The simple answer is yes. To prove this, here a detailed analysis is given on why more and more small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are opting for cloud storage. It mainly has to do with reflecting upon the ultimate goal of any business, i.e., cloud storage helps businesses grow and increase profits by saving upon cost, time and resources.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have increasingly started using cloud storage. To understand, cloud storage provides a virtual space for processing and storing data. This happens without the need for any physical infrastructure. Cloud storage thus helps manage data off-site, without the fear of data loss.
Cloud services hold a number of benefits for all forms of businesses. Such as, businesses can use the medium to back up their important data. Backup plans help make sure that no valuable information is lost. Even by just using a cloud storage service as the primary storage medium, chances of data loss decreases. A number of other benefits include accessibility, no need to maintain the server, cost-saving, easy data management and security.
Table of Contents
ToggleReasons why Businesses use Cloud Storage
Let’s look at a detailed explanation of the advantages contributing to the use of cloud storage by small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)
1.Ease in Accessibility
Most businesses today require ease in access to the data kept in the storage platform. In the case of a cloud storage service, the platform provides easy access to the data along with file sharing. The data on the cloud can be accessed from a number of devices. Users can access the data from their mobile apps, pc or any related device.
For businesses, mobility is an extremely important factor. Employees require flexibility in accessing data. Through cloud storage platforms, employees no longer feel restricted in accessing important information. Access to data is granted over a simple internet connection.
Employees can even edit, download or upload files while moving around. Physical storage systems such as hard drives limit access to data. This is a primary reason why SMBs today prefer opting for cloud storage services more and more. Examples of popular cloud storage services in the market today include Google Drive, Backup Everything, Dropbox or Apple iCloud.
2. Easy Backup and Recovery Option
Having a backup plan ready for your business data is extremely important. If any valuable information is lost, considerable long term damage can be done. This is why SMBs need to prepare well in advance for all worst-case scenarios such as data loss.
A contingency plan for data loss involves keeping all valuable data backed up. To do this, more and more businesses are opting for cloud storage every day. This is because of the added advantages when compared with physical storage systems.
Online storage has added reliability for backups. This is because physical storage mediums are prone to physical damage. Meanwhile, the data in the cloud does not have a physical presence and thus remove this risk.
Off-site servers ensure that multiple copies of the same file exist in different locations. This decreases the chances of any data loss. Additionally, recovery of the data becomes much easier as well. SMBs thus prefer cloud storage services because of the ease in backup and recovery offered.
3. Security and Privacy
A primary reason for opting for cloud storage services is improved data security. While breaches have occurred in the past, cloud storage platforms are generally more secure than physical storage systems. A primary reason for this is the constant attention of vendors to security, which is often not the case in a physical on-site storage system.
SMBs cannot afford to have valuable data compromised. A leak in any sensitive information such as employee details, billing information or financial details could be disastrous. This is why businesses need complete reliability that the cloud storage service is secure.
4. Low cost
Cloud based services offer cost-friendly solutions to data storage. This is because businesses can buy storage space according to their needs. When more space is needed, they can simply buy more. This ability to scale according to needs saves a significant amount of money. Businesses can even buy unlimited storage if they need to manage excessively large volumes of data.
Businesses also save cost in avoiding building an on-site infrastructure. This on-site infrastructure is usually in the form of a data center where servers are kept. Because these are handled by the cloud storage vendor, businesses can save cost in terms of building and maintaining all of it themselves. Such mitigation in budget concern can be extremely advantageous for small to medium size businesses. Businesses can pay for what they use, without worrying about large investments for data management.
5. Easy Integration
Most cloud storage services can easily integrate with other software. This helps provide a more structured approach toward data management. Syncing helps in this regard to ensure data is automatically backed up.
The ability of cloud storage services to preserve information from other software increases ease in data management. Businesses use multiple applications and thus a good cloud-storage service will integrate data from all of these within a central platform.
Final Note
Cloud storage services outrank other storage mediums in terms of performance and functionality. For businesses, choosing cloud-storage means an efficient allocation of resources. This helps cut down on resources and grow organizational profit.
Especially for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), it’s important to manage your valuable data. Cloud based storage helps manage and use this data in an efficient manner while proving to be better than the alternatives. This helps the company grow and ultimately leads to increase in revenue.