How much can you store in the cloud?

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Cloud storage is a model of networked online storage where data is stored in virtualized pools of storage which are generally hosted by third parties. Hosting companies operate large data centers, and people who require their data to be hosted buy or lease storage capacity from them. The data center operators, in the background, virtualize the resources according to the requirements of the customer and expose them as storage pools, which the customers can themselves use to store files or data objects. Physically, the resource may span across multiple servers.

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Storage Tools To Help You Make Every Minute Count

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The very first cell phone I ever laid eyes on was back in college. My professor brought one to class, and it looked like a brick. It had to have taken up her entire purse. A few years later, my older sister got her very first cell phone. At the time it looked so sleek and tiny. A couple of weeks ago, we found that old phone and laughed about how bulky it was and how the only thing it could do was make phone calls. Now, phones really are sleek and tiny and can do just about everything except fold the laundry. Technology moves so quickly that it's sometimes hard to keep up on the ways it can help simplify our lives.

The way that we store electronic files such as photos, documents, reports and presentations has also evolved to make business and personal life flow a little more effortlessly. There never seems to be enough time to finish up everything at work. Before you know it, it's time to pick up the kids, go to the soccer game, make dinner and help with homework. If you're really lucky, you may even find a few minutes to get a little more work done on that project you've been working on, but you probably don't want to waste time running back to the office.  Portable electronic storage devices help to solve this problem. They allow you to carry your electronic files with you wherever you go, so you can take advantage of those spare minutes.

There are a variety of portable electronic storage options that allow you to bring your work with you. Just like cell phones, electronic storage devices are getting smaller and smaller while holding more and more information. Here are a few options you might consider when looking for a way to store and transport your important files. 

External Hard Drives

External hard drives come in a variety of sizes with varying levels of portability. One of the best things about external hard drives is that they can store anywhere from a few hundred GB to more than a terabyte of data. They generally cost around $100 depending on the size. While they are small enough to be portable, ranging from the size of a smart phone to a hard back novel, most have multiple cords to hook up and are somewhat difficult to carry around and use frequently. 

Toshiba 1 TB 2.5" External USB Hard Disk Drive (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Flash Drives

These are a great option for storing data to take back and forth between work and home simply because they are so small. Flash drives can fit in your pocket or even clip onto your keys. They hold more than enough data for most uses and are growing in their storage capacity all the time, while often shrinking in size. Flash drives are also a very affordable option. You can easily find a flash drive with 4 GB for under $20. Despite their convenience, flash drives can be lost or damaged, so it's always a good idea to make sure your important files are saved in multiple places.

Français : Clefs USB. English: USB flash drives (capacity: 256 MB, 2 GB and three with 8 GB). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cloud Storage

One of the newest and most convenient ways to store your data is by using cloud storage. This type of storage requires no devices that can be lost or broken. Instead, data is stored online through a server. The user signs up through a host company and buys virtual storage space. The great thing about this is that once signed up, you can access your files from anywhere. You can update a file at home, and when you get to the office the next day, it's ready for you to keep going.  You also don't have to waste time transferring files from one PC to another. Once files are stored in the cloud, you can access them from any PC or even your phone. 

Data Storage Device (Photo credit: BinaryApe)

Another exciting bonus of using cloud storage is the option to e-print documents and photos. This service allows you to print to a selected printer from anywhere. You can send important documents from home, the airport or even the soccer game to your work printer. This cuts out the step of having to e-mail a document and wait for it to download. Now, you can send it straight to the printer. You also have the option of sending it to a print and copy store, saving yourself another trip to the office. 

When thinking about ways to help your business grow, portable electronic storage options may not be the first thing on your list to take care of, but don't underestimate their value. We lead such busy lives and are pulled in so many different directions all day long. We need to take advantage of those otherwise lost minutes during halftime at a soccer game, while waiting at the airport or right after the kids have gone to bed. These electronic storage devices help enable you to finalize that big project while still living your life.

Meg Hartman is a freelance writer for Venafi.  Venafi is the leader in enterprise key and certificate management.

Why Every Business Should have a Cloud Backup Solution

Most businesses maintain volumes of information on their computers or on servers and some unfortunately believe that moving all of their files onto a cloud server will help them prevent losses. Unfortunately, cloud servers aren’t poised in the sky being watched over by angels and any type of failure can lead to disastrous consequences. Business owners wouldn’t think about leaving all of their files on a single computer, knowing that if something goes wrong with that system they lose everything. They should think the same way about the data they store on a cloud.

