What is Cloud Storage?
Cloud storage is defined as storing digital files on a secure third party server independent of the company and customers. When using cloud storage, the Internet is used to upload files remotely to the server of the chosen provider. Multiple access to files once uploaded from any location or device.
Cloud storage services are purchased from external cloud storage providers or websites, which have the advantage of storing, delivering and operating data over the Internet, in conjunction with pay-as-you-go. Applications can access cloud storage through storage protocols or directly via APIs.
What are the benefits of cloud storage?
Its benefits are evident in companies and institutions, because it has a clear impact on the company's work. As clear progress appears in the company's workflow and speed in completing tasks. Here are some of its benefits:
1. Don't buy equipment
When the company accurately understands the answer to the question: What is meant by cloud storage? The company becomes able to realize the importance of these services, as it saves costs by eliminating the purchase of expensive equipment. In addition to avoiding the burden of maintenance and continuous development costs, the company pays an additional amount of money whenever it desires to develop its business.
2. Automation
Cloud storage automates tasks such as data backup and synchronization that your organization performs, making it easier to recover data from damaged devices. It also reduces the risk of losing user data when the device is misused.
3. Develop systems faster
On-premise storage can slow down growth as the business expands. Cloud storage services allow the expansion of the requirements needed to work easily and easily without the hassle of acquiring any new equipment, with the ability to purchase expansion needs accurately, without extravagant features such as local storage on the company's responsibility.
What are the advantages of cloud storage?
It has several advantages that appear in facilitating the performance of the company's work team, improving access and monitoring the work performed, and this increases the satisfaction of customers and the employer at the same time.
1. Better data availability
Cloud storage services provide better availability of data, as the data inaccessibility rate decreases to a few minutes during the year, when comparing the company's local storage with high-efficiency cloud storage sites. A company cannot provide this ability to make data available when relying on its own resources.
2. Better data protection
The cloud storage service provider is concerned with the security of information for corporate clients, and it may constitute an additional burden on the company if it wishes to implement information security systems on the company's data. Most of the cloud storage service providers rely on secure encryption techniques that differ from one provider to another.
3. Productivity improvement tools
Cloud storage sites often provide services added to cloud storage services, which are useful in developing the company's work and improving communication and performance of its work team. Such as; Messaging tools, connecting a cloud program to the rest of the company's software, and automatic synchronization of the company's devices. In addition to providing users with applications, each provider strives to be the best cloud storage applications.
4. Better data backup
Cloud storage services provide better solutions for the process of backing up the company's business data, as the service provider performs more than one backup copy of the data and in multiple locations, which provides protection for the company's data temporally and spatially in a less costly way if the local hosting is relied on within the company's property .
What are the challenges of cloud storage?
Like any technology, there are many drawbacks to cloud storage, and a company should carefully consider the impact of these drawbacks before using this technology.
Cloud Storage provides many facilities for companies to improve the way they do their business. Including those related to business acceleration and others related to cost reduction, in addition to many other benefits. Should companies move to cloud storage?
1. Third Party Access
Storing files based on cloud storage technologies means that the data is effectively under the control of the provider. The administrative team and company owners may not feel safe because the company's sensitive data is with a third party, despite all the security features provided by Cloud Storage services.
2. The difficulty of changing the service provider
When the data is uploaded to the service provider after the decision is made to rely on cloud storage, it becomes difficult to switch the service provider even if the performance of the provider is not satisfactory. The difficulty in transferring is due to the temporary restriction of work during the data transfer period, which may affect the profits of companies, especially the large ones.
3. The need for the Internet
It is not possible to benefit from cloud storage services without an internet connection, as the disconnection leads to the complete absence of the service from the company on the part of the company and on the part of customers. Usually, the company secures more than one connection to the Internet to ensure access to and management of the company's resources with the provider.
