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5 Best Cloud Storage services for Businesses in 2015

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The 21st century brought with it a paradigm shift in the way businesses would conduct their operations owing to the rise of the digital economy. Now that cloud computing has swept the entire industry, with cloud spending expected to hit as high as $52bn dollars in the next 4 years, businesses are quickly responding to cloud due to its myriad advantages, offering considerable cost efficiencies and competitive advantages.

A number of companies have sprung up, each offering business dedicated cloud service solutions to realize business goals and requirements. One business need above all is the need to store large datasets with most processes and activities becoming increasingly highly data-driven. Companies such as Box and DropBox as well as tech giants such as Google and Microsoft have all tailored solutions to meet this growing requirement.

With so many cloud-based file storage options to choose from, we provide a list of the best 5 services you need to know about to make the right choice regarding the best cloud file storage system.

5 Best Cloud Storage services for Your Businesses in 2015 – details and features:
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DropBox

Details: The free Basic account comes with 2 GBs of data storage, which is sufficient enough for storing files and documents. However, if your storage data consists of rich media such as photos, videos, and music, the Basic account will not offer you the best; but you could upgrade to the 1TB Pro option for a fee of $9.99 a month.

Best feature: The DropBox file storage system has a unique way of syncing all of your data, whether online or offline, to the online cloud network, via the creation of a local online folder. Although this does not apply to the mobile platform, the files can be selected to be displayed offline and the editing options are some of the best on offer today. Another advantage for clients is the lack of restriction on individual file size.

Box

Details: While it may be easy to mistake Box for DropBox, the former has been in the cloud storage business a lot longer. Since its inception in 2005, the cloud file storage company gives a generous 10 GB storage space as part of the free account. However, the catch of the 250MB file size restriction may put off many business users, the file size restriction size being lower that that of many other cloud storage service providers.

Best feature: The Box cloud provides seamless integration with a wide variety of applications and programs such as Salesforce.com, Microsoft SharePoint, Google Apps, and NetSuite. This makes Box one of the best file sharing as well as productivity apps for enterprises.

OneDrive

Details: This Microsoft cloud file storage solution is in many ways similar to DropBox in terms of features. However, what makes OneDrive different is the 15GB free file storage option. Coupled with the limited 5GB data that can be gained via the referral system, OneDrive gives you a total free data storage space of 20GB. Another reason to consider OneDrive is the 1TB file storage option that businesses get as part of their subscription with Office 365.

Best feature: OneDrive has a number of features that increase its convenience and relevance. One of these is the ease of sharing files with your friends and colleagues. With this, you are given the feature of setting permissions from read-only to full editing capability, all of which can be done from your free account.

Google Drive

Details: If you use Gmail or have a YouTube account, then you might already have a free Google Drive account without realizing it. Google Drive is Google’s main cloud file storage service, packing 15GBs of free data storage capacity across its various applications such as Google Calendar, Google+, and more.

Best feature: Google Drive offers two storage options to satisfy your file storage needs. The first option, called ‘High quality’, is independent of your 15GB storage space, which allows you to stack up on your favorite videos and photos at a reduces file space. The ‘Original’ file storage on the other hand, covers the files and documents you upload through Google Docs, Presentations, Slides, and Drawings.

iCloud

Details: iCloud is Apple’s very own cloud file storage system that seamlessly connects and integrates with any Apple device whether it is your iPod touch, iPhone, or Mac. The iCloud Photo Library allows you to store high quality images and videos and share it with your colleagues and friends. More importantly, the iCloud Drive is a shared cloud system, meaning that you can easily access your files from any iOS device that you own.

Best feature: The ‘Find My iPhone’ cloud integration feature allows you to find your iPhone even if you lose it. This may come in very handy considering the usefulness of staying mobile for office work and having a high likelihood of leaving it in the conference room or under a couch or pillow. In fact, the cloud feature can be used to locate your Apple device whether it is an iPad or a Mac computer.

