Even though cloud storage has been around for a while, there is still a lot of misunderstanding about what it is.
Learn about Cloud Storage
According to Google, there were nearly a quarter million global searches for “what is cloud storage” in the last year, a 21% increase from the same time the year before. Cloud storage continues to be one of the more perplexing tech terms out there.
At its most basic level, cloud storage is simply accessible disk space for saving or retrieving files that is typically located in a data center. Typically, a company known as a hyperscaler owns and manages that space (e.g., Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Tencent, or Alibaba).
The fact that you are only renting the space—as you would in a condo or apartment—rather than owning it is crucial. In other words, you are renting a hard drive, SSD, tape, or another storage device in the cloud, or at least a portion of one. We will concentrate our attention in this article on user-friendly cloud storage systems for storing digital data.
Data as a Service: A New Paradigm
If you are of a certain age, you may recall purchasing audio CDs from the supermarket’s shelves. You would own the CD and be able to use it however you pleased. When Spotify arrived, everything changed, including the requirement that you pay a monthly fee for unlimited access to music’s entire history. No need to purchase CDs or transport your collection.
Like traditional storage, cloud storage typically charges based on usage (Backblaze is one notable exception). You can access as much data as you need, whenever you need it, and you won’t have to worry about things like theft, after-sales, power consumption, incidents, and subsequent data recovery, being able to access data from any location, etc. that come with owning a storage device.
What’s the difference between cloud computing and cloud storage?
You can use your own smartphone or computer as a benchmark. A computer can only transmit, store, or compute data; as a result, cloud storage is a subset of cloud computing that only occurs online. Any type of on-demand computer-related service that can be performed by a service provider, typically as a subscription, is referred to as “cloud computing” in general. Visit our more detailed article on cloud computing.
Nearly 17 years ago, Amazon became the first company to introduce cloud computing at scale with a cloud storage service. Simple Storage Service (S3) is an object-based storage service that differs from typical business or consumer cloud storage; it gave rise to about a dozen other storage-based services on Amazon Web Services. As of October 2022, AWS(opens in new tab) had expanded into a vast, sprawling ecosystem with 25 categories and more than 200 services.
Although it addresses a business audience, Amazon’s definition of cloud storage also applies to consumers. A cloud computing provider who manages and runs data storage as a service is used in this model to store data on the Internet. It eliminates the need to purchase and manage your own data storage infrastructure because it is delivered on demand with just-in-time capacity and costs. You gain flexibility, durability, and “anytime, anywhere” data access as a result.
Where is cloud storage data located?
As was already mentioned, the majority of the time, your data is kept in a data center that is either operated by a data center operator or owned by a hyperscaler. In the cloud, data is kept in this location. In a manner similar to dedicated server hosting, colocation providers, or bare metal hosting, a service provider like iDrive will rent space and amenities (lights, electricity, cooling), and then deploy its own cloud storage services.
To reduce the chance that your data will be lost in the event of a catastrophic event, the best cloud storage providers will save multiple copies of your data across multiple data centers (e.g. Tsunami, Typhoon, earthquake, war or even fires). Even the biggest players have experienced that, and it could have a long-lasting negative effect on businesses.
Others take things a step further by storing your data across thousands of devices, creating a massive number of mirrors that make losing all of your data all but impossible. Two of the most well-known advocates of this radically different strategy for decentralized cloud storage are Cubbit and Storj. It embraces peer-to-peer technology, which is the same idea behind torrenting and BitTorrent.
How many companies offer cloud storage?
In addition to hosting other companies’ cloud storage services, hyperscalers also provide their cloud storage services (such as Google Drive, Amazon Drive, Apple iCloud, OneDrive, and Terabox). For instance, one of Amazon Web Services’ largest clients is Dropbox. We have a tutorial for setting up your own cloud storage provider because it is so simple.
As a result, there are numerous services that provide some cloud storage; you may see them referred to as online backup, cloud backup, online drives, file hosting, and other terms, but they are all essentially cloud storage with additional features added by unique apps or web consoles. As of October 2022, we’ve reviewed around 50 of them which is probably a quarter of the total number of providers in the market.
However, you won’t have to travel very far because there’s a good chance you already have access to a cloud storage service. For instance, free Google accounts come with 15GB of cloud storage space via the Google Drive app, while Facebook and Twitter offer free online storage when users can store photos and videos on their servers.
