Cloud storage is a must for any enterprise looking to securely store their data and resources online, especially if you want to be able to expand freely. It also allows those who have access to access those files and data from wherever they are. It’s important to note, however, that not all cloud storage services are created to be equal.
Knowing which type of cloud storage solution best suits you will ensure you get the most bang for your buck, whilst also ensuring your data is as safe as possible. Having said that, cloud storage generally doesn’t cost much, meaning it is almost always affordable.
How does cloud storage work?
Anyone who owns a phone or computer is probably aware of the headache that’s caused by running out of space on your device for new files. Luckily, there are multiple ways to solve this. Some people like to delete their old files, while others prefer to move their data across to an external hard drive. The third most popular option is to transfer all your data to the cloud, where it will be stored remotely.
What are the different types of enterprise storage?
There are four main types of enterprise cloud storage; private, public, hybrid and community. Each type comes with its own list of pros and cons, so be sure to choose the one that’s going to benefit your business the most.
Private cloud storage
This type of cloud storage is also referred to as enterprise storage, although all four types can be used by enterprises. It offers more security, scalability and greater user control than the other storage types. This makes it the most suitable cloud storage for large enterprises – in particular, enterprises that need an extra level of privacy and security. A few examples include the government, banks and healthcare providers.
However, the downside to private storage is that it can be quite a bit more expensive than public storage, which is often free. This is why smaller businesses often start with one of the other more affordable types of cloud storage until they expand. Some examples of private cloud storage include Dell, HPE, Oracle, and OpenStack.
Public cloud storage
This type of cloud storage is a great option for individual or smaller enterprises, because you have the benefit from not having to pay for it if they can’t afford to. Medium businesses might still want to stick to public storage and expand only as they need to. A few examples of public cloud storage solutions include Amazon Web Services, IBM Cloud, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure.
Unlike private cloud storage, public storage doesn’t require that you spend any money on maintenance, making it even more affordable. It’s easily scalable, reliable, and comes with seamless monitoring, too. The downside is that public storage is only free up until a certain point, at which you’ll have to pay to increase it.
Hybrid cloud storage
Hybrid cloud storage offers you the best of both worlds, by combining certain aspects of both private and public storage solutions. This type of cloud storage would benefit small to medium-sized enterprises the most, because it grants you access to a certain level of customisation, whilst also allowing your data to move freely publicly and privately depending on your security settings. A few examples of cloud storage providers that offer a hybrid approach include OpenShift, Cisco, Rackspace and VMware.
Community cloud storage
Another cloud variation is community cloud storage. As the name suggests, this type of cloud storage is mostly directed at communities. Much like public and hybrid cloud solutions, it’s also scalable, secure and affordable. This type of storage is often used by financial, health, compliance and legal enterprises, as it helps the enterprise understand the community’s needs better.
Community cloud storage allows specific organizations or departments to share and access the same information securely from different locations, making it highly collaborative. With this type of cloud storage you will also be able to access the cloud provider’s cloud architecture, development tools, and their software. By leveraging community cloud storage and easy CRM teams can effectively manage customer relationships and achieve business goals.
How do I pick the right cloud storage for my enterprise?
As you can see, there are many popular cloud storage solutions out there, all uniquely tailored to suit your enterprise’s needs. First, choose which type of storage you will benefit from the most. Once you’ve found the type for features that matter to you like, do they support third-party infrastructure monitoring tools, have they data transfer facility, and choose the one that sounds the best to you, go ahead and research a bit more about each provider and choose the one that sounds the best to you.
Although cloud providers and developers that are popular usually mean that they are also safe and reliable, always make sure that you double check their reviews and read up on them before making your final decision. Handing over your precious, personal data for someone else to look after, should never be taken lightly. If you can, ensure that there are also data backups should anything go wrong.