More Than 84 Percent Of Organizations Use Or Plan To Use Cloud Storage – Find Out Why!

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The notion of “Cloud Storage” has been intensely debated over the past months, as research suggests that five out of six businesses either use or plan to use cloud storage in the near future. At the same time, a study conducted by TwinStrata, Inc. has revealed that one out of three businesses has already been using cloud storage for more than three years.

In addition to this, the same study suggests that the number of companies that have implemented SaaS, PaaS or IaaS has also increased over the past several years. More than 84% of the total number of businesses either use or consider using cloud storage in the future, due to its numerous benefits. This study was conducted at the beginning of 2013 and it was aimed at cloud-friendly respondents.

The statistics are impressive, but what is the fuss all about? In a nutshell, cloud storage refers to a model of enterprise storage where all the data is kept not just on the computer, but also in virtualized pools where it can be easily accessed by other users. This new and innovative form of data storage has numerous benefits, this is why it has become very sought-after in the business industry.

Given these impressive statistics, it’s perfectly fine to ask yourself why are businesses so interested in this innovative type of storage? The answer is very simple: the most notable benefit of cloud computing is the expansion of the storage space. Otherwise stated, organizations have more space to store important data, the information is safe and secure and it can be accessed on a 24/7 basis. Besides this, another important advantage is that users can access the platform regardless of their location, given the fact that the data is stored in a virtual pool on the Internet, rather than on a physical computer. This improves scalability and it facilitates access to information.

A Closer Look At The Statistics

Another reason that has determined the migration of businesses from traditional storage to cloud storage is the fact that storage capacity demands are outpacing the storage density growth. Statistics show that the storage density grows by no more than 20% a year, while the demand grows by up to 60% a year, which is three times faster. In other words, enterprises face the risk of running out of space where they can safely store their data.

This is where cloud storage steps in and offers business owners the peace of mind they need. The same statistics reveal that in the past year, the use of cloud services has increased steadily: the use of software as a service and platform as a service has increased by 10% as compared to the previous year.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, these encouraging statistics reveal a promising future for cloud services. Businesses all around the world are the ones that benefit the most from the expansion of cloud storage, as this is a safer, more reliable, more efficient and more convenient alternative to traditional means of storing the information.

Is Google Going to be Everyone’s IT Department?

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Article first published as Is Google Going to be Everyone’s IT Department? on Technorati.

You know those computers from the 1950s you’ve seen pictures of? The ones that filled whole walls and ran on punch cards?

Well, to the 14-year-old who you’re going to be hiring in 10 years, that’s kind of how the computer setup in the standard modern office looks. From the Windows operating systems on the screens to the computer towers set awkwardly on the floor below the desks, the whole thing seems absurdly clunky.

Of course, right now, that 14-year-old’s use of technology centers on text messages and Xbox games, but when she joins the workforce in a few years, she’ll expect a work machine that exudes power while taking up almost no space.

Google is doing its best to make that vision a reality with the Chromebox and Chromebook, machines that are not so much computers as portals into Google-land.

After years of racing to give businesses and individuals bigger hard drives with more memory, Google and other technology companies have decided that’s not what we need at all. Instead, the expectation behind the Chrome devices is that we’re online all the time, so we can work and play in the cloud.

With the Chromebox or Chromebook, you have instant access to everything you’ve saved on Google Drive, which Google hopes will be all your documents. The company markets its Google Apps to small businesses as a way to replace their servers with effortless cloud storage, documents that offer access to multiple employees, and shared calendars. Of course, Gmail and Google Chat are also part of the package.

Aside from getting rid of all that old hardware, the attractiveness of this model lies partly in escaping the hassles of administering your own IT systems. Google archives your documents and email based on your retention settings and offers options to help keep you protected from audits and lawsuits. It also makes sure your data is backed up and that the roof above your server isn’t leaking.

It also makes your documents accessible from any device, which means that in 10 years that 14-year-old will be able to use whatever technology is current then (Computer watch? iNecklace?) to work from anywhere.