Businesses today grapple with numerous security challenges, whether ensuring remote employees connect to company servers securely or dealing with increasingly frequent ransomware threats.

In that context, discovering that one in three folders holding company data has no protections whatsoever is alarming.

Data security should be a top priority, even if your business is small or just starting. The good news is that such companies no longer need to build up their infrastructure or hire specialists to take care of it.

Cloud storage is the way to go. This article offers an in-depth look at the five major benefits choosing it over traditional storage has for your business.

Running and Maintenance Costs

Reduced costs of switching to a cloud-based file security model are among the most compelling reasons for owners and managers who are still on the fence. Said savings happen in two main ways.

• The first is a decrease in hardware cost. Building up your network is a substantial up-front investment. Additionally, the network needs regular maintenance, replacements, and upgrades to remain usable. The business that owns it must pay for everything out of pocket.

• The second has to do with indirect or less tangible costs. Server hardware takes up space for which the company may have a more productive use. Maintaining it requires a dedicated staff or reduces the time employees could spend on more critical tasks. Continuously running servers also add to the monthly power bill.

A cloud storage provider’s core responsibility is keeping their hardware and security protocols current. They offer their services to many clients, so the financial burden on each client’s shoulders is smaller.

Redundancy and Backup

Cloud storage providers have the infrastructure and the means to keep several secure copies of all your files. Even if one of their many servers were to fail, your business wouldn’t lose the data since several backups exist.

That means you can store your data safely and securely.

It’s costly and sometimes not workable to recover data someone accidentally deletes from a physical device. Cloud providers may host several versions of it. This allows you to return to a previous save state and recover files that would have been irretrievable otherwise.

Data Security

Information stored on the cloud is hard to lose. It’s also much harder to gain access without the proper credentials. Encryption of uploaded data is standard practice. So are two-factor authentication and several firewalls. Moreover, a cloud storage service is more likely to monitor potential exploits and quickly deploy fixes.

Keeping backups in the cloud is an excellent deterrent against ransomware. A criminal might worm their way into an endpoint, but they lose their leverage if there’s nothing critical to steal.

Access control is a standard cloud security feature that’s straightforward to enforce. 

A designated administrator can establish a hierarchy and further shore up security. That way, employees can only work with or view files pertinent to their duties.

Timed access is another sensible precaution that’s much easier to pull off when there are no physical media to consider.

Scalability

Dynamic circumstances add to the challenge of estimating a company’s storage needs. For example, a small business can experience a growth spurt and overprovision in anticipation of more business, only to experience stagnation.

Cloud storage scalability is superior to traditional methods. Providers usually offer several tiers. These provide varying degrees of storage space and other associated benefits.

They may also create bespoke solutions. Sorting out your storage needs is thus only a matter of choosing the appropriate plan.

While long-term commitment to a specific plan comes with more savings, choosing a different option is usually hassle-free. This lets businesses meet their needs, whether scaling up or downsizing their storage after completing projects. 

Accessibility and Effortless Collaboration

Remote work has become an integral part of the modern workplace, and cloud storage is crucial in facilitating it. Employees can maintain high productivity wherever they work by having file access regardless of their current device or operating system.

The cloud is always in sync, meaning a document’s latest version is available when someone uploads or adds to it. That makes things easier for remote workers.

They can work on the current version and don’t have to connect to the company network to transfer updated content physically.

It’s also a boon for collaboration. Cloud storage allows several users to access the same file securely, view revision history, and even make annotations.

Cloud servers are online 24/7. Employees can continue working on tasks whether they’re in different time zones or need to finish something up past business hours.

Conclusion

Cloud-based file security isn’t just for tech giants and individual users anymore. The modern business landscape’s realities make a compelling case for adopting the model. Whether it’s security, affordability, or productivity, the gains far outweigh the risks.