Cloud Storage and Backup Services for Your Small Business

Amy Dennis

Jun 29, 2023 • Filed to: Take Data Backup • Proven solutions

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The data coming in usually increases the strain on the infrastructure of small businesses and multiplies the workload. To deal with this hectic workload, the cloud services provide a helping hand in managing it without creating any haul to the infrastructure. The speed and size of data are not considered rather the top-notch service makes the analysis worth it. Cutting the cost of the services and considering anything like big data analysis, it surely costs you millions to make the process efficient. But when it comes to cloud services, it is constantly helping out the enterprises to make their infrastructure strong and secure at least prices without compromising on the quality of services.

The cloud backup services for small business includes the data storage facility, virtualization of data to be accessed from anywhere, data security, and data backup. This article explains all the cloud backup services for small businesses and also presents some of the top-notch cloud services that you can consider. Here are some of the topics that would be discussed in detail.

Part 1: Why Do Small Businesses Choose Cloud Storage?

Data; be it in the form of files, documents, or media, cloud services are there to assist you and helps you to deal with a bulk of it. Running a small enterprise means you have huge data that needs to be managed in a way that does not create any strain in terms of storing and it can be easily accessed. So the only viable option in this regard is opting for a reliable Cloud service that can not only facilitate you for storing huge data rather create a backup for it and performs virtualization of that data which can be then accessed by your employees in a closed network connection. The cloud backup services for small business eliminates the need for physical data centers. It also provides you with an opportunity to develop private or shared clouds for your business.

Here are some of the striking features that make the cloud backup services for small business a big yes!

1. Low input cost. You don’t have to invest a large amount of money for getting the cloud service. You only have to take a subscription that suits your budget.
2. Flexibility is the feature that comes in with cloud-based services. You can customize everything.
3. More strong tolerance. These clouds provide high-end security to your data and protect it from any breach or virus attack.
4. Storage capacity is another point that makes it a good choice. You can save everything on the cloud. The data may include e-mails, sales records, financial records, market information, service data from sensors in the field, and production data.
5. You can access your data with a wide range of virtualization. The authorized users can access the data from designated networks or devices.
6. As far as small businesses are concerned, regulatory compliance is legit.

Part 2: The Flaws of Cloud Storage for Small Businesses

Though it acquires several advantages, yet it also carries some flaws. Cloud backup services for small business i.e. cloud storage solutions do carry certain factors that count as the drawbacks which you can confront while using the services. Here mentioned are some of those short comes associated with the cloud-based systems.

1- Bandwidth limitations:

As an internet-based solution, you can only use cloud storage when you have an appropriate network connection. This means you need to have a certain bandwidth for using the cloud linked to your business. Any disruption in this bandwidth will disconnect your connection with the cloud. Keep a backup plan ready to deal with any ISP issues.

2- Data security:

Though providing data security to its utmost, yet cloud solution sometimes fails to secure the data and becomes prey to a potential virus or malware attack. Your cloud can be hacked and makes the data vulnerable to any security breach.

Part 3: What Should Be Figured out Before Using Cloud Storage for Small Business?

If you are dealing with a small enterprise, and you are looking for a cloud-based solution to fix all the queries related to your data, then before heading to make a deal with any cloud service provider, you should be clear about certain things. Here are the followings:

1. Where will storage be used to?

Before purchasing the cloud services, make sure that you are going to utilize all the storage efficiently. It will help you to select the package that suits your business.

2. What kind of data do you want to store?

This makes you aware of the kind of data present in the data flow. With this information, you can easily select the storage space along with additional services like data backup services. Your data can be in the form of e-mails, sales records, financial records, market information, service data from sensors in the field, and production data.

3. What kind of storage category do you want?

Deciding for a storage category means selecting the facilities and add on services for your business. These are all the services you for which you have to pay. Select wisely according to the infrastructure of the enterprise.

4. Public cloud storage really can meet your demand?

You have to analyze whether, public cloud storage meets your demand in terms of data storage, data backup, and data security. If not, then you can consider the option of developing a private cloud for your business.

5. What do you have demands for data safety and security requirement?

Be it any business, your data is important. And data security is crucial. Selecting for a cloud solution category, make sure it comes up with high-end security. Your cloud solution should protect the data from virus and malware attacks or hackers from the security breach.

6. Will providers meet my demands for data recovery time?

Not only restricted to data storage, but the cloud solution should also provide data backup and recovery.

