A practical and safe way to keep your important files and data safe and easily available from any device is to use cloud storage and backup services. Whether you’re looking for personal cloud storage or you need a cloud storage solution for your business, cloud storage services offer excellent scalability and immediate access with internet connectivity. But how can you pick the best cloud platform for your needs when there are so many options available? How do you protect yourself from pricing schemes and offers like an AWS Free Tier subscription?
Well, the strategies indicated below can assist you in selecting the attributes to look for while keeping your needs and preferences in mind. Although cloud storage may seem like an abstract idea, there are actual and practical distinctions, especially when looking at how competing services manage data. As a result, choosing the right provider can have a big impact on your user experience and overall data security.
Preparatory Stage
You must first decide how you plan to use the cloud storage system before choosing a cloud service provider. If you don’t know the kind of data you’ll be keeping, and how often you’ll need to access them, it will be difficult for you to determine which features are essential to you when evaluating different platforms. You should also consider whether you want a platform that focuses on cloud storage or cloud backup. Despite the fact that these phrases sound similar, they differ significantly in a number of ways.
Personal or Professional
A major consideration in cloud services is the amount of space that you’ll be getting. In line with this, you should consider what you will be needing the cloud for. If you’re just going to use it for keeping personal files and data, then it might be wise to select an option with less storage space so that you can save some money down the line. If it’s going to be applied in a business or corporate setting, then consider a more extensive package. In such a scenario, you will definitely be taking advantage of multiple features. You really need to take into account the intended purpose of the cloud service before finalizing a particular decision.
Cost and Budget
Another thing to consider is your budget. This is more of a concern in businesses or in companies because budgets are often defined and quite strict. If it’s just for personal use, then it won’t be much of a problem because you can easily adjust your budget accordingly. But if it’s already allocated and prepared, then it might be difficult to request a bigger budget in case you come up short. In addressing this concern, it would be best to compile a list of all the service providers into one portfolio, along with the costs. Subsequently, submit this portfolio to your finance department so that they can consider it when creating the budget. If this is not possible, then understand that there will be some sort of limitations and compromises that you will have to make if you strictly go by cost alone.
Evaluate Your Service Provider
As we have mentioned earlier, there are plenty of companies that offer cloud services. As such, it is rather easy to get overwhelmed by your choices. But before you sign up for a subscription, be sure to evaluate your service provider first. Primarily, this could be done by requesting a report of their track record for uptime and downtime. Through this, you can see how often the system breaks down or how quickly they can get it back up. You could also ask other people and other clients for their feedback on the services of the service provider that you intend to subscribe to. Do not rush into a contract if you don’t know the provider and if you are not fully confident with your business relationship with them.
