Cloud Storage – Where Are We At?

Remote storage solutions have been around for many years.  The pendulum between local storage (and control) and remote storage has shifted several times over the course of storage technology.  Storage location and control has changed with the dominance of mainframes, client/server, PC, and the changes in price and capabilities of storage.  Cloud technology is the latest iteration of this trend, providing additional cost and capacity flexibility for users of storage.

As cloud technology takes shape it can be difficult to define the capabilities and benefits of this technology, however, there are two areas of cloud computing that have some very persuasive benefits: cloud storage and cloud back-up/recovery.  

They are slightly different services for slightly different needs but they both allow users to scale storage space requirements up, improve manageability and can be integrated easily to backup most all aspects of a businesses’ data requirements, from server to laptop.  We have reached a tipping point in terms of realising the cost and efficiency benefits of cloud-based storage solutions.

Is the Cloud Ready?

As interest in the cloud increases, there has been a lot of talk about the maturity and trustworthiness of cloud storage technologies.  Is it still hype or is it real?

Many end-users and IT managers are getting very excited about the potential benefits of cloud storage, such as being able to store and manipulate data in the cloud and capitalising on the promise of higher-performance, more scalable, and cheaper storage.

With so many benefits being bandied around, how can an end user considering a cloud storage solution ensure they select the best possible services whilst ensuring business continuity?  How can you know it is the right choice for you and your business?

As many well known – and many unknown – vendors compete to offer cloud storage services, there are increasing numbers of solutions available and not all are of equal quality, even if associated with a known brand name.  

It is essential to select a cloud storage solution from a company with experience in remote storage and a proven track record.  A vendor’s experience is paramount when selecting a reliable and accessible storage solution – do you want to pay someone to learn about storage?  

After all, you are trusting your company’s mission-critical business data to this vendor.  In short, the cloud is ready...just be sure you pick the right cloud.