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Published June 13th, 2016 by

Getting the Right Cloud Storage: Tips and Tricks to Follow

Getting the Right Cloud Storage: Tips and Tricks to Follow

More and more people are using cloud storage to save and keep their files and documents. One of the advantages of using the cloud is that it can be accessed anywhere. There are many free cloud storage available in the application market. But using free cloud storage means that the features are also limited. There would be limited space and less security. It would be better to be a paying customer if you want upload large files and sensitive documents. If you plan to be a paying customer, here are some tips and tricks to follow so you would get the right cloud storage.

Provider’s Financial Capability

First and foremost, you should consider your budget. How much are you willing to spend for an online storage? Do you plan to pay monthly fees or a one-time pay? If you don’t have the money, then why bother looking into some cloud file storage services. Getting a quality storage service means paying a good amount of money. There are companies that will offer their storage for affordable prices. You could get about five to ten gigabytes of space for $5- 10 a month. There are also others that will offer up to five terabytes of space for a bigger sum of money. The price of one plan would depend on the amount of space the service provider will provide. If you plan to upload very large files, then it is best to get the cloud storage with some big allotments. This also means more money, but if it is in your budget then go ahead.

Security and Encryption

One of the most important things that you have to look into when considering a cloud storage company is their security. How seriously do they take the cloud’s security. This is a crucial question because uploading your files onto the internet poses a risk. Look into the company’s policy about encryption and evaluate their stand. Check the privacy policy of the company to see who has access to your files and if it will be secured. If the security is compromised, then you might as well use free cloud. You are paying them fees to keep your files and documents and to maintain them as damage and theft free. You should also look into having the encryption keys if your files are indeed being encrypted by the service provider. Be sure to check if the service provider is also well documented and legal in the country where it is based. You want to have something tangible to hold on to if you plan to hand over your files to their cloud.

Compliance With Regulations

Every cloud storage service provider follows certain set of rules where their data centers are located. Make sure that the service provider you choose follows these regulations. This is so you know how they will handle things when problems arise. An example would be, how would they restore data if a disaster occurs. What are their regulations regarding this? Having a data center that is located locally will make it easier for the service provider to retrieve information. So you should look for a service provider that has a data center which is placed locally. Having them locally, you can also research the laws that govern them so you know what they are. Another good reason for this is that you can visit them to ascertain they are still working anytime you want to. A problem is regulations for a country or locality always changes so be sure to be updated regularly on the company’s rules and regulations.

Customer Base and Performance

One thing to look for is the company’s customer base and performance. Read cloud file storage service reviews to see how satisfied the customer base of the certain company is. By reading reviews you can know the unbiased opinion of other users. You can make judgments based on their sentiments and this will help you in choosing the top cloud file storage services. Look also if the customer base of the company is established or not. You can check if their customer base is growing or dwindling. A growing customer base can be a good thing. For this might mean that more people are being encouraged to try them. On the other hand, a dwindling customer base might mean that something went wrong or a lot of their users are disappointed with their service. Looking at the customer base is very important when choosing a cloud backup provider.

Reliability and Availability

Availability means the available space in your storage. If you upload large files, then you would need more space and storage. Choosing the availability would really depend on your storage use and need. Different service providers will give different sizes of storage. Sometimes you can get a bigger size storage from a different company for the same price, so you really have to screen and search carefully. Another important thing to consider is the reliability of the company. You have to read reviews of cloud storage to know which companies are reliable and which are not. Companies definitely will not mention if their service is unreliable so you have to listen to what others are saying. Reliability and availability are some of the things you should look into when searching for the top cloud file storage services.

Safe Data Centers

This might seem a little complicated and something that people won’t really look into. But the locations of the data centers are important when choosing the right cloud storage. Ideally, the data centers should be distributed geographically with one data center being located locally. Having geographically distributed centers will ensure that if a natural disaster will occur in one data center, you are confident that the others are safe wherever they may be. Also, there are jurisdictional requirements that must be met for every data center. Check if your service provider is complying with these requirements. You wouldn’t want to tangle with a company that skirts around the rules. You want your files and documents to be safe and that means legal and compliant to the law. An emergency plan should be in place for every center so they know how to save the files if something disastrous ever happens.

Service Legal Agreement

The service legal agreement is a very long file and most of the time nobody reads this. But if you have sensitive files that you plan to upload, you should comb through this. You don’t to wake one day and find out that your files are no longer yours. This is because they are already owned by the cloud service provider. Having this agreement will ensure that your company will be transparent with their actions. You want this because you want to know everything that they are doing to your account and files. With this agreement you would know what to expect from the company and what they are expected to deliver. If you have any questions regarding the agreement you should call their customer support and clarify this. You don’t want to be blindsided just because you didn’t understand something. Read cloud file storage service reviews to know which company has the best service legal agreement.

Restoring Your Data

One of the most important things that you should look into when getting a cloud backup provider is how the company will restore your data in case it gets lost or damaged. You are using a cloud storage to back up your files and you want to be sure that the files won’t get lost. Knowing the company’s back up plan when it comes to losing data is something that you should know. This is one of the questions you should ask if you want to get a cloud storage. Or you could just read the cloud file storage service reviews to have an idea which company has the best plan for restoring your data. One way to lose data is to forget your sign up details, so be sure to write them down somewhere secure.

Price and Affordability

Why pay if you can have free cloud storage? You should pay because then you would get larger sizes of storage, more security and a dedicated customer support service. If you want these three then go ahead a buy a subscription for a cloud storage. But be sure that you can afford the fees and that the price is worth the plan you are going to get. Meganet listed some pros and cons when it comes to using free or paid cloud service.

Choosing the right cloud storage service can be a daunting task but if you have some tips and tricks to follow, then it wouldn’t be so hard. Be choosy when selecting your cloud storage. This decision is important especially if you plan to place sensitive data on the cloud. You should make sure that all bases are covered and your data will be secured. Security is of utmost importance when it comes to uploading documents to the internet. You don’t want your file ending up in the hands of the wrong person.

If you want to know which cloud storage offers the best security, go to CrowdReviews and read some the users’ honest and truthful reviews.

Keith Moore

Keith Moore has worked with several leading Android development agencies to build customized mobile apps enabling businesses to extend the use of their services to smart phones and mobile devices.

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