Selecting a cloud storage provider depends mainly on your environment and your intentions. Whether you’re a small business, or an individual looking for the best (and often most inexpensive) way to store your wealth of files, cloud storage can be a great solution.

Why the Cloud?

So, why go with the cloud? Aren’t all the external hard drives out there enough to manage all your photographs, video files, music files and other important data? Maybe, but those items eventually break down and become obsolete—which isn’t too helpful when they’re your main method of backing up data. Not to mention they’re very costly to purchase when you have a good amount of data to store.

The benefit of the cloud is, not only is it inexpensive, and in some cases even free, but it allows you to store your data in a secure format that will help alleviate backup issues, while providing access to your files whenever you need them. Cloud services are generally easy to use with just the basics—an Internet connection, a computer, and a browser. This makes it super user-friendly for even the most basic computer users.

If you travel often, cloud storage is a great choice, because you can access your data from anywhere in the world. Much like your own computer, or back up hard drive, the cloud allows you to store information in an organized manner, so you don’t have to sift through endless amounts of data, in the end, saving you a good deal of time and energy.

Cloud Privacy

The cloud uses what is referred to as a software service model, which allows users to access their files by using a username and password. You can access the cloud from any computer with Internet capacity, allowing you access to your files in pretty much the same way as if you were working at home or in the office.

Yet, privacy is one of the major concerns for those considering cloud storage. And it goes without saying that whatever cloud storage company you choose, you want to make sure that your data is safe and that nobody can have access to your files.

In order to do this, you need to understand how certain servers store your data, in a way that is accessible and that you can communicate with the service should anything happen. Let’s say the server crashes for some reason, does this mean that your data is at risk? In most cases, with cloud storage companies, the answer is no, as good cloud storage companies will have backup systems in place that ensure your information will never be lost.

The best cloud storage services also employ the most advanced security options out there, in most cases better than what most small businesses or individuals can afford on their own. But even with these security measures, there’s always a slight chance that something could happen, so just be preventative, and make sure that your important files are backed up elsewhere. This will also give you some peace of mind, even if nothing should occur.

Another benefit of cloud storage is that it eliminates the need for an IT staff and expensive backup servers. If you have a small business, you can have your staff access all files via the cloud, therefore eliminating the need for an on-site server and thousands of dollars in IT staff paychecks. With cloud storage, if a problem arises, you only need to contact your company’s customer support should any problems arise.

Suffice it to say, the cloud obviously has it detractors, who feel that it’s an unsafe way of storing private information. Yet, with recent developments in safety, the cloud has basically revolutionized the way we manage our data, as well as how we do our business online. If you’re still wary of making the switch to online cloud storage, talk to some who use it. See what their feelings are. Most have found it quite beneficial, with cloud storage offering a great alternative to backup servers and hard drives.