MARKET REPORT Cloud Storage
Cloud storage vendors –
all born equal?
One of the early key cloud applications that has stayed the distance, Cloud Storage is a competitive market. From
basic low featured freebie accounts to fully synchronised and managed backup, there’s a solution to fit most
users. But what are the benefits for the channel?
Cloud storage is le storage
on remote servers accessed
from the internet – the
cloud. It is maintained,
operated and managed by a
cloud storage service provider
on storage servers that are built
on virtualisation techniques.
Instead of keeping your les on
your local hard drive, external
hard drive, or ash drive, you
can save them ‘online’.
ere are pros and
cons when it comes to any
applications and you’ll nd a
wide variety of views being held
in the market.
When it comes to the
advantages there seems to be a
consensus on the pros being:
Accessibility: Files in the
cloud can be accessed from
anywhere with an Internet
connection. is allows you to
move beyond time zone and
geographic location issues.
Cost savings: Cloud storage
for your business will come at
little or no cost for a small or
medium-sized organisation.
Disaster recovery: All
businesses should invest in an
emergency backup plan and
cloud storage can be used like
this by creating a second copy
of important les.
Scalability: With cloud
storage, you only pay for the
amount of storage you require.
If your business experiences
grow, then the cloud operator
can help accommodate your
corresponding growth in data
storage needs. is also works
in the same way if your business
shrinks and you require less
storage space at a reduced rate.
…and the cons
Security and privacy in the
cloud: ere are concerns with
valuable and important data
being stored remotely. Before
adopting cloud technology,
you should be aware that you
are giving sensitive business
information to a third-party
cloud service provider and
this could potentially put your
company at risk. is is why
it is important to choose a
reliable service provider that
you are condent will keep your
information secure.
Vulnerability to Attacks:
With your business information
stored in the cloud, there is a
© phonlamaiphoto-stock.adobe.com
vulnerability to external hack
attacks. e internet is not
completely secure, and for
this reason, there is always the
possibility of stealth of sensitive
data.
Lifetime costs: With public
cloud storage, the price costs
over the years might increase
and tend to add up.
Compliance: Depending on
the level of regulation within
your industry, it may not be
possible to work within the
public cloud. is is especially
the case for healthcare,
nancial services and publicly
traded companies that have
to be especially careful when
considering this option.
On balance however, despite
concerns about the security of
cloud storage, many businesses
see that the cost savings,
accessibility and disaster
recovery are more valuable than
the associated risks. Cloud
storage is certainly here to stay
for some time yet.
David Barnett, Head of
CASB EMEA at Forcepoint,
says that one of the biggest
challenges facing IT
departments today is nding
a way to allow frictionless
access to information, whilst
at the same time safeguarding
sensitive information.
“It’s a challenge that’s
becoming even more dicult
too as more businesses migrate
to cloud technologies to store
their data.
Employees are used to
managing data in their personal
lives across multiple services,
and they’re no dierent at
work. Whether they’re more
comfortable using a particular
service, or they’re using
workarounds to circumvent
harsh security restrictions, a
surprising amount of company
data can be found saved across a
number of other platforms.
We’re all well aware of
‘shadow IT’, but this type of
under-the-radar cloud activity
can be upwards of 50% of
a business’ total web trac.
ese accounts don’t just
include those that are active
– those from ex-employees,
contractors or even just
dormant storage spaces may all
contain sensitive data.
>
46 | Comms Business Magazine | August 2019 www.commsbusiness.co.uk
/www.commsbusiness.co.uk
