What Is Cloud Computing Storage And How to Make It Work For Your Business?

Cloud Computing Storage

The world created and consumed almost 64.2 zettabytes of data in 2020.

Enterprises produce a significant chunk of this data. This data is used for multifold purposes, including making informed decisions about business growth.

Imagine having to store a massive amount of this data on your company’s hardware infrastructure at exponentially high costs without having the flexibility to access this data ‘on the go.’

It’s no surprise that cloud computing storage has grown in popularity. A Fortune Business Insights study confirms that the cloud storage market size was valued at USD 70.19 billion in 2021. It is projected to grow at a CAGR of 24.0% to USD 376.37 billion by 2029.

To gain financial and scalability advantages, SMBs should understand cloud storage.

This article delves into important cloud storage concepts and explains how it helps your business make critical decisions that ultimately impact its growth and success.

Table Of Content

  1. What is Cloud Computing Storage?
  2. Cloud Storage: Types And Advantages
  3. How Does Cloud Storage Work
  4. What Are The Two Cloud Storage Classes?
  5. Why Do Businesses Need Cloud Storage?
  6. What Are The Benefits Of Cloud Storage?
  7. What Are Some Challenges Of Cloud Storage?
  8. How Is A Cloud Storage System Created?
  9. What Are Virtual Containers?
  10. Defining Cloud Storage Use Cases
  11. Is Cloud Storage Secure?
  12. Why Choose RedSwitches?

What is Cloud Computing Storage?

Think of cloud computing storage as a virtual hard drive that stores and manages all your digital information.

Let’s start with the definition of cloud storage in computing.

Cloud computing storage is a service that stores your data remotely. This is the offsite data center of a cloud hosting service provider instead of self-managing it locally on your premise. These servers are accessed over either public Internet or dedicated private network connections.

In cloud storage, the cloud services provider is responsible for hosting, managing, and securing your company’s data and allowing you to access it whenever needed.

Cloud Storage: Types And Advantages

Now that you know the definition of cloud storage in computing, let’s know its types.

There are different types of storage in cloud computing. This depends on how you use your cloud, the data that needs to be stored, and how you plan to access it.

If you think about cloud storage types in cloud computing

will best benefit your business, here are the three types of cloud computing, public, private, and hybrid, that you need to choose from:

Public Cloud Storage

This cloud storage environment is managed and offered by a cloud hosting provider over the infrastructure not owned by the end user. There is no single user, and it works on the principle of multi-tenancy and serves multiple users simultaneously.

Since a third party manages it, the user cannot customize the security fields.

Some of its advantages include the following:

  • Unlimited capacity
  • Cost-effective pay-as-you-go pricing options
  • Seamless scalability
  • Better disaster recovery

Private Cloud Storage

Also known as internal or on-premise clouds, this cloud computing storage type that allows an enterprise to save its data on cloud infrastructure either on-site or at a remotely-held location. It is a dedicated private cloud accessed through a private connection and is mainly used by companies dealing with sensitive data, like banks.

Some advantages of private cloud storage include the following:

  • Improved data security
  • More control over infrastructure and resources
  • Customizable according to business’ size and objectives.

Hybrid Cloud Storage

When data is stored on both on-premise storage resources and public cloud infrastructure, an enterprise is said to use hybrid cloud storage.

The apps are maintained in separate yet interconnected infrastructures. This integrated cloud architecture offers essential benefits such as:

  • Better cost benefits
  • More control over data and robust security
  • Increased agility and scope for innovation,
  • Versatile work set-ups.

Community Cloud Storage

When multiple organizations share cloud infrastructure based on standard operations requirements or as required by the regulatory authorities, they are said to use community cloud storage. These members, third parties, or both manage and offer it.

This cloud computing storage type has several benefits:

  • Better availability of the cloud infrastructure
  • Low downtime
  • Better control and more transparency
  • Cost-effectiveness

How Does Cloud Storage Work?

Now that you know cloud computing, let’s learn how its storage aspect works.

Like any in-house data center storage, in cloud storage also, the information passes from and to a storage device.

This is where the similarities end.

Cloud has architecture and way of functioning. Cloud service providers own and manage large data centers around the world. You will connect to this storage system through a dedicated private or internet connection. Your applications then access the cloud storage directly using API.

Cloud computing and data storage work on three main principles of storage methods, including

Block Storage

In this cloud computing storage model, large volumes of data are bifurcated into smaller pieces called blocks. Each block has a unique identification number assigned to each host’s device.

This system is fast, cost-efficient, and works better with high-performance applications.

File Storage

Data is stored in hierarchical file formats and folders, a method only well-known to most of us. This filing system makes it easier for users to retrieve files when needed. This kind of storage is often used while creating storage for video and audio files.

Object Storage

This storage system is different from file and object storage systems. It classifies and manages data as objects and makes it easier to customize this metadata, and makes it accessible.

Instead of being stored in files, this data is kept in repositories with unlimited scalability.

Red Switches is the most reliable cloud platform that helps you get onto the cloud and enables you to deploy your applications anywhere in the world. We provide you with robust and secure infrastructure when and where you need it.

We stand out for fully customizable Bare-Metal servers, offering round-the-clock service support and competitive pricing.

What Are The Two Cloud Storage Classes?

