What is Cloud Storage?

Cloud Storage is a mode of computer data storage in which digital data is

stored on servers in off-site locations. The servers are maintained by a
third-party provider who is responsible for hosting, managing, and securing
data stored on its infrastructure. The provider ensures that data on its
servers is always accessible via public or private internet connections.

Cloud Storage enables organizations to store, access, and maintain data so

that they do not need to own and operate their own data centers, moving
expenses from a capital expenditure model to operational. Cloud Storage is
scalable, allowing organizations to expand or reduce their data footprint
depending on need.
How does Cloud Storage work?
Cloud Storage uses remote servers to save data, such as files, business
data, videos, or images. Users upload data to servers via an internet
connection, where it is saved on a virtual machine on a physical server. To
maintain availability and provide redundancy, cloud providers will often
spread data to multiple virtual machines in data centers located across the
world. If storage needs increase, the cloud provider will spin up more virtual
machines to handle the load. Users can access data in Cloud Storage
through an internet connection and software such as web portal, browser,
or mobile app via an application programming interface (API).

Cloud Storage is available in four different models:

Public

Public Cloud Storage is a model where an organization stores data in a

service provider’s data centers that are also utilized by other companies.
Data in public Cloud Storage is spread across multiple regions and is often
offered on a subscription or pay-as-you-go basis. Public Cloud Storage is
considered to be “elastic” which means that the data stored can be scaled
up or down depending on the needs of the organization. Public cloud
providers typically make data available from any device such as a
smartphone or web portal.

Private

Private Cloud Storage is a model where an organization utilizes its own

servers and data centers to store data within their own network.
Alternatively, organizations can deal with cloud service providers to provide
dedicated servers and private connections that are not shared by any other
organization. Private clouds are typically utilized by organizations that
require more control over their data and have stringent compliance and
security requirements.

Hybrid

A hybrid cloud model is a mix of private and public cloud storage models. A
hybrid cloud storage model allows organizations to decide which data it
wants to store in which cloud. Sensitive data and data that must meet strict
compliance requirements may be stored in a private cloud while less
sensitive data is stored in the public cloud. A hybrid cloud storage model
typically has a layer of orchestration to integrate between the two clouds. A
hybrid cloud offers flexibility and allows organizations to still scale up with
the public cloud if need arises.

Multicloud

A multicloud storage model is when an organization sets up more than one

cloud model from more than one cloud service provider (public or private).
Organizations might choose a multicloud model if one cloud vendor offers
certain proprietary apps, an organization requires data to be stored in a
specific country, various teams are trained on different clouds, or the
organization needs to serve different requirements that are not stated in
the servicers’ Service Level Agreements. A multicloud model offers
organizations flexibility and redundancy.
Advantages of Cloud Storage
Total cost of ownership

Cloud Storage enables organizations to move from a capital expenditure to

an operational expenditure model, allowing them to adjust budgets and
resources quickly.

Elasticity

Cloud Storage is elastic and scalable, meaning that it can be scaled up

(more storage added) or down (less storage needed) depending on the
organization’s needs.

Flexibility

Cloud Storage offers organizations flexibility on how to store and access

data, deploy and budget resources, and architect their IT infrastructure.

Security

Most cloud providers offer robust security, including physical security at

data centers and cutting edge security at the software and application
levels. The best cloud providers offer zero trust architecture, identity
and access management, and encryption.

Sustainability

One of the greatest costs when operating on-premises data centers is the
overhead of energy consumption. The best cloud providers operate on
sustainable energy through renewable resources.
Redundancy

Redundancy (replicating data on multiple servers in different locations) is

an inherent trait in public clouds, allowing organizations to recover from
disasters while maintaining business continuity.
Disadvantages of Cloud Storage
Compliance

Certain industries such as finance and healthcare have stringent

requirements about how data is stored and accessed. Some public cloud
providers offer tools to maintain compliance with applicable rules and
regulations.

Latency

Traffic to and from the cloud can be delayed because of network traffic
congestion or slow internet connections.

Control

Storing data in public clouds relinquishes some control over access and
management of that data, entrusting that the cloud service provider will
always be able to make that data available and maintain its systems and
security.

Outages

While public cloud providers aim to ensure continuous availability, outages

sometimes do occur, making stored data unavailable.
How to use Cloud Storage
Cloud Storage provides several use cases that can benefit individuals and
organizations. Whether a person is storing their family budget on a spreadsheet, or
a massive organization is saving years of financial data in a highly secure
database, Cloud Storage can be used for saving digital data of all kinds for as long
as needed.
Backup
Data backup is one of the simplest and most prominent uses of Cloud Storage.
Production data can be separated from backup data, creating a gap between the
two that protects organizations in the case of a cyber threat such as ransomware.
Data backup through Cloud Storage can be as simple as saving files to a digital
folder such as Google Drive or using block storage to maintain gigabytes or more
of important business data.
Archiving
The ability to archive old data has become an important aspect of Cloud Storage,
as organizations move to digitize decades of old records, as well as hold on to
records for governance and compliance purposes
Disaster recovery
A disaster—natural or otherwise— that wipes out a data center or old physical
records needs not be the business-crippling event that it was in the past. Cloud
Storage allows for disaster recovery so that organizations can continue with their
business, even when times are tough.