort of cross-platform service along with applications commonly for all platforms. With its recent tie-up with Microsoft, It is possible to edit dropbox files online.
Looking at the massive successful invent of Dropbox, so many similar cloud service providers launched that includes OneDrive and Google Drive. However, Dropbox is little more stringent with its offers, as the user can get only 2GB of free storage space and further they need to opt for paid service. Hence, for personal usage, Dropbox sounds to be a good choice. One can gain upto 16GB free storage space on referrals.
Later, with the recent launch of Dropbox business, the services offered for cloud storage follow compliance that is being major requirement for storing official works. It offers excellent features such as real-time synching and collaboration of data and Dropbox for teams. It lags a bit when it comes to privacy and security features as it has no private encryption at the user’s end making it easy to access data.
Amazon web services
Amazon web services is a super responsive and user friendly clouding platform. It is being appreciated often for its quick scalability and instance deployment. Amazon cloud services offer a wide array of applications and services. It will be better alternate for in-house IT infrastructure thereby as a small or big size firm one can keep a check on their overall IT maintenance cost.
What is AWS?
It is the biggest name used in cloud services named for its comprehensive clouding platform that is being offered by Amazon. Amazon cloud services provide a combination of offers that includes services for infrastructure, packaged software and platform. It helps the business setups to scale and grow using its AWS platform that aids in database storage, compute power, content delivery, analytical study, deployment services and even more functionality.
Amazon web services are offered as three major types namely infrastructure as IaaS service, Platform as a PaaS service and packaged software as SaaS service. Based upon one’s one requirement, one can select their choice of cloud computing which aids the user to hold control over their business functionalities.
Its broad range of remarkable cloud based products and services that are available globally are recently gaining more importance. Most of the hottest startups and the largest enterprises in order to power their wide range of workloads trust Amazon web services as a trust resource. May be mobile or web applications, data processing, game development, data warehousing, archiving, storing and so on, they provide infinitely flexible and expandable cloud computing services based on one’s unique demand.
IBM Cloud Storage service
On a whole IBM cloud storage services fulfills their users what it assures to offer with its user friendly interface. IBM cloud computing, formally being called as SoftLayer, is trying to redefine cloud servicing with its products. The company provides lot further than just IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service} that includes a wide portfolio of IBM cloud products and services. Either you requirement may be just in-house public cloud services or a multiple combination of IBM branded services, it is available at a decent cost.
You can go with IBM cloud for a bare-metal server similar like what you would prefer from a generic hosting company. You can also go with the Microsoft cloud storage service-style apps, vigilant virtual infrastructure service and developer services too. IBM cloud storage services even permits the user to access the Watson Assistant and the IBM Watson Supercomputer. Even then, it fails to beat its competitor Amazon Web services when it comes to IaaS solutions.
Still, IBM cloud is appreciated for its extremely vast array of options on virtual hardware. Rather than just providing small, medium and large size virtual machines for processing, storing and networking, the IBM cloud facilitates the user to connect bare-metal servers with their own cloud. The user gets absolute control over it even though the equipment is not in their site. This is a big advantageous aspect of using IBM cloud storage service.
In short, in the modern era, instead of spending hundreds and thousands of cost on IT setup, it is an innovative move to rely upon such cloud computing to handle critical business operations and get access to customized storage services. One can get instant and easy access to several resources as per their unique needs and can pay only for what they use that makes the procurement of heavy lifting servers and hardware not necessary. But, one should ensure to provision right size and type of clouding resources so as to power their innovative new ideas or in order to deliver business needs unless it may lead you to incur heavy cost on IT resource.
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