What’s the Best Cloud Storage for Business?

As the way the world works changes, companies need to ensure availability and accessibility for employees, no matter where they are. As a result, cloud usage to store files and applications has accelerated. By leveraging cloud storage for business, you enhance the security of storage and ensure that it’s recoverable should a disaster occur. On-premises servers aren’t practical anymore.

So, how do you determine the best cloud storage for your business? In this post, we’ll review cloud storage, its benefits, and what to seek when making decisions about it.

The Rise of Cloud Storage

While many organizations were cloud users, the pandemic forced many to adopt it quickly. As of 2022, over 60 percent of all corporate data resides in the cloud. The shift was in direct response to ensuring people could work remotely.

Even with some workers heading back to the office, most companies are using a hybrid framework, enabling staff to work both in the office and at home. Cloud storage makes this possible and boosts collaboration, productivity, and efficiency. For example, sharing a document is possible with a link versus an attachment in an email or a chat.

That’s one example, and there are many ways to use cloud storage.

How Businesses Use Cloud Storage

Cloud storage includes many applications and benefits. These are the primary ways you can use it.

Store and Access Files

You can store and access files in the cloud with confidence in their security. Using the cloud for files keeps the data safe and prevents files from living in many places or on the desktops of users. Another benefit is the option to recover a previous version of a file if it’s deleted or altered.

Share Files

Sharing files as an attachment can be a nightmare. If the file requires editing and review by multiple parties, how will you keep track of these changes? Additionally, it’s much safer to work on files in cloud storage versus passing them back and forth via email. This feature supports easy collaboration, as users can work on the file simultaneously.

Organize Files

Do your employees know where to find documents? Are your files in a state of chaos regarding access? Cloud storage can eliminate these challenges. You’ll be able to create a hierarchy with folders to organize files. If workers follow your guidelines on how and where to store things, they’ll spend a lot less time hunting for them. A search bar assists employees in finding what they need.

Collaborate on Files

When working on files in cloud storage, it’s a real-time experience for employees as they can co-edit. It resolves the issues around which version is the latest and greatest. Cloud storage provides you with a single source of truth for every file.

Back Up Files

A file in cloud storage protects it from disaster. The cloud backs up everything. Should a disaster or cyber event occur, you have redundancy for all your critical data and files.

Protect Files

Cloud storage is a fortress for your files. Security features like encryption, monitoring, virus scanning, and password-protect sharing give you peace of mind.

If all these features and benefits sound like an answer to your storage challenges, let’s look at what to seek out in cloud storage for business.

The Most Vital Features to Look for in Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is more than just finding a “house” for your data and files. With a turnkey solution, cloud storage allows your teams to work smarter. These are the features that can deliver these advantages.

Automatic Syncing

Automatic syncing updates every file when edited. It’s automatic, so it’s not something you have to keep monitoring to ensure the file is the latest format or version.

File Versioning

File versioning is essential for any document that goes through revisions and has multiple editors. Sometimes you need to look back, and cloud storage capabilities can provide you with the ability to revert to or retrieve previous versions.

Anti-Malware and Antivirus Protection

Every layer of security you can add to your data and documents is imperative. Cloud storage should always include anti-malware and antivirus protection. Additionally, look for the option to add two-factor authentication for those with admin permissions.

File Encryption

Most cloud storage providers have basic encryption. Others offer you the opportunity to use your encryption key. With this approach, you can control who can view the files and even limit internal access. For industries with rigid regulations on data, this is an important capability. 

Real-Time File Backup

File backup is a key function in cloud storage. When it’s real-time, it’s even more valuable. You can recover your data immediately if your business suffers a ransomware attack. That’s a key difference as the threat of ransomware rises. In fact, the FBI reported that there was a 62 percent increase in these in 2021 over 2020.

Cloud Storage Is a Key Technology Strategy for Every Business

Whether you are unhappy with your current cloud storage or are ready to migrate, you’ll want to look for the best solution for your business. You can realize many benefits and ensure your employees have the access they need to do their jobs, all in a secure way.

Find out how easy cloud storage can be with Intermedia SecuriSync. Explore its features and benefits today.