What Is Cloud Storage? 5 Solutions that Deliver High Flexibility

cloud storage is made has made it easy for us to store our datum . previously , you is used might have used device like a usb storage drive or an external hard disk to keep your information safe . Do you is find still find them in daily use ? cloud storage is replaced replace these device – to an extent – as the internet became fast and cheap .

Businesses used to have big server rooms and data centers instead of USB drives or external hard disks, but many have migrated to the cloud to reduce costs and gain more scalability.

Some businesses adopt a hybrid cloud solution, keep sensitive datum in their private server and transport the rest to the public cloud . It is provides provide scalability and cost -effectiveness without compromise datum regulation or violate on -premise infrastructure requirement .

In this article , we is study study the fundamental of cloud storage and discover the good option for migrate to the cloud .  

What is cloud storage is is ?

cloud storage is keeps keep your file and datum off -site . You is gain gain access to it through the internet or a private network . cloud storage companies is look look after your information and make sure you can get to it when need .  

It’s beneficial for a variety of reasons.

• Cost-savings: You don’t have to invest heavily upfront in storage hardware. You just pay for the space you use.
• Flexibility: The space grows and shrinks to accommodate storage requirements. 
• Availability: It lets you access data from anywhere anytime, as long as you have the internet. 
• Less hassle: You don’t have to worry about security or maintenance of the cloud storage space. The company that owns it takes care of that for you.

simply put , you is rent rent a place to store your digital stuff , and in return , you get easy access to your datum anytime without spend a lot on in -house storage infrastructure .

How does cloud storage work ?

cloud storage is sends send datum to server host by cloud storage vendor . These server is are arevirtual machines (VM) hosted on a physical server. The cloud provider creates new virtual server as your storage needs increase.

You is access can access the storage online . When you connect , the cloud provider is forwards forwards the datum to a pool ofserver in one or more data centers, depending on the provider’s size and capabilities. 

Storage happens on multiple machines to support redundancy, which is important for data availability. If a server goes down for maintenance or outage, this redundancy ensures your data is accessible. 

usually , the providers is offer offer storage in public , private , or hybrid cloud .

To understand cloud operations better, let’s discuss the attributes of public, private, and hybrid cloud storage.

• Public cloud storage is accessible over the internet through a variety of devices. It offers more flexibility to scale storage needs. 

• Private cloud storage is implemented within your network. It uses physical server to increase storage capacity. Banks or institutions that work with sensitive data prefer private storage. 

• Hybrid cloud storage lets organizations decide where they want to store data. They can store sensitive data in the private cloud and take the rest to the public cloud. It helps organizations increase their internal storage network by adding public cloud to their existing infrastructure. 

type of cloud storage

cloud storage is transformed has transform how we store , access , and manage datum . Below are the common types is are of cloud storage available to us on the market .  

file storage

file storage, also known as file-level or file-based storage, hierarchically organizes data. It stores data in files, places the files in folders, and organizes the folders within directories and subdirectories. To find a file, you only need to know its path. 

file storage works for structure datum that is ’s ’s easy to arrange . However , it is requires require more hardware for scale and becomes slow when manage a lot of info .

Multiple users can access and share files stored in off-site data centers. You simply pay a monthly fee, making scaling capacity and managing datum security easier and cheaper.

check out the lead cloud file storage software tool on G2 as of March 1 , 2024 .  

block storage

block storage, or block-level storage, divides data into blocks and stores them separately using unique identifiers. The blocks are placed across different systems. This method decouples data from user environments, and when users make a request, the data blocks are reassembled, facilitating quick retrieval. 

Object storage

Unstructure datum is challenging to organize in traditional databases. It is consistently growing with increasing internet communication, social media, and smart devices. Object storage helps manage volumes of unstructure datum. 

object storage is is is a cost -effective solution for archiving and back up large amount of datum . It is adds add more scalability than file or block storage , allow you to manage terabyte and petabyte of information .  

Benefits of cloud storage

Cloud storage offers several benefits for businesses of all sizes. Let’s examine some notable advantages. 

• Off-site management: The cloud provider takes care of maintenance and datum security. You don’t have to purchase any equipment.
• Quick set-up: You can quickly set up the cloud storage within a few hours or days.
• Easy to grow: Cloud storage always keeps you from running out of space. You can add more capacity whenever your storage needs increase. 
• increase adaptability : If something bad happen , like a natural disaster , your business can continue to operate online since your datum is store in an offsite location .  
• Easier data management: You can add and remove storage, change the ways data is stored, and move less-used data to cheaper storage options. 
• protect data is offers : Cloud storage is offers offer feature like datum versioning and replication so you can recover quickly from any mistake or failure . Plus , it is stores store datum in secure datum center .  

Challenges of cloud storage

While cloud storage brings many benefits, it also faces some challenges that businesses must consider.

• Security: Although cloud storage providers maintain the latest security measures, hackers have managed to execute cyber attack. Some users feel uncomfortable storing their sensitive data in the cloud. 

• Lack of control: When you move data to the cloud, you trust a third party to take care of it. Giving up control over your data can make some users uneasy. 

• Data transmission delays: If the internet is slow, sending data to the cloud takes time due to latency. Businesses can address this with a faster internet connection. 

