Cloud computing and cloud storage have revolutionized how we as businesses and individuals work. Think of how we used to work before the cloud entered our consciousness—we’d have to print documents, make copies, and deal with temperamental servers, as well as crashing computers. Sure, these things are still part of the bigger picture, yet doing our work and business online has made it less of a cumbersome experience and that much more user-friendly.

The Advantages of Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage

Think about the last time you actually sent someone a letter by regular mail. Was it years, or decades ago? Depending on your age, you may never have actually physically mailed a friend a letter before. As technology changes, so does the world around us—what we once considered science fiction has now become our reality. The good news is, however, this brave new world does offer some pretty cool advantages.

Cost is perhaps the biggest selling point for cloud computing. Businesses that use cloud computing and the best online storage methods almost always see a major decrease in cost, as cloud storage companies are able to charge significantly less than a company would pay not just to purchase, but to maintain and repair their servers. With a cloud storage company, you also get top of the line service and the best technology, again at a significantly lower cost than you’d be paying on your own.

With cloud computing and storage, we can also all seamlessly share our data with other businesses or clients or even friends across the world. Remember the days of overnighting fed-ex packages (and paying enormously painful international rates)? Those days are now thankfully gone, at least for the most part—with cloud computing and storage the ease in which we do business has greatly improved.

Travel and gas costs have significantly decreased as well, as the cloud allows us to work with others without having to travel “door to door” to accomplish our daily business. Businesses can now have clients and employees access related files from anywhere, simply through an organization’s cloud.

The Cloud Critics

Every advance in technology has its critics, and the cloud is certainly no exception. But the truth is, the cloud is actually a much safer alternative to more traditional methods of data storage.

Though hacking is often listed as the #1 concern of most considering cloud storage, what most people don’t realize is that your less at risk of being hacked with a cloud storage company than you are with your own backup methods. This is because most cloud storage companies have made security their top priority, and they’re equipped with more advanced security technology than most companies or individuals could even begin to afford on their own.

Systems inevitably crash; the advantage of cloud storage is that you’ll still have a backup of all your data. And unlike expensive hard drives, the cloud will not just one day conk out on you.

With cloud storage, your files can also be reconfigured automatically, complying with computer languages that are always changing, therefore allowing your information to be accessible for many years down the line.