An Introduction to Cloud Storage
While Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider in the 1960s was vitalizing on the concept of connecting people with data from anywhere and at any time, never would he have imagined his idea to evolve into something we today resonate as Cloud storage.
“We need to substitute for the book a device that will make it easy to transmit information without transporting material.” — JCR Licklider
The Journey
Cloud storage has come a long way since its inception and has found wide acceptance amongst both individual users and enterprises. Remember those days when floppy disks, pen drives, CDs were used as external storage devices? When most hard drives offered meagerly a few MB of space and you still felt like a king? Well, times have changed massively now. Box, iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox are the new norm — leading the era of Cloud storage.
What is Cloud Storage?
The concept of Cloud has gained traction in the last few decades, introducing users to the idea of virtualization. Cloud storage basically lets you store and manage your data that is sitting somewhere in a far-off location. All you need to have is internet that virtually connects your machine to the servers. With Cloud storage, you need not worry about the security, the servers and other underlying infrastructure — it’s all been taken care of! It’s the service provider’s job to let you have access to your files and data whenever and wherever you want, and in the most secure manner. And also, because the files are residing on Cloud rather than on an offline or local drive, you can access your data on multiple devices at once. Say for instance, you are editing a video on your desktop and need to step out for something important. You can pick up from exactly where you left off, on your mobile or any other device, without being physically bound to your desktop.
Why Do We Need Cloud?
Cloud storage is becoming a very popular means of storing and managing data for individuals and businesses alike, owing to factors such as cost-effective storage, flexibility and ease of use, data security and scalability. The market has witnessed a steady rise in the number of service providers foraying market, contributing to a multi-billion-dollar economy. It is anticipated that by 2025, the global market for Cloud storage would have exceeded the $100B mark. Increasing number of companies are now setting aside a budget towards Cloud technology.
Security — Needless to say, security is the prime reason why users lean towards Cloud storage. Unlike physical drives that have high chances of getting corrupted, damaged or worst stolen, leading to data loss, Cloud offers you a safe and secure means to manage your data. With multiple backups available across data centers, Cloud storage vouches for your data, letting you sit back and just focus on your work.
Collaboration — Collaboration is a great way to increase your and your team’s productivity. For files available on Cloud storage, multiple individuals can access, edit and improvise the content simultaneously. All your digital assets are present at one central location and easily accessible to any authorized user who might be sitting in another part of the world. This works great for remote individuals working together on a project.
Scalability — Scaling basically means change in size. It could be up or down. It means adapting to increasing (or for that matter, decreasing) demands of any business needs. Maybe as of today, your organization is complacent about the work load and data handling capacity, it is highly possible that as your business scales up, you might soon run of hard drive space to say the least. Scalability is all about managing to handle extra work load, without disrupting or revamping your existing working model, and this is possible in Cloud storage.
Cost Savings — This is perhaps the feather in the hat for Cloud’s USP. Traditionally, companies have been draining huge amounts of money in setting up and maintaining servers and hardware infrastructure. This in turn, also multiplies the manpower and maintenance costs. In a cloud model, your hardware needs and all associated inconveniences like purchase cost, maintenance and repair, is all taken care of by the vendor, allowing you and your staff to just focus on the core work. Cloud ultimately offers a bang for your bucks!
Although the world is going all brouhaha around Cloud technology, the imperative lies upon you and your business needs to understand and evaluate the need. Several companies across the globe have made their transition to Cloud and are reaping the benefits. Now is your turn to join the band wagon.
Practical Solutions is your trusted partner for Cloud and Cybersecurity Solutions. Turning chaos to order since 1997, Practical Solutions offers a range of services from Workplace Modernization and Cloud Migration to Network Transformation and Security Optimization. We are also a trusted partner of Microsoft and Lenovo, offering products such as Office 365, Dynamics 365 and Microsoft 365, as well as some of the best Lenovo work from home laptop solutions. Contact us today to learn more or schedule a consultation for any requirement.
