Technology seems to move along at a breakneck speed, so if you feel a little overwhelmed by the latest products and services, you’re not alone. Cloud storage has been around commercially for over ten years, so you may have already been using it without even realizing it. Whether you have files on Google Drive or store photos with your email provider, you have been inadvertently using cloud storage.
If you’re still a little confused, don’t worry, as we’ll cover all you need to know about cloud storage, so you can feel more confident in your day to day computing interactions.
How Cloud Storage Works
When you save a document or another item on your computer, you can often select where you would like it stored. If you choose to save it to your computer hard drive, you’re using local storage, but most other forms of data storage are cloud storage.
Cloud storage has become increasingly popular, since it minimizes the storage space requirements of computers, tablets and other devices. In fact, cloud storage has become a popular option for both personal and business use. According to Thales Group data, many businesses even store sensitive data on the cloud, with only a small percentage fully encrypting the data.
So, how does cloud storage actually work? Essentially, cloud storage involves using remote servers to save data in the same way as it would on your local hard drive. As the user, you would need to use an internet connection to upload your file, image, video or other data to the cloud servers where it is saved on a virtual machine on the provider’s physical server.
Since we are talking about large volumes of data from users around the world, cloud providers often spread data files to multiple machines within the data centers to provide redundancy and maintain availability. If the storage needs increase, cloud providers spin up more virtual machines so they can handle the load.
You can access the data in your cloud storage when you’re online and using software such as a web browser, mobile app, or portal.
The Types of Cloud Storage
Now you understand the basic premise of cloud storage, it is important to understand that there are different types that may influence how and when you’ll use them.
Public
Public cloud storage involves the service provider offering data storage that can be used by other people and companies. The storage is spread across different regions and since there is flexibility with the various data centers, the storage can be scaled down or up depending on the customer’s needs.
A good example of this is Google Drive. Drive is a public cloud storage service that is available to all Google account holders. However, while the basic Drive functionality is free of charge, if you want more storage, you can pay a monthly or annual subscription to access more space.
Private
As the name suggests private cloud storage is when an organization uses its own data centers and servers to store its data within its own network. This allows the person, or more likely an organization to have greater control over their data. This is particularly helpful if the business has stringent security and compliance requirements.
For example, VMware offers completely private cloud solutions that allows companies to enjoy a suite of features and a private, dedicated data center platform.
Hybrid
Hybrid cloud storage is a mixture of both public and private. This is a good option if you have sensitive data and non-sensitive data. So, you can store your sensitive data with a compliant private cloud storage and keep your other files on the public cloud.
Hybrid storage models tend to have layers that allow integration between the two clouds for flexibility and a potential to scale up.
The Advantages of Cloud Storage
There are a number of benefits to using cloud storage that you may already have discovered.
Eliminates the Need for Massive Hard Drives
Only a few short years ago, if you were shopping for a new laptop or PC, one of the most important factors would have been the size of the hard drive. In the modern digital age, we’re dealing with even more bytes of data and this trend looks to continue in the future. In fact, according to CloudTweaks, 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are produced every day.
We still need to have a way to keep those files, documents, and folders. However, with cloud storage, you don’t necessarily need to have a machine with a massive hard drive, since you can store files and data on the cloud.
Makes Sharing Easier
Whether you’re planning an event with a group or simply like to share pictures with your family and friends, cloud storage makes it easier to share files and folders. For example, rather than needing to email all your contacts with pictures from the holidays or your last vacation, you can share a link to a Google Drive folder or other cloud storage solution. Your contacts can then log in and view the files.
Easier Access
If you’ve ever been to an appointment only to find that you don’t have a document with you, you’ll know how frustrating that can be. However, if you’ve put those documents into your cloud storage, you can call them up on your phone right there and then.
This can also be useful for personal purposes, as you don’t need to keep photos and other important documents on your phone storage or laptop. If you run into an old acquaintance, you can immediately pull up your latest family photos to show off.
Redundancy
If you have important files, having copies in the cloud can provide redundancy in case of unforeseen circumstances. For example, if you’ve taken some great vacation photos, you can back them up on the cloud periodically. If the worst should happen and your camera is lost, stolen or damaged, you will not lose your photos.
Likewise, cloud storage can be useful for household information. You can keep copies of your insurance paperwork and associated photos and documents in your cloud storage. Should your home suffer damage, you won’t have a delay in filing a claim, as you can access these files from anywhere.
Elasticity
Cloud storage is considered elastic, as it can be scaled up or down as necessary. This means that you don’t need to upgrade your computer if you find that you have greater storage needs. Most cloud storage providers offer different storage packages, so you can upgrade your subscription if you need more space or downgrade if you find your needs have reduced.