When considering a back-up solution to cloud storage, it’s important to choose the right system to meet your business needs. While protecting you information is the main point of having a cloud back-up, one of the first considerations should be cost. There should be no surprises that show up in a monthly or annual bill. The cost should be straight forward, preferably in one flat rate and void of any hidden charges.

There are a few factors to consider when looking into a cloud back-up, among them:

• Cloud based configuration
• Use of top notch storage facilities
• Delta Backup
• Speed of access and recovery
• Management control
• Security

You store all of your files and data on a cloud so it should make sense that restoration of any corrupt or lost files should also be available on the cloud. It can be a waste of precious time if you have to configure a back-up system on every computer connected to the cloud and even more time is lost if you have to go to each machine and input the settings about what data will be backed up or how. Any back-up system considered should be able to handle any needed configurations on all connected machines through the cloud.

Image via Wikipedia

Say you’re on vacation and your version of Windows is corrupted you need to be able to restore the program through the cloud. If you have to wait until you return to make repairs to individual files, it seems to defeat the purpose of your cloud back-up. You should be able to access all of the files you need and use on any authorized computer from the cloud.

Some back-up companies use their own proprietary storage, but the better ones will offer duplicating your data on different secure servers so that if one system is corrupted your data is still safe and secure. It’s not just the potential for you data being obtained by unauthorized individuals; it is also the safety of your data that could be in jeopardy.

Time can be saved with some back-up solutions that use what is termed delta back-up. What this means is that you may have a program in which information is changed frequently. Instead of backing up the entire program, the delta back-up only updates the information that has changed. Instead of tying up your resources by updating a large file every time something changes, this type of service saves a lot of time and will not slow down your system while it needlessly backs up a large file.

Your cloud back-up system should allow you complete control through a single console. The ability to add, delete or adjust users’ access should be able to be performed from a single location. Every aspect of your business should be able to be handled from one single console in order to save you the time and effort you need to run your business.

Encryption of your information should be handles at the source and when considering a beck-up source security should be another key factor. The use of AES-256 is the minimum you should accept, but ensure you have the option to provide the key to the system to those with need.

This article is a contribution by Ilya Elbert, Ilya writes for several Remote Computer Repair and IT Consulting companies and is an avid proponent of good computer security habits.

Cloud Backups Could Save Your Skin

 Cloud backup is the storage of data on an online storage system where the data is stored on virtual servers so that the data can be accessed easily over the internet. Cloud backup also referred to cloud storage is becoming critical these days. Most people are switching to cloud backup rather than buying extra storage media such as hard disks.

Cloud backup servers can store different files depending on the sizes. It can be able back up all the files that are present on your PC or server independent of how large the hard disk is. This method is a cheaper compared to the use of hard disks to store information.

Image via Wikipedia

Cloud backup has taken over the way we run our computer network these days. Cloud backup has various advantages compared to the traditional way of storing information. Below are some of the advantages of using the cloud backup as your remote backup solution.

You can be able to back up the information contained in your PC and access it away from your PC. Since the information is not stored on a dedicated server but a virtual server, you can be able to access it whenever you are so long as there is an internet connection. That means in case of your PC failure, you can easily retrieve the files that were there after installation of a new operating system

It is a cheaper method of storage since you only pay for the space you are using. There is no need of buying extra hardware to be used for storage of any information just use the virtual cloud to back up the information. Apart from that, you will not be involved in maintenance of the storage system all the time. You do not have to worry about instances where a virus can attack the storage system and interfere with the stored files.

                                                                 Image via Wikipedia

Cloud backup also helps in distribution of information and stored files. For a large organization, it is possible to get a private cloud that can be used by the authorized members of your organization. You do not have to worry about buying extra hardware independent of big the organization is. That means you do not require a large office space in order to run the organization.

Cloud backup has also helped in reducing the cost of buying extra software. You can be able to access some specific software from a public cloud for a small fee. This is much cheaper and much better compared to the old way where you had to buy specific software and have it installed on your computer before you can be able to use it.

Cloud backup and cloud computing is the modern way of utilizing your PC. It not only creates a large space for storage. It also helps in accessing software that would seem too costly for you to buy them. This is good for business since you do not have to incur unnecessary costs in buying most of these hardware and software to update your network.

David Hamer is SEO For SecurStore, one of the world's leading provider of Cloud Backup Solutions.  Offering a range of services for business owners, they provide a reliable remote backup service for those looking for data security and stablity.