Cloud storage is a space for files on a server somewhere on the Internet. Lots of companies offer cloud storage; the big names we’re familiar with are Microsoft’s OneDrive, Dropbox, Apple’s iCloud, and Google Drive, but there are lots more too. Most cloud services will store any type of files, some are just for backups, and some are just for photos.
There are several main ways to use cloud storage:
1.) You can back-up to the Cloud regularly or manually. This is useful for making an off-site backup of your files. Companies like Carbonite, Iperius and WD specialise in cloud backup services.
2.) You can “Sync” to the Cloud where your files are automatically copied up to the Cloud as you use them. This is useful if you jump between computers and the synchronisation will make your files available on all devices. Dropbox and OneDrive are particularly good for this.
3.) You can off-load or archive files to the Cloud. Your files only exist in the Cloud and are downloaded to the device when you use them. This is useful if you have devices with small internal storage. Apple’s iCloud is common for this on Mac computers, OneDrive and Dropbox on PC can also do this.
4.) You can collaborate in the Cloud. If you work on projects with other people then a shard cloud folder is a great way to work on documents together.
5.) Share Files. You can use cloud storage to send large files to other people.
However you use cloud storage it’s important to keep a local backup, as sometimes things go wrong in the Cloud or an account or security issue could delete or infect your files in the Cloud, so a local backup of your data is still essential.
There are drawbacks of cloud storage: Cloud storage uses a lot of bandwidth so if you have a slow internet connection then it’s not a good idea to use Cloud storage. Cloud storage costs are ongoing and costs vary depending on space used (although OneDrive storage is included with Microsoft 365.) Cloud apps eat up resources on your computer so if you have an older computer then this can have a performance impact. Using multiple cloud apps can have a very bad performance impact, we see this often with OneDrive and DropBox on the same computer causing performance issues.
Be careful of the setup scams too: most cloud apps try to lure you into uploading all your files during the setup, which they make sound fantastic but the storage quota can get used up very quickly and then higher tariffs apply. Once a cloud app has got your Desktop, Documents and Photos folders synced it can be a real pain to get them back to normal.
I hope you find this information useful. If you would like to see a particular subject covered then please feel free to ask at www.alfindlay.com.
Al Findlay | Freelance IT & AV Support Consultant | Website design and Hosting | www.AlFindlay.com | 01395 542500