Security
Most providers provide the reassurance of robust security for your data and files. In addition to physical security measures at the data centers, you can also benefit from cutting edge software and application security. Your provider may even offer encryption and identity access management.
The Disadvantages of Cloud Storage
Of course no product or service is perfect and there are some potential drawbacks that you should be aware of.
No Offline Access
You will need a consistent internet connection to be able to access your files and folders. This means that if you’re offline due to connection issues or a power outage, you won’t be able to access or view your files.
Outages
Even if you have a great internet connection, there may be times when you still can’t access your files. Most providers aim to offer continuous availability, but sometimes outages do occur. If the provider has an outage, you won’t be able to get to your files and folders.
Latency
Whether it is due to slow internet connection or network traffic congestion, there can be delays with the traffic to and from your cloud storage. This can be incredibly frustrating, if you want to quickly pull up a file and then have to wait for the system to catch up.
Lack of Control
When you store data on a public cloud platform, you are relinquishing some of the control over the management and access of your data. Essentially, you will be entrusting your provider will make the data continually available and will maintain its security and system.
Cloud Storage Compared to Other Storage Options
| Aspect | Cloud Storage | Other Types of Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | Accessible from anywhere with internet access. | Limited to physical proximity to the device. |
| Scalability | Easily scalable to meet increasing storage needs. | Limited by device capacity; requires purchasing new hardware. |
| Cost | Subscription-based; may become expensive over time. | One-time purchase cost, but requires upgrades/replacements. |
| Security | Relies on provider’s security measures (e.g., encryption). Risk of breaches. | Can be physically secured, but vulnerable to theft or hardware failure. |
| Reliability | Redundant backups on servers ensure high availability. | Hardware can fail; no redundancy unless manually backed up. |
| Speed | Dependent on internet speed. | Typically faster for large file transfers locally. |
| Setup and Maintenance | Minimal setup; maintenance handled by provider. | Requires user setup and ongoing maintenance (e.g., updates, repairs). |
| Collaboration | Excellent for sharing and simultaneous editing. | Limited; often requires manual sharing or syncing. |
| Privacy | Data stored offsite; depends on provider’s privacy policies. | Complete control over physical data privacy. |
| Portability | No physical device needed; entirely online. | Must carry physical devices for access on the go. |
The Uses for Cloud Storage
If you’re still not sure about whether cloud storage is a good option for you, we’ll cover some possible uses that could benefit you.
Collaboration
You can store and share files such as spreadsheets or Word documents in the cloud, which allows real time collaboration. This makes it simple and easy to work together on a project, transferring and sharing files as you work. For example, if you’re planning a wedding or other event with friends and family members, you can allow everyone to update spreadsheets, add inspo picks and make notes within the shared folder. The most common cloud collaboration platforms include Google, Dropbox and Box.
Archiving
Cloud storage allows you to archive files that you would like to keep, particularly off site. Whether this is old records you don’t have the space to store at home or a large volume of work data that would take up too much space in your computer network, cloud storage provides a great solution. There is no need to have to go out and buy an upgraded computer or new hard drive, as you can simply adjust your cloud storage subscription.
Data Backup
There is a general rule of thumb for data storage and backup called the 3-2-1 rule. Essentially, this involves having three copies of the data, on two different types of storage with at least one copy off site.
This is a good rule of thumb for any digital information that you want to ensure that you don’t lose. Whether this is your folders of digital photographs or important paperwork. Cloud storage allows you to back up your data off site in an independent location.
Creating a data backup with cloud storage could be something as simply as saving your files to a digital folder on Google Drive, but you could also purchase block storage for your important data.
Disaster Recovery
We’ve touched on this earlier, but it is important to reiterate the potential for this type of cloud storage use. In recent years, we’ve seen natural disasters and other events strike towns and cities throughout America and around the world. While you may have insurance to cover damaged furniture and provide funds to replace lost clothing and personal possessions, there are some things that are vital or irreplaceable. As we just mentioned, family photos, important documents and insurance paperwork can all be stored on the cloud to make disaster recovery a little less traumatic.
Requirements for Choosing a Cloud Storage Provider
Regardless of how you intend to use cloud storage, you need to have confidence in your provider that they will ensure your files are safe, secure and accessible. With so many providers on the market, choosing the right one can be a little daunting, but there are several factors that can help you to narrow down the choices.
- Availability: A good cloud storage provider will offer continuous availability with a good track record of minimal outages. Many reputable providers store data across more than one data center to ensure availability.