Types of cloud storage
The structure of the information required to be placed within the Cloud Storage services varies, and the classification of cloud storage varies according to the different structure, and among the most important information structures used in it are Blocks, Files, and Objects. The company must base its selection of a suitable type of cloud storage on the requirements necessary for its work, and determine the most appropriate cloud storage provider according to this category.
1. Cloud storage with items
Object Cloud Storage is used when it is not possible to relate or organize data into row and column databases. Object Cloud Storage is suitable for modern applications that are built from the ground up and that require scale and flexibility.
This type of cloud storage can also be used to import data warehouses for analytics, backup and archiving. AWS Simple Storage Service S3 is an example of a cloud storage-ready platform.
2. Cloud storage by blocks
In this type, data is divided into blocks, and each block is stored as a separate piece with its own unique identifier. Block cloud storage also separates data from user environments, allowing data to be spread across multiple user environments.
Developers prefer this type when fast, efficient and reliable data transfer is needed. The Block Cloud Storage method reduces the data transfer time used in high-performance applications and communication with customers. One of the most popular providers of this type of service is Amazon Web Services AWS platform through Amazon Elastic Block Store or what is known as Amazon EBS.
3. Cloud storage with files
File Cloud Storage deals with data on a hierarchical basis, to organize and store data within a computer or Network Attached Storage. When you want to take advantage of File Cloud Storage services, data is stored within files, and these files are organized into folders, which in turn are organized into a hierarchy of folders and subfolders.
This type is best for development environments, Large Content Repositories, the default user Home Directory, and Media Stores. Amazon Elastic File Store is the best example of a File Cloud Storage provider.
Why is cloud storage better than local storage?
Cloud storage technologies today have become a better option for many companies, as these services offer a set of features that local storage cannot provide.
1. Low cost cloud storage
Cloud storage is characterized by lower costs of using services compared to local storage at the expense of the company. The savings in costs appear clearly when the costs of electrical energy required to operate the storage units are studied, in addition to the costs of emergency and periodic maintenance of the storage units.
Companies can also take advantage of the large availability of cloud storage services, with regard to strategies for the alternative headquarters in the event of failures or disasters on the main headquarters. The data can be stored in more than one location of the service provider, and the data can be accessed in the alternative location in a quick and less costly way.
Cloud storage reduces the cost for ever-evolving companies, as the service provider is paid for what is used only, without the company having to pay high costs in always updating its infrastructure.
2. Keep data from being lost
Cloud service providers provide a higher percentage of data availability, as the provider can keep retrievable copies of cloud storage sources with the provider itself, thus reducing the possibility of data loss in the event of equipment failure or the company being exposed to a disaster.
3. Flexibility and scalability
Local storage shows a clear weakness when it comes to the desire to scale. The need for expansion can match the wasted resources without using the company's systems, but the company is forced most of the time to buy very expensive new equipment if relying on local storage.
Cloud storage services allowed flexibility in the expansion process, as the service provider spares the company the hassle of purchasing equipment and preparing it to match the rest of the system. This is through immediate expansion at the company’s request without any effort on the part of the company, and the company can adopt the principle of payment according to consumption with cloud storage services, which is an important economic means for the work of companies, especially small and medium ones.
4. Break free from the constraints of rapidly changing storage technologies
Companies that depend on local storage suffer from the problem of rapid change in storage technologies, and there is a constant disagreement about reaching an agreement that defines the type of storage, the approved model for the storage unit, and the appropriate provider to bring the approved unit.
Cloud storage technologies have reduced the restrictions imposed on companies, as the company's role is limited to determining storage capacities and reading and writing speeds for hosted data, without the company bearing compatibility concerns and securing the necessary hardware for expansion.
5. Easy access
Ease of access to data is an important element that makes cloud storage a better option for companies, as a limited internet connection with an authentication and authorization mechanism is enough to access data. With a broader and more complex choice of data access security options available.
What are cloud storage services?
Cloud storage companies offer a suite of basic cloud storage services, as well as accompanying features that support the business's work. The accompanying features differ according to each provider and the target segment in providing services.
