What is Cloud Storage: How to Use Cloud Storage Solutions for Your Business

Every business needs to solve big challenges as it grows. It needs to scale its services and resources, provide easy access to critical data and information for customers and employees alike, and be able to store that data securely where it can’t be breached.

Certain technologies can make solving these challenges much easier. In fact, cloud storage solutions could be just what your business needs to rise to the next level of productivity and profit. Let’s take a closer look.

What is cloud storage for business?

Cloud storage is a highly efficient computing model that enables businesses to store data and files on remote servers through internet connections. Businesses can access cloud servers through the public internet or through dedicated private connections; in either case, they rely on a cloud storage provider that keeps your brand’s data safe, manages it, and maintains the necessary servers and computing infrastructure.

For example, imagine that you have a large enterprise with workers spread across several U.S. states. All those employees need to access company files or other essential data, but they can’t physically visit your headquarters or main office each time they need to complete a project.

The solution? Business cloud storage. With this model, your employees can access cloud servers and immediately download or upload shared files that everyone in your organization can use.

The benefits of business cloud storage

Cloud storage brings several major benefits to businesses in every industry, especially if those businesses take full advantage of this model’s flexibility. For instance:

• Cloud storage enables greater workforce flexibility and adaptability. When employees can access files or data remotely, they can accomplish work from anywhere in the world.
• Cloud storage is often highly cost effective. As your business grows, so too might its data storage needs. Instead of footing the bill for on-site storage solutions, cloud storage lets you store everything securely and efficiently without having to pay for initial construction costs or ongoing server maintenance fees.
• Cloud storage is highly secure[KL1] . In this day and age, keeping company and customer data private is necessary to keep the trust of your customers and avoid serious fines. Cloud storage providers for businesses maintain state-of-the-art security and monitor for potential intrusions or security risks.
• Cloud storage also enables your business to grow and scale much more quickly. As you accumulate more data for your customers or employees, you won’t be limited by on-premises storage capacity. Instead, you can requisition or purchase more cloud resources as needed, helping your brand grow unimpeded.

How to manage cloud storage

Although cloud storage can be an excellent benefit to many organizations, it’s imperative that you manage your cloud storage solutions wisely and effectively to maximize its effects. Like any technology or tool, having cloud storage isn’t enough; you need to use it the right way. Here are some ways you can optimize the efficiency of your business’s cloud storage and other services.

Centralize your cloud governance

One of the smartest things you can do is centralize your cloud governance: the rules and procedures that your organization uses to mitigate security risks, bolster data security, and keep the entire system functioning smoothly.

To accomplish this, you should specifically define cloud storage and access policies so that every employee knows how to use cloud servers and the resources kept within them. In addition, set up procedures for analyzing breaches, alerting your risk-management officers about irregularities, and so on. The more centralized and universal your rules are, the better everyone in your company will be able to use shared cloud resources.

Migrate to the cloud efficiently

In the earliest days of cloud services adoption, make sure you develop a strong migration strategy that minimizes inefficiencies. You should map out your cloud migration process – the way in which you’ll move all your critical business files and data to the cloud – thoroughly so there aren’t any surprises and so you can prioritize the most important data first.

For example, if you have several applications or file clusters that need to be moved to the cloud ASAP, make sure to move those to your new cloud servers first. It’s also a wise idea to appoint an experienced project manager to oversee the transition.

Learn how to free up cloud storage

Cloud storage is vast, but it’s not unlimited. Therefore, you need to know how to delete cloud storage by eliminating waste or removing large files that your company no longer needs.

Make regular audits of your cloud resources and all files stored on remote cloud data centers. When a particular file or batch of data isn’t necessary, take the proper steps to delete that and clear cloud storage for new information. Not only will this help your cloud processes run more smoothly, but it also lowers the amount of data you need to monitor and protect against cyber threats.

Optimize your cloud resources

Be sure to optimize your cloud infrastructure as much as you can. For example, you can pick the best cloud architecture for your business and its needs (such as serverless cloud storage, hybrid cloud storage, or even private cloud storage), implement effective cloud management procedures, and compare different servers or cloud service providers to find the best price.

Use cloud management tools

Don’t forget to take full advantage of cloud management tools and automation software. The best cloud storage providers for business offer tools that can automatically organize files that are uploaded to the cloud or flag you when unauthorized employees access certain data on the cloud. These tools are especially important as your brand grows larger and as you come to rely on cloud storage for your business more and more.

Expand your brand with business cloud services

Ultimately, business cloud services could be phenomenal tools to help your brand achieve its goals and grow faster than ever. Whether it’s a small business or a much larger enterprise, Glo Fiber Business is the perfect partner for your organization because we offer a host of cloud services, such as storage, monitoring, and more. Contact us today to learn more about how we can optimize your business’s efficiency through cloud services.