- Security: All data should be encrypted and the company should have a record of minimal data breaches. Many companies get targeted by hackers, but ideally your provider should have had no recorded data breaches in recent history.
- Value for Money: We’ll cover pricing for cloud storage a little later in this article, but it is important that your potential provider offers good value for money. There are a number of providers who offer a basic storage package for free or at a very low cost. You can then upgrade if you need additional storage later.
Popular Cloud Service Providers
Cloud computing is a rapidly evolving industry, but there are some stand out providers that are worthy of consideration for the average user.
Google continues to be the leading email provider, with 1.8 billion users around the world. Each of those email account holders can access the Google Drive cloud storage platform for free. The free account offers up to 15GB of storage for your files and folders, and it is easy to use. You can upload spreadsheets, word documents, photos, videos and more to your Drive, and share the link with anyone you trust. If 15GB is not sufficient for your needs, you can upgrade to a paid subscription with a monthly or annual payment model.
Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft OneDrive is similar to Google Drive, allowing users to back up files, photos, apps and settings on its cloud storage. You can also automatically back up photos and videos from your phone and game captures from your Xbox games console.
Microsoft has several pricing tiers for personal and business customers, but there is a basic one person OneDrive package that is free of charge.
Dropbox
This hosting service offers cloud storage and software. While not as user friendly as Google or Microsoft, you don’t need to be tied to a specific email provider.
Mega
Mega offers an impressive 20 GB of storage for free, but there is a variety of paid plans if you need additional storage. However, what makes Mega a popular choice is that it is well regarded for its strong security and privacy.
Proton
While Proton only offers 5 GB of free storage, it is a fully encrypted and highly secure cloud storage option. Only the user has the security key to unlock files and even the Proton employees are unable to access your folders. If 5 GB is not sufficient, there are a number of reasonably priced tiers.
Cloud Storage Pricing
The pricing for cloud storage can vary according to the region where you live, the resources needed and the range of services. Some providers charge a monthly fee per GB while others base their fees on the storage capacity. You could pay anywhere between $1.99 or $10 for 100 GB of storage per month depending on the provider. You may also incur additional fees for data transfer, but these are usually built into the monthly subscription price.
As we’ve highlighted in our cloud storage provider recommendations, many providers offer a basic storage tier free of charge, but if you have significant needs, you may find it more cost effective to simply use a paid provider from day one.
You will also need to assess what is important to you when assessing pricing. Some people are prepared to pay more for a service provider that guarantees privacy and security. While you may not think you need extra security, with AI and deep fakes, do you really want to take the risk of your family photos getting into the hands of sketchy people who make unsavory materials? For this reason, it is always a good idea to choose a provider that has a solid reputation and not opt for a cheaper service from an unknown provider.
Comparison of Popular Cloud Storage Providers and Their Pricing
| Provider | Free Storage | Paid Plans | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sync.com | 5 GB | 2 TB for $8/month | Emphasizes security with end-to-end encryption; suitable for privacy-conscious users. |
| pCloud | 10 GB | 2 TB for $99.99/year or lifetime plans starting at $299 | Offers lifetime plans; client-side encryption available as an add-on. |
| Icedrive | 10 GB | 1 TB for $5.99/month; 3 TB for $10.99/month | Focuses on security with client-side encryption; lifetime plans available. |
| IDrive | 10 GB | 5 TB for $99.50/year | Combines cloud storage with backup solutions; supports multiple device backups. |
| Google Drive | 15 GB | 2 TB for $9.99/month | Integrated with Google Workspace; strong collaboration features. |
| Microsoft OneDrive | 5 GB | 1 TB for $6.99/month (includes Office 365) | Integrated with Microsoft Office; offers real-time collaboration. |
| Dropbox | 2 GB | 2 TB for $11.99/month | Known for user-friendly interface and reliable sync; strong third-party app integrations. |
| Backblaze B2 | None | $6/TB/month for storage; $0.01/GB for downloads | Cost-effective for large storage needs; suitable for developers and businesses. |
| Amazon S3 | None | Approximately $23/TB/month for storage; additional costs for data retrieval | Highly scalable; integrated with AWS services; pay-as-you-go model. |
Note: Prices are subject to change; please verify with the providers for the most current information.
Choosing the Right Cloud Storage
Cloud storage has become part and parcel of our everyday lives, with many of us using it without even realizing it. However, if you want to streamline your digital life and ensure that those important documents, photos and files are backed up securely, it is well worth taking the time to discover a cloud storage platform and provider that will work well for you.
