Cloud storage offers endless possibilities for businesses. It isn’t just a place to dump all your data and forget about it. With app integration, better security and 24/7 access to data, your business can put you in control of your information.

From small businesses to multi-million-pound corporations, all could benefit from better storage of data. But how much does cloud storage cost for a business? Does your business actually need it? How does it even work?

This guide is to teach you everything you need to know about business cloud storage.

What Is Cloud Storage?

Let’s begin with the big question. Cloud storage is storing your data on remote servers, with the ability to access them through the internet, rather than your office server. The cloud is stored on an infinite space on the internet, with an office server, the space is limited, meaning you can run out of room to store all your valuable data.

You can access your data from the cloud anywhere. From your laptop, tablet, desktop or mobile, you aren’t confined to a specific place to view your data. Also, if a cloud server goes down, you can still access your information as it will be backed up on another server. However, with an office server, if it goes down, it could be a disaster and data can be lost.

How Does Cloud Storage Work?

So, when you upload data to the cloud, such as a photo or a document, it will be copied across the internet onto a data server. Here, cloud storage companies will house your files on numerous hard drives.

There will be up to thousands of servers that store data, they are called server farms. Server farms can be spread across multiple locations and thanks to “redundancy”, if one goes down, then don’t be alarmed as your data will be safe on another server.

The cloud storage system has a central server, data storage and computer network. The central server will track the system, making sure everything is running as it should be and monitoring the stress levels.

What Is Better, Cloud Storage Or Onsite Servers?

For years, it is a running debate whether cloud storage is better than onsite servers for businesses. There are benefits and disadvantages to both, all depending on what your specific company needs. Below, we’ve created a handy guide to help you decide which is better for you.

So, let’s get this battle started. Cloud storage vs onsite servers.

Cloud Storage Benefits And Disadvantages

Benefits	Disadvantages
Less likely to lose data or have an outage.	Can be costly.
24/7 access to your data.	Speed will depend on internet connection.
Unlimited capacity for storage.	Internet connection needed, so data can be stolen when transferring.
Can use any device to access data.	At risk of high profile companies that hold your data being hacked.
High level security.	Private companies can unilaterally delete accounts.
Saves office space.	Can experience technical problems, for example reboots.
Not your fault if there are outages.	Less control over updating and managing firmware.

Online Servers Benefits And Disadvantages

Benefits	Disadvantages
Cheaper over the long term.	Higher risk of losing data from fires and theft.
Faster than cloud storage.	Tough to insure.
More control, such as deciding how much security you need.	No backups, so data will be lost if there are problems.
No internet connection needed.	Tech needs updating often.
Once disconnected from the internet, data is more secure.	Your responsibility to upgrade and maintain servers.
Control who has access to the network.	Takes up more room.

What Can Business Cloud Storage Do?

More and more organisations are choosing to use the cloud to store their information. Services can be altered and changed to suit your business, so it works like a workflow manager or a lightweight document management system.

You can decide how your data moves throughout your company and which users have access. With the cloud, you can be protected when employees are working on a project and editing the same files at the same time.

With 50 per cent of the US workforce set up for remote work, protecting your work is more important than ever. More employees are working away from the office, so there is a new way that we do work now. A cloud service can store and retrieve your company’s data easily, adapting to this new model of work.

Different products offer different levels of customisation, so make sure you know what features your cloud storage offers, with all staff being able to utilise the services to their full potential.

Start with core features such as backing up data, secure storage as well as user and group management. Then, once you have a handle on how this works, you can extend to collaborations and app integrations.

6 Cloud Computing Tips and Guidelines for Businesses

When it comes to cloud storage, there are some tips and advice you should be aware of once you’ve purchased it. These will help to optimise your business, as well as protecting it from lost data. Below, we’ve listed 6 cloud computing tips for businesses, getting you started on the right path.

Backing Up Your Data	As mentioned earlier on, the cloud automatically backs up your data to other serves. However, it is a good idea to back up your information as files can become corrupt. Your work may disappear and all those long hours on a project could be lost forever. Just for peace of mind, if there is a project you’re especially protective over, think about backing it up.
Advice For Sharing Large Files	Sending large files can be a frustrating task. Long loading times, failed send attempts, we know how annoying it can be. With most email providers limiting the size of files to share, utilising the cloud can make this process a lot more stress free. Storing larger files on the cloud means that anyone who is authorised can access them. This removes the need for unnecessary emails, streamlining your business.
Utilise Low Cost Products	On the market now, there are various Cloud deployment products available to businesses. These services allow your cloud to scale up as your business grows, so you only have to pay for the amount you need. Big companies such as Google and Amazon both offer this option, but there are other brands that have similar products.
Secure Your Apps	As your app library increases in size, your employees will have access to the latest updated versions of these applications instead of having extra expenses in upgrading versions of patching. This is more convenient and cheaper for businesses to get the latest updates and is a huge benefit of investing in cloud services. However, lots of the applications only have a short testing period before they are released to the cloud. This means there could be some performance and security issues that haven’t been tested before it has been released. Security risks could impact your business and be a costly disaster for you. So, to combat this, we would recommend to actively scan your applications, checking for any bugs or vulnerabilities that can then be forwarded to the cloud provider.
Collaboration Is Key	Many larger companies are utilising the cloud and with this, they are seeing efficiency increase. The current climate in the world means that more people are working remotely, so the cloud offers a solution to not being in the office. In real-time, staff can edit files and collaborate on the same project, saving the need for being in close proximity to each other. This also allows employees to work as a team, rather than working on separate files, then sharing a copy of an old file.
Track Your Cloud Resources	To make the most of your cloud computing services, you should include guidelines that make employees aware of their usage, all to combat inefficient usage and waste of the product. As we mentioned, collaboration is key, so set rules for each department, as well as protocols to follow to limit wasting the use of cloud resources. This could be reducing the number of employees that are authorised to have access to certain services. Another suggestion could be hiring an employee to manage the cloud resources, aiming to keep on top of how much is being used.

What Types Of Cloud Services Do Businesses Use?

Firstly, let’s talk about the cloud environment, or what many call cloud deployment models. There are three ways to run applications, they are:

Public – Owned by an outsourced cloud provider, a public cloud environment is on a pay-per-use model and is accessible to many businesses.
Private – Private cloud environment can be managed in-house or hosted externally. It is owned by a single business and the benefit is that it has a more controlled environment.
Hybrid clouds – This option is best if your business is looking to utilise the advantages of private and public cloud deployment models. The combination of both gives a more tailored IT solution.

Next is cloud computing, which also has three types. They are:

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – The most common service model offers the standard infrastructure as well as the flexibility and scalability for businesses, removing the need for hardware in the office.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) – Businesses are able to run, develop and create their own applications with ease through the infrastructure and software framework through cloud computing providers.
Software as a Service (SaaS) – Businesses who prefer to pay-per-use are provided software over the internet. This tool is best for CRM and for applications that need a lot of web or mobile access.