Cloud storage, where data is stored remotely and accessed over the internet, offers an alternative to storing all your data on hard drives or servers in your office.

Cloud storage offers several benefits to businesses, but there are some drawbacks to consider if you’re thinking of switching to the cloud for your data backup and storage.

Here’s a summary to help you weigh up the pros and cons.

Six benefits of cloud storage

1. Cost

Cloud storage is often cheaper than in-house hosting solutions or external hard drives which are expensive to run and maintain.

2. Accessibility

You can access data in the cloud from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility enables staff to work from any location so long as they can access the internet.

3. Disaster recovery

In the event of a disaster, such as a cyber attack or catastrophic fire, you will be able to retrieve your data from the cloud and continue to operate your business.

4. Syncing

When you make changes to files, the cloud will automatically sync the updates across all affiliated devices.

5. Increased security

Cyber security is such a concern that reputable cloud storage providers have enterprise levels of security protection which most businesses would not be able to afford.

6. Scalability

With cloud storage, you only pay for the amount of storage you require, and this is flexible. You can scale up and down as necessary with no disruption and at little cost.

Four drawbacks of cloud storage

1. Accessibility

Access to your data in the cloud is dependent on an internet connection. If there is a system failure or if the networks are down business grinds to a halt.

2. Costs

Cloud storage can work out expensive for small businesses.

3. Privacy issues

Passing your data to a third-party cloud storage provider can raise issues of data ownership and has GDPR implications. It’s important to choose a reliable service provider that guarantees to keep your information secure.

4. Security

While most cloud storage providers employ multiple layers of security measures, there will always be a risk in sharing your data over the internet. The internet is not entirely secure, and for this reason, there is still the possibility of an attack.

On balance, we believe that the benefits of cloud storage far outweigh the potential disadvantages so long as you choose your provider wisely.

If you’d like to find out about our secure cloud storage for business, please contact us on 01392 207194 or email us here.