What is Cloud Storage – Working And Types

cloud storage

What is Cloud Storage (CS)?

Cloud storage is a cloud computing model that keeps data on the Internet through a cloud computing provider. Basically cloud computing providers operate and manage data storage as a service. It delivers on demand with just-in-time capacity and costs, and eliminates inconvenience of buying and managing your own data storage infrastructure. This gives you agility, global scale and durability, with advantage of “anytime, anywhere” data access.

cloud storage

How Does Cloud Storage Work?

Cloud storage can purchase from a third party CS provider who owns and operates data storage capacity and delivers it over the Internet under a pay-as-you-go model. Hence, these CS vendors manage security, capacity and durability to make data accessible to your applications anytime all around the world.

Applications access CS through traditional storage protocol or directly via an API (application program interface). Many vendors offer complementary services designed to help collect, secure, manage and analyze data at massive scale on the go.

Advantage of Cloud Storage for Big IT Companies and Service Providers

1. Total Cost of Ownership

With cloud storage, there is no need of hardware to purchase, storage to provision, or capital can use for “someday” scenarios. You can remove or add capacity of your personal CS on demand, quickly change performance and retention characteristics, and only pay for storage that you are actually using. Less frequently access data can automatically move to lower cost tiers in accordance with audit-able rules, driving economies of scale.

2. Time to Deployment

When development teams are ready to execute some program, infrastructure should never slow them down. CS allows IT to quickly deliver and retrieve the exact amount of storage needed, right when it’s needed. This allows IT to focus on solving complex application problems rather than focusing to manage storage systems.

3. Information Management.

Centralizing storage in the cloud creates a tremendous leverage point for new added customers. By using CS life-cycle management policies, you can perform powerful information management tasks. This including locking down data in support of compliance requirements or automated tie-ring.

cloud storage

Types of Cloud Storage (CS)

There are four main types of it — private, personal, public and hybrid;

1. Personal CS

This is also known as mobile CS. Mobile storage stores individual’s data in the cloud and provide the individual with access to the uploaded data anywhere, anytime across the globe. It also provides data syncing and sharing capabilities across multiple devices connected. Apple’s iCloud and Google drive is an example of personal CS.

2. Public CS

Public cloud storage is where the storage and enterprise service provider are separate. There aren’t any cloud resources store in the enterprise’s data center. Hence, the cloud storage provider fully manages and operates the enterprise’s public CS.

3. Private CS

CS is where the enterprise and CS provider integrate in the enterprise data center. In private CS, the storage provider has infrastructure in the enterprise’s data center that is typically operates and manages with the storage provider. However, private CS help to resolve potential security issues and performance concerns. While still offers the advantages of CS.

4. Hybrid CS

Hybrid cloud storage is a combination of  both public and private CS. Where some critical data present in the enterprise’s private cloud while other data is stored and accessible from a public CS provider.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Storage

There are many benefits to using cloud storage, most notable is file accessibility anywhere and anytime in the world. Files stored in it can be accessed at any time from any place as long as you have strong Internet access. Another benefit is that this provides organizations with remote backups of data which reduces costs associated with disaster recovery.

Unlike, the biggest disadvantage of CS is that users are limited by bandwidth. If your Internet connection is unstable or slow, you might have to face problems accessing or sharing your files. Organizations that require a large amount of storage may also find costs increase significantly after the first few gigabytes of data stored because of huge amount of data consumption during retrieving or accessing data.

Have the best cloud service and you will receive a $100 credit when you create a new account. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like