1 Basic cloud storage services
Companies use cloud storage sites that provide them with added value or a set of values that significantly improve the company's work and the way data is handled. Companies are often unable to afford these services locally.
- File storage: The most important main service of cloud storage services is limited to storing files on the provider’s server, to provide a remote access service through the Internet, which benefits companies in improving data access, and working at an accelerated pace compared to local storage due to the high-performance resources provided by the service provider .
- File Tracking: Those responsible for managing files and data may need to keep track of file movement and modification records, and revert to a specific version of a file before an edit is made, in order to keep workflow as per company policy.
- Data encryption: One of the risks facing cloud storage services. The threat of a cyber breach of service-dependent enterprise data. Cloud storage service providers provide data encryption service through passwords, and rely on electronic signature, encryption and electronic authentication systems as advanced encryption services.
- Backup: Companies can purchase a data backup service from cloud storage service providers, as the providers make copies of data on many geographically distributed servers according to the provider's business policy, in order to avoid the risk of data loss at any stage of the business.
2. Complementary cloud storage services
Complementary cloud storage services are accompanied by basic services to facilitate the work of companies. This type of service is an incentive for companies to choose certain cloud storage sites over others. The number of complementary cloud storage services cannot be limited, as it is due to the expertise and skills of the service provider, the marketing plans that define the target segments, and the better services that achieve greater consumption of the main services.
The service provider may cooperate with an external provider to provide complementary services; Dropbox has also collaborated with its counterpart, Microsoft, to enable Dropbox users to use the Office package. Complementary cloud storage services can include, but are not limited to: communication services, automation of e-commerce and marketing processes, customer relationship management services, scheduling of company tasks, project management tools, and others.
What are the factors affecting the price of cloud storage services?
The classification appears according to storage categories in the commercial areas. Usually, commercial classifications differ from one company to another according to the features desired by the user. Companies often offer feature-specific offerings, and the competition for certain cloud storage sites becomes more intense as cloud storage services have higher quality-to-cost levels.
Data Availability: Ensuring data access is a key factor in pricing cloud storage services, as the provider must guarantee access to the stored files at a predetermined percentage over a certain period of time. Ensuring data availability by 99.99% during the year, for example, means that the service provider is able to reduce the period of stopping the service to a maximum of 6 hours during one year.
Geographical limits: The scope of data spread plays an important role in pricing cloud storage services, as the required access to data may be from wide geographical areas, or from a specific geographical area, without access from other geographical areas.
Delay time: The time difference between requesting information and responding affects the speed of completing tasks. This latency represents the time difference, and the lower the latency, the higher the cost of cloud storage services to the customer.
Cloud storage size: The amount of storage allocated to the user on the cloud is an important factor in pricing cloud storage services. There are sites that provide unlimited cloud storage, and other cloud storage sites that charge additional fees to provide more space than cloud storage volumes.
3 of the most popular cloud storage service providers
There are many providers of these services, who provide them according to certain prices and quality. One cloud storage service provider excels over another in terms of facilitating subscribers' business as much as possible, and the abundance it brings to these subscribers instead of relying on local storage. Among the most popular cloud storage sites currently in existence are:
Dropbox
The Dropbox cloud is characterized by the ease of subscription to the service, the ease of using cloud storage services, and the ability to share with others without necessarily having an account on the site. Some people think that the free space offered by Dropbox is very limited. One company that uses their cloud storage is the University of Florida.
Microsoft OneDrive
The OneDrive cloud feature provided by Microsoft appears in the ease of file storage, the ability to manage sharing for files and organize permissions, in addition to backup services for unused files in the near term.
Others see the lack of compatibility between the OneDrive cloud with Mac and Linux systems as one of the main drawbacks, in addition to the cloud's shortcomings in terms of privacy of use. One of the major companies using Microsoft's cloud storage is the NBC group of film and television productions.
Google Drive
Google Cloud has clearly emerged as one of the best cloud storage services, due to the integration of text editors, images and tables with it, and because its applications run on desktops and smartphones. In addition to its ability to deal with tablets and mobile devices old and new.