7. How does primary storage deploy?

Primary storage optimization is another important feature that should be kept in mind while selecting the cloud service and plan.

Part 4: 10 Cloud Storage and Backup Services for Your Small Business

Once you are aware of all the important checkpoints for employing the cloud storage solution, here are 10 cloud storage and backup services for your small business. These cloud storage and backup services are top-notch in their regimes. All you have to do is to select the one for your business.

1. Box

As a professional cloud storage service, Box assists you to create an online link for sharing your documents and data. This link could be then send to the authorized recipients to access the data. Other features that the service offers include user management, security reporting, and role delegation. It gives you easy access to data and drives the traffic to your website. Moreover, data is protected to its utmost as you are not sending the file rather a link that could only be given or tracked by an authorized user.

2. Crash Plan

As an efficient backup plan service, it works in the background and protects your data from any security breach or data loss situations. Termed as Code42, the service create essential backups for your data and protects them too and acts as a wise choice when it comes to small businesses.

3. Google Drive

Being the most renowned, Google drive is the most used cloud storage platform that is available for chrome users. Not only meant to save a huge pile of your data, rather google drive helps to create a real-time collaboration. Equipped with additional features in the business pack i.e. G-suite, it offers Gmail, Google Hangouts, and Calendars. By using the service you can edit, save, and exchange the data present in Docs, Sheets, and Slides of google drive.

4. Dropbox

Hosting more than 100,000 businesses, Dropbox claims to support every type of large or small businesses via its cloud hosting facilities. It provides efficient features of cross-platform sharing, storage, and sync, backup, and seamless integration. You can not only share the data with users having the facility of Dropbox account rather it can be shared among those who do not own the account. The service offers three amazing plans i.e. the basic plan with 2GB of storage and comes with Microsoft 365 integration to edit documents, a pro plan with 1TB of free storage, and a business plan with unlimited storage for $15 per 5 users.

5. Amazon Glacier

The Amazon cloud storage solution is the one that claims for the high-end durability and provides end to end security to your data. You can save your data around 1 terabyte in just $1 per month. Moreover, the cloud service provides its customers with an easy option to access the archives ranging between a few minutes to several hours most probably 12 to 48 hours.

6. Mozy

Previously named as Mozy, now the cloud service is owned by Carbonite. It offers a great deal of data protection, recovery, and on-demand accessibility. The platform provides amazing features in terms of automatic data backups, top-notch security, and easy data restoration. You can save your data in the form of documents, spreadsheets, emails, point-of-sale files, pictures and graphics, media, financial and accounting files, and customer relationship management files.

7. Microsoft Sky Drive

Another big name that needs no introduction. Serving the users with its office products, Microsoft owns a cloud solution service that saves the data online and then gives any easy access to the data for the authorized users. Once you upload the data and make appropriate changes to it, they are automatically saved. It helps to protect your data with high-end encryption and security.

8. Live drive

Live drive allows you to save the data in the live drive briefcase folder in the cloud and gives it apt security to be accessible only for authorized members. It automatically uploads the new data and saves the on cloud and in UK data centers. Virtual collaborations are also facilitated i.e. sharing of data among the team members is quite easy.

9. Spider Oak

Giving out high-end security to your data, the host does not know the shared data that speaks for the top-notch end to end encryption. The service provides economical packs and the range starts from $7 for 30GB and the limit exceeds up to 5 terabytes. For the business plans, the prices are set from $5 per user per month, and service is provided for up to 500 users. The packs cost between $299 and $599.

10. Sugar Sync

Being a good option for small businesses, Sugar sync is an efficient cloud storage and backup solution that allows you to select the data you want to upload and save on the cloud, and then it can be accessed via PCs, Macs, Android, or iOS devices. Data sharing can be done in the form of links or invitations where you send links to the people with whom you are sharing data and invite them to view it privately. For businesses, it offers up to 1 terabyte of storage capacity.

Hence, this article was all about cloud storage and backup solutions. For a small business that is currently dealing with data, flow needs an appropriate solution for managing it. For them, the best of all-time solutions is opting a cloud-based service that will not only save the data, backup it, and virtualize it for authorized users. This article explained all the relevant checkpoints that you should consider before purchasing any cloud service along with the top cloud-based services present around for small businesses. Now all you need to do is to go for comparative analysis and get the one that best suits your business.