The workload of a company planning to move to the cloud decides which class of cloud computing it should settle for. The two choices include:

Managed Cloud

When your cloud hosting provider takes care of the end-to-end needs of your cloud system, it is managed cloud hosting. This includes server setup, monitoring, daily management, and backup.

So you get

  • Guaranteed server monitoring
  • Better performance and uptime
  • More security
  • Instant updates and backups

Unmanaged Cloud

In unmanaged cloud hosting, you are the website owner responsible for managing your cloud infrastructure. You handle entire software management, including performance, updates and upgrades, and data backup services.

You benefit by:

  • Having complete server control
  • Savings costs
  • Gaining complete flexibility to make adjustments when required.

Why Do Businesses Need Cloud Storage?

Cloud services, proving to be both innovative and dynamic, have changed the way businesses function today. They are experimenting with new working formats and need to communicate and collaborate with other businesses, suppliers, vendors, and teams virtually anywhere in the world.

Cloud computing gives them the mobility, scale, and flexibility to do all this.

Red Switches help you move to the cloud instantaneously through omnichannel support from servers across the globe. We have zero tolerance for component failures and offer powerful data protection services and seamless service delivery.

What Are The Benefits Of Cloud Storage?

If you haven’t thought of migrating to the cloud, you are amongst the 10% of companies not benefitting from this transformational innovation.

Whether you are a small business or a large-scale enterprise, here are some benefits you can gain by utilizing cloud storage:

Flexibility Your data is location-agnostic and can be accessed by various stakeholders through devices of their choice.
 
Scalability Opt for new resources and solutions with just a click without requiring additional infrastructure.
 
Cost-savings Save costs on hardware acquisition, creating storage facilities, overheads, and salaries of IT personnel.
 
Productivity Your staff is freed from the mundane tasks of procuring and maintaining data systems and can focus on critical business needs.
 
Data deployment Use big data more efficiently while organizing your data better

Red Switches help you plan cloud adoption and integrate it entirely with your company. We help you gain all these benefits, flag the issues you may encounter about data applications or bandwidth, and offer solutions.

What Are Some Challenges Of Cloud Storage?

As with any cloud-based technology, cloud computing storage presents some unique challenges. Some concerns include the following:

Security There is always a risk of occasional breaches when the technologies and software must be updated regularly.
 
Latency There may be delays in data transmission due to internet congestion or bandwidth issues.
 
Regulatory problems Industries such as banking and finance may be unable to use the cloud due to strict data privacy and compliance requirements.
 
Bifurcated IT landscape When adopted without a strategic blueprint, unplanned cloud adoption may complicate your IT infrastructure.

How Is A Cloud Storage System Created?

The cloud storage network has at least one data server the user uses via the Internet. When the user sends the files to this data server, it forwards these files and information to multiple servers.

This data then gets stored and made accessible through a web interface.

Every cloud storage system has multiple data servers to ensure no lock-ins or outages occur. The primary data center is near the user’s physical facility, while the public data centers can be in global locations.

What Are Virtual Containers?

Just like containers that make transporting goods easier, virtual containers do the same to data on the cloud. They allow operating systems to get virtualized and run a whole host of services. These may range from microservices to larger applications.

They comprise executables such as binary codes, configuration files, and libraries. Since they don’t contain images, they are much more lightweight and can be deployed quickly. They also have less overhead costs and better portability between different operating systems.

Defining Cloud Storage Use Cases

Efficient cloud computing storage and management depend on the data that should be stored on it and the data that should not be.

To establish a better balance with your business goals, you should consider some of these use cases:

1. Backup

Losing your data to theft or hardware is the vulnerability of working with technology. Cloud storage and its timely automated backups and updates eliminate this risk to a large extent and save businesses from loss of data, time, and goodwill.

2. Disaster recovery

Let’s face it. Downtimes are scary. They often lead to panic when your systems go offline. Cloud computing storage ensures that your business returns online immediately without losing data.

Your hosting provider may even offer a standby site that allows you to fall back upon it in the event of a disaster.

3. Quick testing and deployment

Cloud environments can be set up in hours if not minutes. They can be easily tested to match your business goals, tested, and tweaked quickly. This makes your business more agile and functional.

4. Compliance adherence

Storing data in cloud storage can raise questions about compliance and regulations, especially if you are in the healthcare or finance industries. There are strict cloud data compliance protocols that ensure that you can satisfy these regulatory needs for every agency in the world.

Is Cloud Storage Secure?

Now that you know what data storage in cloud computing is and how it works, it is natural to wonder whether storing this data in the cloud is safe.

After all, your files are not under your control and may be vulnerable to cyber threats.

The truth is that your cloud hosting provider installs a range of cloud security measures designed to protect your data, applications, and infrastructure. Measures such as monitored authorization access, encryption, firewalls, and identity and access management ensure that your data is much safer than it would have been in privately-held devices.

Providers like Red Switches use AI tools and third-party security testing to keep your data safe and tackle security risks at the initial level.

Why Choose RedSwitches?

Red Switches has helped businesses across industries free themselves of physical infrastructure and realize the value that cloud computing storage brings. We adjust our services according to your business needs and resources with easy flexibility in upgrading your plan anytime.

We offer exceptional cloud computing cost savings, 24/7 technical support, and maintenance. Our security measures are unmatched, and we provide uncapped download speeds. Contact us today to learn how you can gain that competitive edge with the cloud and create a sustainable road map for your business.