Cloud storage providers offer an easy-to-use, secure, and accessible solution, making them more popular than ever. Cloud storage involves storing data in a remote location that is accessible from any device.
It increases efficiency and boosts productivity in terms of the backup and security of your data. Cloud storage has a lot of benefits, and is very cost effective since you pay only for the storage you require.
Additionally, many cloud storage providers have outstanding track records of reliability and security. Based on the type of data and frequency of use for that data, you can pick the provider which meets your requirements.
You will have to consider whether or not the data you are storing, if applicable, stays in the necessary geolocation, and whether the provider has compliance support. For example, if you are storing medical data, then you will need HIPAA compliance, etc.
Using the cloud implies being able to access your most important and confidential data securely anytime, whether they’re documents, videos, or photos. Most cloud storage providers offer backup at some level, almost as a consequence of their intended function. Security and privacy of the cloud are also key factors to consider.
Benefits of Cloud Storage
Cloud Storage Provides a Competitive Edge
Ever-expanding computing resources give you an edge over competitors, as the time you require for IT sourcing is almost negligible. You can release mission-critical applications that deliver business benefits without any upfront costs and minima time.
Cloud computing enables you to forget about technology and focus on your key business deliverables. It also helps you to reduce the time to market of your newer applications and services.
Cloud Storage Saves You Money
Businesses and organizations can often decrease yearly operating prices by utilizing cloud storage. Businesses, small or big, want to earn money while keeping operational expenses low. With cloud storage providers, you can save substantial capital costs with application requirements.
The absence of on-premises infrastructure also means associated operations like power, air conditioning, and administration costs are low. You pay for what you use. It’s a common belief that only large organizations can afford to use the cloud. However, cloud services are extremely affordable for smaller businesses as well.
Cloud Storage Helps with Disaster Recovery
It is highly recommended that businesses have an emergency backup plan available. With a managed cloud service provider, cloud computing can be more reliable and secure than in-house IT infrastructure. Most providers offer a Service Agreement that guarantees high availability.
Your organization can benefit from reduced IT resources and a quick fail-over mechanism, i.e., if a server fails, hosted applications and services can easily be switched to any of the other available servers.
Cloud Storage Makes File sharing and Collaboration Easy
If there are documents that require collaboration, teammates can access the project from different devices and work together. If you want to share files or work on documents and collaborate, you should be able to rely on a secure and safe interface.
If files haring via the cloud is important to you, audit features and cross-device synchronization are especially important.
Cloud Storage Helps with Security
The vendor is responsible for keeping the data center (your data) secure — and they are really good at it. Cloud storage providers are at risk to a certain degree. It is the responsibility of the provider to protect all files and user data from theft or data loss.
Firewalls and backup services are as much a part of data security as the encryption of the stored data and the data in transfer and are important features offered by cloud storage providers. If data protection is an important feature for you, considering the server’s location becomes inevitable.
It cannot be guaranteed that sensitive information will be handled in compliance with data protection regulations if you do not know where the data resides.
Top 6 Cloud Storage Providers
1). Dropbox
Dropbox got into the business space when they realized many users were using the service in the workplace to bypass email restrictions or legacy FTP to get large documents from one place to another.
It is more traditional in the sense of being a Fileserver replacement – administrators set up team folders and permissions and users then have access to what they have been granted to see. Dropbox has selective sync, and a feature called smart sync, which allows users to see all of the files and folders they have access to without having to sync them all.
Dropbox has the most third-party integrations. One of the greatest features is the LAN sync feature; when you add a file to your Dropbox, the data syncs in the Dropbox cloud. When the document has any changes, all linked computers, and shared folders will then download the new version of the file.
2). Box
Focused on both private users and organizations, one of the most important features of Box is that they place great emphasis on security, which is a major factor for most organizations.
Box has a variety of plans focused on both smaller clients and larger organizations. It provides real-time cloud data backup and is quite easy to set up and get started. The ability to sync across devices and among co-workers makes the collaboration seamless.
Uploads and downloads are lightning-fast, and the various clients are all designed for optimum efficiency. Box’s list of enterprise integrations is why it stands out. The most criticized aspects of Box are the lack of support for block-level sync and paid private key management.
3). OneDrive
Microsoft’s cloud storage solution is called OneDrive. OneDrive adds value to Microsoft’s other services, serving as a base for the Office suite, SharePoint, and OneNote. OneDrive doesn’t offer many third-party integrations, but the available integrations are helpful, like support for DocuSign, SalesForce, and Wrike, etc.
The desktop app integrates easily with Windows, allowing you to create file links with a password and/or expiration date. You can set up groups for sharing, and those groups work across apps. For example, it’s easy to share files through OneDrive with a group on Teams.
OneDrive may work well as a part of your cloud storage solution, with a service like FileCloud or Box filling in the gaps.
4). FileCloud
FileCloud is the leading, self-hosted file sharing, sync, and mobile access for organizations and businesses. FileCloud integrates with your existing network shares and AD. You can save your files in your own on-premise servers or in our cloud, and your users can access those files from anywhere.
Since FileCloud is fully integrated with Office 365, users can edit and collaborate on documents using Office 365 from anywhere. Additionally, FileCloud client apps are available for all desktop and mobile operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone).
Other than file sharing and sync, FileCloud also gives customers data leak prevention (DLP), endpoint backup, and HIPAA-compliant auditing. It can be customized to reflect your organization’s brand with your company logo, and you can run FileCloud under a domain of your choosing.
FileCloud’s special capabilities to monitor, prevent, and fix data leakage ensures corporate data is protected across all your devices (Laptops, Desktops, Smartphones, and Tablets). It can save you thousands when compared to similar enterprise file share and sync products.
5). Sync
If you don’t need the multi-cloud capabilities of FileCloud, you can save a lot of money with Sync.com. It’s an affordable solution that is filled with enterprise storage features like file activity logs, private file sharing, and granular user management. It provides end-to-end encryption as a standard feature.
It also offers features of data compliance with HIPAA and GDPR. Sync.com duplicates your data across multiple SSAE 16 Type II certified data centers to safeguard your files. You get 1TB of storage per user for $5 per month on an annual plan.
Sync.com values security over integrations and manages to cut costs significantly. It doesn’t have public cloud support like FileCloud, but for some businesses, the cost effectiveness of Sync outweighs its lack of features.
6). pCloud
pCloud is one of the top cloud storage providers available. If you’re looking for personal storage space, cloud storage plus collaboration tools, or device backups, pCloud offers solutions for everyone.
It is compatible with nearly every device, and you can easily access your files from anywhere using their mobile, desktop, and browser apps. pCloud plans come with standard 256-bit encryption, TLS/SSL protection to protect files as they move to the cloud, and five versions of each file saved on different servers.
And if you are interested in another secure layer or if you’re dealing with sensitive information, you can upgrade to military-grade encryption for a one-time fee of $175. This additional layer of security contains client-side encryption and zero-knowledge privacy for a truly secure cloud storage solution.
Which Cloud Storage Provider Should You Choose?
The task of comparing providers can be difficult because there is overlap and differences to every provider’s range of services. Some businesses make decisions purely based on the amount of storage capacity available per dollar. But this should not be the only aspect that you should consider.
Most solutions will offer a huge amount of free storage. It is, therefore, worth knowing other details of the service, such as security, access control features, etc. You should also look at what OS is supported and whether you will be able to backup and use all your files from multiple devices.
We hope this list of the top cloud storage providers will help you make the best decision for you.
