We hear the term tossed around a lot, but what is a cloud storage provider, anyway? They may also be called online storage providers, and they simply provide a way for individuals and businesses to have access to offsite data storage both easily and inexpensively — and that data can be backed up automatically, so that backup worries are a thing of the past. Instead of having to buy expensive dedicated servers, now, businesses can simply store data offsite on providers’ servers (leased space, if you will), for much less expense than it would cost to use a dedicated server.

Why is it beneficial to use cloud storage providers to store your data?

* It’s less expensive

It’s less expensive to house your data with these online storage providers than it would be to house your data on a dedicated server.

* It offers flexible capacity

These storage providers give businesses flexible capacity for data storage. As you need more, you can upgrade, with no limit to the amount of storage you can have access to. With a dedicated server, you’re limited to the amount of space on that server.

* There’s no maintenance

When you have your own dedicated server, that server requires maintenance. When you use the services of cloud storage providers, they take care of maintenance, so you don’t have to. Simply upload your data, set the parameters you want for backup and other options like filesharing, and have peace of mind.

* You’ll never have to worry about corruption or data loss

Even if you buy your own server, you have to worry about that server crashing. If it does, your data may be lost forever. Online storage providers give you built-in redundancy for your data’s protection. They store your data on different servers that are in different geographic locations. If one server crashes or has problems, your data is still safe, secure and retrievable on another.

* Your data is secure

The data stored by cloud storage providers is encrypted with the same level of security financial institutions use. It’s safe and secure, so that proprietary information remains just that.

* You can access your information any time you need it, from anywhere

Not all cloud storage providers’ services offer this, but most enterprise-level services offer the ability for you to access your files whenever you need to; all you need is an Internet connection and a browser. If you’re traveling for work and you forget an important file for that presentation you have to give tomorrow, just sign onto your online storage account and retrieve it.

* You can share files

Cloud storage providers offer filesharing, which means that you and your team members can collaborate on projects no matter where you are. Again, all you need is an Internet connection and a browser to access these files. Set permissions for specific areas of the workspace, so that access is limited to specific team members who need to see specific files. These storage providers realize that in addition to the all-important backup and storage, the information they store should also be available and accessible. Team members can download files and upload new ones as they need to, so that projects get completed on time.

* You have access to file versioning

If you’ve got your own server, you may have the space to do file versioning, but cloud storage providers, again, provide unlimited space so that if you need to save every version of your company’s files, you can. Online storage is truly unlimited, meaning that you’ll never run out of space no matter how much information you need to store.

* You have the ability to do incremental backups

Online storage companies give clients the opportunity to do incremental backups, which means that only the files that are changed are uploaded. This makes for quicker, easier backups.

* You can do continual database backups

Enterprise-level solutions allow you to continually backup your database “on the fly” even when it’s in use. Many cloud storage providers allow you to set backups as close together as one minute, meaning that your data is never very out of date, even if you should experience a crash. Once your hardware and software is back up and running, restore your files from your online storage account, and get back to business.

Are these providers expensive?

They’re not expensive at all. They offer data storage and automatic backup features, file sharing, data protection, security and redundancy for much less than it would cost to maintain your own server. For some individuals, cloud storage providers may even offer a small amount of storage space for free. For businesses, plans start at a few hundred dollars a year for up to a terabyte of storage. As stated previously, however, you don’t have to start with a terabyte of storage and lock into a plan with that much space if you don’t need it at the moment. Instead, save your money and start out with the amount of space you need now, and then upgrade as you need to; keep adding more space as you need it, with no fear of running out.

Are there any cautions with cloud storage providers?

Make sure the company you choose for cloud storage has been around for a while and has gotten good customer reviews. Be careful as well about providers that offer “unlimited” plans. Even if the storage itself may be unlimited, theoretically, caps on transfer rates and on the amount of data you can back up on a monthly basis may limit your options. Check to make sure the provider you use offers sufficient backup and retrieval capabilities, including adequate data transfer speeds and the ability to transfer as much data as you need to.

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