What are the benefits of cloud storage?
You are shielded from all types of data catastrophes by storing your data in the cloud. Having your files out of harm’s way will help you avoid a great deal of suffering, whether it be due to a failed hard drive, a lost laptop, or a ransomware attack.
Compared to many alternatives, sharing files in the cloud is safer and simpler. Your data is only adequately protected by wishful thinking when you send something by email or copy it to a USB key (“No one else has access to that email account, right?”). Cloud storage companies typically enable file encryption as soon as they leave your device and then give you a variety of secure sharing options.
You can access files directly from your storage using many services without downloading them first. For instance, you might be able to stream a large video from the cloud. You can frequently work on documents, perhaps with two people editing the same one at once.
Additionally, storing files in the cloud offers them genuine damage protection. You deleted something by mistake. It’s typically in the recycle bin; make a severe error in the most recent edits. A real lifesaver, you can frequently restore any previous version of the document from the past 30 days or more.
Should we trust cloud storage providers?
Since it’s crucial to know a cloud storage service can be trusted with your files, the majority of providers take great care to ensure their security. For instance, they’ll use a secure encrypted connection to upload and download files. Data centers with the highest levels of security make sure that no unauthorized individuals have access to their servers, and even if they did, cutting-edge encryption (opens in a new tab) would stop an attacker from viewing your data.
While price is important when selecting a cloud storage provider, trust comes first. What good is it to save a few dollars a month if you can’t be sure that your data is secure, unaltered, and completely private? One of the more established players in the cloud storage industry is probably the best secure cloud storage provider.
Want to know more about unlimited storage for your Google Drive?
Expand storage space on your Google Drive with Shared Drive (Team drive):
- Unlimited cloud storage
- Lifetime access
- Private data safety
- Sharing with your members
- Apply to your existing Gmail
Top 5 free cloud drives. What Cloud Storage Providers Offer the Most Free Storage?
If you don’t already pay for cloud storage, you probably won’t be eager to subscribe without first testing it. Thanks to the abundance of free online storage services, you may exchange images and videos, listen to your favorite music, and keep data online. The top 5 of free cloud storage options available right now are listed below.
Key Takeaways:
- pCloud, Sync.com and Icedrive are the best free cloud storage providers due to their combination of features, ease of use, security and privacy.
- MEGA offers more storage than any other free cloud storage service with 20GB by default, which can be further expanded for a single year.
- Google Drive, OneDrive and iCloud are all good free cloud storage providers if you’re already invested in their respective ecosystems and aren’t overly concerned with privacy.
- IDrive, despite being an online backup service, offers enough hybrid features to qualify as one of the best free cloud storage providers.
1. Google Drive — Best Free Cloud Drive for File Sharing
More details about Google Drive:
- Free storage: 15GB
- Provider Website: google.com/drive
Pros:
- Integrates with Google services
- Great for collaboration
- 15GB free cloud storage
- Extremely easy to use
- Expand to unlimited storage with Google Shared Drive
Cons:
- Unclear privacy regulations
- No private encryption
- Terrible privacy track record
2. Microsoft OneDrive: Excellent for Windows
More details about Microsoft OneDrive:
- Free storage default: 5GB, expandable to 10GB with referrals (500MB each)
- Provider website: onedrive.com
Pros:
- Integrates with Office 365 & Windows
- Good collaboration tools
- Free storage of up to 10GB
Cons:
- No zero-knowledge security
- Limited features on free plan
3. Apple iCloud: Free Space for Mac and iOS
If you’re an Apple user who doesn’t want to think too much about your cloud storage, then iCloud is probably the solution for you.
More details about Apple iCloud:
- Free storage: 5GB
- Provider website: icloud.com
Pros:
- Seamless integration with Apple devices & apps
Cons:
- Difficult to use on non-Apple devices
- No zero-knowledge security
- Few native features
4. Dropbox: The Grandfather of Cloud Storage
More details about Dropbox:
- Free storage: 2GB; expandable to 16GB with referrals (500MB each)
- Provider website: dropbox.com
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Good syncing capabilities
- Free storage of up to 16GB
- Great speeds
Cons:
- Only 2GB of default storage
- Previous data breaches
- Not the best for privacy
5. Degoo
More details about Degoo:
- Free storage: 100GB
- Provider website: degoo.com
Pros:
- Big free storage: up to 100GB
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Slow speed
- Application got some bugs.