On the other hand, some companies believe that Google Cloud is not compatible with the rapid management of files, especially with regard to file sharing topics with others, because the subscriber needs to verify the settings of each file regarding file sharing permissions. There are many leading companies that use Google's cloud storage, such as Twitter, PayPal, and P&G.
9 tips for choosing the right cloud storage service
In light of the multiplicity of offers offered by the providers of these services and website hosting, and the competition of prices and quality among them. It has become necessary for the decision-maker to study many factors in order to choose the appropriate supplier. The following are a set of tips that are best taken into account when studying the decision to make the appropriate supplier:
Choose a cloud storage service provider that specializes in your industry
Work sectors differ from one company to another, it may be work in the field of health, digital systems, finance, or others. A cloud storage service provider must have specialization and knowledge of the company's business sector, and this constitutes a big difference in working between one provider and another.
Read the Service Level Agreement carefully
Cloud storage service providers offer several levels of service in terms of storage. The service level agreement should include offsite backup, guaranteed access to uploaded data, and flexibly scalable on demand.
Ensure that the data can be recovered
The final stage of dealing with the service provider, which is data recovery, must be planned. It is necessary to verify the speed of data recovery through the provider in the event of loss, what problems you will encounter during the recovery, and what levels of support provided by the provider during the recovery process.
Determine the actual cost of cloud storage
You need to know what will actually be covered for the amount paid, and what costs are paid outside of the basic subscription to the service. It is better to conduct a cost study that shows the comparison between the solution that the company relies on, and the solution proposed to use the cloud storage system.
Study bandwidth limitations
If you purchase a cloud storage service as part of your backup strategy, you must understand the importance of Bandwidth Limitations when you want to transfer a large amount of data, and retrieve this data at a later time.
The size of the data to be transferred affects the time of data transmission through the physical medium between the provider and the subscriber. Determining the time affects the technologies used, and the cost of using and storing data within the cloud storage service provider's resources.
Don't overbuy storage space
It is imperative for companies to purchase suitable storage spaces for the current work with the expectation of the near future. Larger storage spaces can be purchased whenever expansion is needed. This saves the costs of moving to cloud storage, and can also save operating costs for service providers, if this principle is widely used.
Ensure that the data center service provider has up-to-date and specialized work certificates
The cloud storage service that the company will purchase from the provider must be of acceptable quality in relation to the company's work, the recentness of the service provider's equipment affects the stability of the cloud work, especially when reserving dedicated non-participatory physical resources VPS, and thus the quality in providing service to companies and accessing their data, so it is necessary to ensure From the recent equipment of the provider before subscribing to the cloud that it provides.
It is necessary for the service provider to have certificates indicating the global standards used in online storage, such as SSAE16 standards, which focus specifically on financial data and public sectors, in addition to places where information security is necessary.
Ensure data is encrypted
It is absolutely necessary that the data is self-encrypted by the company before it is transferred to the cloud storage services. Cloud storage service providers provide encryption services for data stored in the cloud, but encryption before transmission for storage is more secure, and the risk of service provider spying on company data in the cloud is reduced.
Have a backup plan in case you go cloud storage
In the event that the company decides to dispense with cloud storage services, or the service provider decides to terminate the contract related to granting the service to the company, there must be an immediate alternative plan for local storage or moving to a new cloud storage service provider with the least damage, in addition to the least work chaos.
To transfer the company to cloud storage services, and to know the procedures and mechanisms of transition, you can benefit from the expertise of specialists and hire an expert in cloud storage services through an independent platform, the largest Arab platform for self-employment.
Most successful companies will eventually have to move to cloud storage, in order to take advantage of capabilities that cannot be provided locally at the expense of the company. It is best for companies to switch to storage technologies as soon as they have the ability to make this transition, which allows the use of basic and complementary cloud storage services to complete their tasks with ease and ease.