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Did you know that as many as 90% of businesses in the United States are using cloud storage in 2021?
Cloud storage continues to become more useful and prevalent in our daily lives for both business and personal applications.
It is especially beneficial for businesses for disaster recovery and makes running your operation much more efficient. It provides small and medium-sized businesses with enterprise-level tech capabilities for reasonable money.
Knowing the cloud storage pros and cons can go a long way towards helping you determine if cloud storage is the right choice for you and your business. Continue reading to learn more about the pros and cons of using the cloud.
Cloud Storage Pros and Cons
Switching from traditional storage methods to a cloud-based method can seem daunting at first, but it is a pretty easy switch to make.
While there is no denying that there are some risks of cloud storage, the benefits can make it a great choice for your company and help you continue to grow. Here are the pros and the cons of cloud storage for your business.
Benefits of Cloud Storage
Flexibility
Some business owners who may not be as tech-savvy might wonder, "What is cloud storage?" Cloud storage is no different from traditional storage other than your data is stored on an internet platform rather than on paper or a hard drive.
Cloud storage makes accessing those documents a much quicker and simpler process. They are available at the click of a button on a secure online platform anywhere that you have internet access.
This flexibility is unparalleled. You will be able to access your data and files from anywhere in the world in just a few quick steps on any mobile device or computer.
It also provides great flexibility to potential employees and allows growth to different areas of the country or the world. Using the cloud will allow your workers to work remotely so you can hire the best candidates no matter where they live.
This benefit is especially beneficial in today's current climate of the COVID-19 global pandemic, as remote working has become more common. It can help your business thrive despite social distancing restrictions.
Cost Efficiency
One of the biggest benefits of cloud storage is the savings that it will help your business achieve.
In-house IT departments are expensive commodities. In fact, cloud storage is up to 40 times more cost-effective than in-house IT departments for small to medium-sized businesses.
Your investment into storage goes into computing services rather than on-site servers and data centers. This goes a long way towards eliminating unnecessary expenses for your business.
The best part is that if your business continues to grow you can easily scale your cloud storage up to support that growth. In addition, using the cloud requires less in-house IT equipment and is more energy-efficient than other methods of data storage.
Security and Disaster Recovery
A professional cloud storage company will offer better security than any in-house option that your business could seek. Your data storage will be protected by passwords that are highly secure.
The data is also encrypted when sent over the internet. Encryption protects it from anyone who might try to steal it. These steps make sure that your information is safe and secure from prying eyes and cyber theft.
Cloud storage also has the benefit of being backed up within the cloud network. Hardware failures do occur. But when that happens, your data will be safe and preserved so you won't experience data loss.
Another benefit is that the server for using the cloud is independent of hardware. Everything can be transferred from one data center to another without security concerns.
This method of data recovery is quicker than earlier methods and will save your business time and money.
The Risks of Cloud Storage
Limits to Control
A drawback to using cloud storage is that you give up a certain level of control over your data infrastructure.
You will still be able to control applications and data services but the back end of the system or any technical issues are out of your control. This is a big change in protocol for a business that is used to having an in-house IT department.
Service Downtimes
All cloud storage options will face service downtimes despite the number of measures that they take to prevent them. Because cloud storage is based on the internet, there needs to be an internet connection for it to work.
If you attempt to access your data or information on the cloud while the internet connection is down or disturbed, you will experience service downtime.
This is why it is important to choose a reliable cloud provider. A reliable service provider will make sure that your cloud services are up and running again as soon as possible.
Requires Internet to Work
If your internet does go down, your cloud storage won't do much good. Without the internet, you won't be able to access your remotely stored data. Slow internet speeds will also make accessing your data more time-consuming.
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent cloud outages. Choosing a top cloud storage service and internet provider can go a long way towards making sure you have the best cloud storage experience possible.
Are You Ready to Switch to the Cloud?
There are many cloud storage pros and cons to consider, but opting for cloud storage is a great choice for your small or medium-sized business. It will keep your information and data safe through strong passwords and data encryption.
It will also save you money while providing a much more flexible way to do business from anywhere in the world. Best of all, it's easy to switch and takes a lot of the frustrating IT aspects of data storage out of your hands.
Want to learn more about cloud storage options? If you're a business owner in the Houston or Dallas, TX areas, reach out today and start your switch to using the cloud.