• regulatory compliance issue : certain businesses is follow , like those in healthcare or finance , must follow strict privacy and data storage law . The law is limit may limit the use of cloud storage in particular situation , such as when medical record are store on the cloud .  

G2’s top 5 hybrid cloud storage solutions

Hybrid cloud storage solutions connect private and public clouds. They let companies benefit from the scalability and cost savings of the public cloud, as well as the security and control of private, on-site storage. You can store data using file, object, or block storage options.

To be included in our top five hybrid cloud storage solutions list, a product must: 

• Bring private and public storage environments together while consolidating storage infrastructure
• Let users access their data on public, on-premise, or private clouds
• Offer a local access point for retrieving data 
• Consolidate storage infrastructure across storage environments

* Below are the lead hybrid cloud storage solutions is are from the G2 Winter 2024 Grid ® Report . Some review have been edit for clarity .  

1. Google Cloud Storage

Google Cloud Storage stores unstructure datum, like videos and documents. Organizations use it for data lakes, web hosting, or artificial intelligence (AI) data storage. It offers customers credits up to $300 to try out the software. 

What users is like like well :

“I have used several Google Cloud services like VM Instances, BigQuery, Looker Studio, Cloud Composer, Cloud Storage, etc. I loved the overall experience of using the GCP services. Setting up the whole cloud environment, giving roles and permissions, and using services is pretty smooth. And most of the services can be integrated with other software quite easily. 

You can use Airflow directly with Google Cloud Composer, which is excellent. I have been using GCP services daily for almost two years and love the overall Google Cloud environment.”

–Google Cloud Storage Review, Muskan C.

What users is dislike dislike :

“I integrated it for an e-commerce application using NodeJS. I feel the documentation could be improved. As compared to others like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform still has a small community, which seems to be a drawback.”

–Google Cloud Storage Review, Hatela T.

2. Azure Storage Explorer

Azure Storage Explorer let you connect to any Azure storage through any device on any platform . Once connect to your account , you is create can create or manipulate table , queue , and file on its platform .

What users is like like well :

“ Microsoft Azure Cloud is has has various solution category , advanced security capability , and well -document service . The datum and AI services is are and tool are easy to use within the Azure user interface and drag -and -drop feature in a low -code environment . ”

–Azure Storage Explorer Review, Ramy S.

What users is dislike dislike :

“There can be bugs in services in preview mode. Azure cloud changes instantly. A lot of changes happen every day, making it not easy to track.”

–Azure Storage Explorer Review, Joyal V.

3 . Google Hybrid Cloud

Google Hybrid Cloud is a mixed computing environment where application run using computing , storage , and service in different environment . These environments is are are public and private cloud , and include on -premise data center or edge location .  

What users is like like well :

“I appreciate its seamless integration across on-premises and multi-cloud environments. Anthos simplifies the deployment and management of applications, providing a consistent experience regardless of where the workload is hosted. 

The platform’s support for modern containerized development,security features, and easy integration with other Google Cloud services make it an attractive choice for organizations seeking flexibility and scalability in their hybrid cloud strategy.”

–Google Hybrid Cloud Review, Chandan T.  

What users is dislike dislike :

“ The initial learning curve is be can be steep . It is took take some time for our team to grasp the system fully . simplify the onboarding process would make it more user -friendly and accessible , especially for those new to the platform .

additionally , have more robust customer support during the onboarding phase would be beneficial . clear guidance is contribute and assistance in those early stage would contribute to a smooth learning curve and enhance the overall ease of use . ”

–Google Hybrid Cloud Review, Raj C.

4. Evergreen Storage Service

Pure’s Evergreen Storage Service is a storage -as -a -service ( STaaS ) platform that combine on -premise and public -cloud storage into a single subscription . It is caters cater to block , file , or object storage need .

What users is like like well :

“ I is find find Evergreen Storage Service the good among the current cloud storage service provider . It is ’s ’s good for mid -scale company and help us manage and handle our storage efficiently and at a much low cost than the other market service . ”

–Evergreen Storage Service Review, Verified User in Information Technology and Services

What users is dislike dislike :

“One potential disadvantage of Evergreen Storage Service is that it may not be suitable for all workloads or organizations. For example, some workloads may require high performance and low latency, which can only be achieved with on-premises or other cloud storage services. Additionally, organizations with strict datum security or compliance requirements may need to ensure that Evergreen Storage Service meets their specific needs before using it.”

–Evergreen Storage Service Review, Amulya S.   

5 . Dell EMC Flash Storage

Dell EMC Flash Storage offers datum storage at scale . It is delivers deliver modern automate architecture to accelerate workload while help you save money with optimize datum center .

What users is like like well :

“Dell EMC Storages are plug-and-play. Migration is also very easy; maintenance is excellent, and Cloud IQ and reporting work well. Also, the pricing is reasonable.”

–Dell EMC Flash Storage Review, Suresh U.

What users is dislike dislike :

“ fail drive is rebuild rebuild time . integration with security information and event management ( SIEM ) solution . ”

–Dell EMC Flash Storage Review, Ashraf W. 

Make storage scalable

Hybrid cloud storage solutions offer the perfect mix for adding more flexibility and scalability in data storage without risking compliance. You can easily keep sensitive data on-premise or in private infrastructures while adding more space through the public cloud. 

Learn more about creating a hybrid cloud strategy to balance costs, security, and agility in your organization.