Cloud Storage Service for Small Businesses

Cloud storage services for small business owners improve the owners’ capability to share, access, and protect data related to their companies, especially when they have restricted capacity or wish for the management of onsite technology resources.

Moving data to the cloud, to be certain, comes with its own gamut of concerns, ranging from availability to security (breaches to vulnerability). One of the biggest concerns is whether a service outage would prevent a business-owner from getting to his data at a time when he needs it urgently.

Related Article: 5 Best Online Cloud Storage Providers

A disruption that occurred on Google Drive and some other services, a few days back, has shown how helpless one can get. However, the convenience benefits and nominal cost of cloud storage make it so attractive that a growing number of small businesses are going for it.

Cloud storage service providers for small businesses:

Google Drive: Google Drive is one of the most advantageous cloud storage services for small business. It is not actually a self-driving car. It is a cloud-based file sharing and storage service coupled with the SaaS-based productivity suite previously known as Google Docs. It lets the user create and edit documents through the browser. Users of Google Drive enjoy certain advantages like the capability of displaying files even in the absence of the program they were made with.

It is extremely helpful for Adobe formats like Photoshop and Illustrator that are not always installed in one’s computer. Google Drive works in collaboration with other Google services and products a small business might already be using, like Gmail, Google Plus, and Chrome browser.

SpiderOak: The “Zero-Knowledge Environment” of SpiderOak is appropriate for cautious businessmen or for small business owners dealing with highly sensitive business info. Almost all cloud storage providers (a) encrypt the users’ data while the user is uploading it and (b) store it encrypted on their servers also. Since most providers also store the users’ encryption keys or password, the users’ data is susceptible to breaches or to anyone having physical access to the servers (e.g. one of the employees of the provider).

Contrary to this common practice leading to the above-mentioned risk, SpiderOak allows the user to create his password on his own computer and thereby keep it there so that the company staff cannot use it to decrypt the users’ data. However, this also means that if the user forgets his hint or password, his data cannot be recovered.

Carbonite Business: This service provider backs up folders and files on Mac and Windows PCs, as a “Business Premiere” upgrade gives additional support for Windows servers. Special features of Carbonite Business comprise attractive pricing and a free “valet install” option that remotely installs the software for the users if they do not want to do it themselves.

The above-mentioned providers of cloud storage services for small business are convenient and reasonable as far as features and pricing are concerned. Owners of small business need to make their decisions on the basis of their needs and budget.