PCSOFT Blog

Have you stopped to consider how much your business spends every year on data storage and warehousing? If not, you might be surprised by how much this process actually costs, both in terms of capital expenses and operational costs. We’d go so far as to say that you’re spending more than you need to.

For the average business printing costs are often looked on as a necessary evil. The truth is that they really don’t have to be as bad as you think. There is technology available today that can revolutionize the way that you manage your company’s files. More than that, you can significantly reduce your reliance on the technology that has a mind of its own, the printer. 

A business’ data is one of its biggest assets. For the smaller business, large portions of an IT budget can be spent storing data. One way to keep costs down and maintain control over all this data is by utilizing Network Attached Storage (NAS). 

In this part of our computer buying guide, we’re focusing on storage space. Modern devices have several options available to them for storage, but the amount of space will vary by the brand of the device and the types of external storage used. Needless to say, knowing how much storage is available on your device will be extremely important, as it will dictate how you use it and what you store on it.

With businesses dealing with and storing more data, cloud storage platforms have begun to be extremely important for the modern small business. It took a while for small business decision makers to implement cloud storage solutions for their businesses, which is largely to blame on the stigma of insecurity the cloud had. Today, however, cloud platforms are used for all types of utility. Today, we’ll go into the types of cloud storage, and their benefits to a small business.

The most common types of cloud storage constructs available today are:

• Public - The public cloud is perhaps the most accessible form of cloud storage for both individuals and any type of business. This is because it’s generally implemented with the consumer in mind, often being either free or much cheaper than other alternatives. To this end, the public cloud can be a convenient way for a business new to cloud storage to take advantage of it. It provides most functionality that any other cloud can provide, but has its limits in terms of customizability and flexibility. For example, you might have to pay extra for additional cloud storage space or security measures.
• Private - The private cloud is typically reserved for businesses that want a more hands-on approach to managing their cloud data storage. Whereas the hosting company is responsible for hosting and managing the public cloud storage, the private cloud would be managed by technicians of your choosing. This affords you many technical freedoms that you wouldn’t otherwise get with your cloud storage solution, including the ability to implement additional security measures.
• Hybrid - A hybrid cloud solution for cloud storage can often be an ideal compromise between the public and private cloud. It’s a great way for businesses to ensure that they get the services that they need, at a cost that makes cloud computing viable.

Benefits of Cloud Storage
So why would you choose to utilize cloud storage? For one, the functionality and availability to create the cloud platform that is right for you. If you have IT management staff online, or you have a trusted outsourced provider like PCSOFT, a private cloud is the most secure and manageable, but the cost and effectiveness of many public cloud offerings can go a long way toward allowing you to reduce your upfront technology costs.

Beyond cost, there are several benefits that cloud storage affords a small business. For one, the availability of the data on the server provides great value for any business because today’s work often calls for mobility and collaboration. Another main benefit is that cloud platforms have a continual sync, which ensures that when you save work, it's the same work when you go to retrieve it. Finally, the scalability that cloud storage offers allows your organization to get the storage space you need; helping avoid cost overruns, while allowing you to scale up when needed.

Does your business need help understanding which type of cloud storage is most effective for your specific situation? PCSOFT can help. To learn more, call us today at 02 98730080.