When it comes to data management and security, many people are extremely nervous. It’s not surprising, given the amount of important, sensitive or personal data that most people keep on their hard drives (internal or external). As a result of this nervousness, lots of people are extremely hesitant about adopting modern forms of data storage; most notably storage in the cloud.
Cloud computing has become one of the biggest buzz phrases in the IT industry over the last few years, and cloud-based services are now extremely popular online. Nearly everyone who uses the internet uses cloud computing in some form or another, although most people don’t even realise it (Googlemail, Hotmail, Photobucket, etc. These are all cloud computing based services).
As cloud computing has become more prevalent in the industry, secure cloud storage for businesses and individuals has become a major sector, and one that will no doubt prove to be hugely profitable. But many people are extremely hesitant about relying on the cloud to store their data, with fears surrounding data loss, lack of access and data theft often forcing them to continue relying on more traditional data storage options. But are these fears justified? Is cloud storage any less secure than standard data storage solutions (such as external hard drives).
It may surprise some people to learn that in many instances, cloud storage is in fact more secure than an external hard drive. External hard drives are often networked to computers via wi-fi, which can be hacked and allow someone to steal your data. Additionally, external hard drives can be corrupted by viruses, then can break or stop working, they can be stolen or destroyed in an accident (such as a flood or fire). This would result in serious data loss – none of these issues however are a problem with cloud storage. In terms of business continuity, cloud computing is certainly the better option. Having said that, I would recommend utilising both online and offline storage options, allowing you to ‘back up your back up’.