Cloud-based data storage is a newer technology, so people fear it. Myths have popped up and continued based on misunderstandings about the technology.
Using the cloud for information storage is moving closer to becoming a standard business practice, but there are limitations. Companies are hesitant to move forward with cloud storage due to fears of data leaks and avoiding high costs. We are here to tell you that these myths and doubts are false. Using the cloud offers businesses a chance to cheaply, reliably, and simply meet many if not all of their IT needs.
In the rest of this post, we will break down the most common myths about the cloud and why they are wrong.
Cloud Myth #1: The Cloud Lacks Safety
This myth is the most common and most damaging. Just like any form of security, it depends on who supplies your service. If your provider has data encryption, your files will typically be safer than if they were on a local server.
To understand this concept better, let’s focus on two forms of data: latent, or inactive data kept in storage, and transit data, that data moving between centers or a center and a user’s terminal. Transit data scares most people. Remember, once data leaves your building, it becomes encrypted and is unavailable to hackers or criminals.
Security pathways, including HTTPS and SSL, look for the lock at the top right of your URL address bar, makes sure you have a safe way for your browser and a server to communicate. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) typically has two authentication levels for a user to gain access to an account. Think of a pin code in addition to the user’s card as a form of two-factor authentication.
Cloud Myth #2: The Cloud Lacks Reliability
Accessing your data when you need to is one of the most important aspects of cloud storage. Fortunately, 99.9% of uptime is a low parameter for cloud storage services. Amazon Web Services noted 2.41 hours of downtime in 2014 or 99.9974% of uptime. Google Compute Services had 4.46 hours of downtime during the same year resulting in 99.9815%.
Many companies, including Netflix, run software to explore potential system failures and how to prevent them. Hardware and network errors and software crashes are always possible, but with planning and professional attention, a service provider can avoid these issues before they come up.
Cloud Myth #3: The Cloud is too Expensive
In a word, nope. The cloud is an affordable service offering the large options a major company requires as well as scaled back services for small businesses. In this way, small companies can capitalize on the best quality at a price tailored to their budget.
When choosing IT services onsite, there are many associated costs. Some of those investment costs include installation, licensing, maintenance, onsite staff, updates, and more. With the cloud, the provider takes care of all those overhead costs, and you won’t need to make additional investments. Luckily, competition in providers pushes the price lower, giving you even more options.
StowPoint Software offers cloud file storage and data management services to businesses of all sizes. Give us a call today at (810) 653-5000 to chat through the opportunities cloud storage can offer your business.