Cloud storage involves storing data on remote servers accessed via the internet rather than local hard drives. It has several advantages including only paying for the storage used, automatic maintenance by the provider, availability from any device, and serving as a disaster proof backup. Many companies offer cloud storage services with a variety of pricing tiers and storage capacities. Popular free or low cost options include Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.

1. CLOUD STORAGE

2. WHAT IS A CLOUD
STORAGE?
• It is a cloud computing model in which data is stored on
remote servers accessed from the internet, or “cloud”.
• It maintaned, operated and managed by a cloud
storage service provider on a storage serversthat are
built on virtualization techniques.

3. HOW DOES THE CLOUD
STORAGE WORK?
• It involves stashing data on hardware in a remote
physical location,which can be accessed from any
device via the Internet.
• Clients send files to a data serever maintained by a
cloud provider instead of (or as well as) storing it on
their hard drives.

4. HISTORY OF CLOUD
STORAGE
• 1960s- it is the year where cloud computing was
invented by Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider with his
work on ARPANET to coonect people and data from
anywhere and any time.
• 1983- CompuServe offered its consumers with a small
amount of disk space that could used to store any files
they chose to upload.

5. • 1994- AT&T launched PersonaLink Services, an online
platform for personal and business communication and
entrepreneurship.
• 2006- Amazon Web Services introduced their cloud
storage service AWS S3 and it gained a lot of
recognition and adoption as the storage supplier to
popular services such as Smugmug, Dropbox,
Synaptop and Pinterest.

6. ADVANTAGES
• Companies need only pay for the storage they actually use, typically an
average of consumption during a month. This does not mean that cloud
storage is less expensive, only that it incurs operating expenses rather than
capital expenses.
• Businesses using cloud storage can cut their energy consumption by up to
70% making them a more green business. Also at the vendor level they are
dealing with higher levels of energy so they will be more equipped with
managing it in order to keep their own costs down as well.

7. • Organizations can choose between off-premises and on-premises cloud
storage options, or a mixture of the two options, depending on relevant
decision criteria that is complementary to initial direct cost savings
potential; for instance, continuity of operations (COOP), disaster recovery
(DR), security (PII, HIPAA, SARBOX, IA/CND), and records retention laws,
regulations, and policies.
• Storage availability and data protection is intrinsic to object storage
architecture, so depending on the application, the additional technology,
effort and cost to add availability and protection can be eliminated.
• Storage maintenance tasks, such as purchasing additional storage
capacity, are offloaded to the responsibility of a service provider.

8. • Storage maintenance tasks, such as purchasing additional storage
capacity, are offloaded to the responsibility of a service provider.
• Cloud storage provides users with immediate access to a broad range
of resources and applications hosted in the infrastructure of another
organization via a web service interface.[14]
• Cloud storage can be used for copying virtual machine images from
the cloud to on-premises locations or to import a virtual machine
image from an on-premises location to the cloud image library. In
addition, cloud storage can be used to move virtual machine images
between user accounts or between data centers.

9. • Cloud storage can be used as natural disaster proof backup, as
normally there are 2 or 3 different backup servers located in different
places around the globe.
• Cloud storage can be mapped as a local drive with the WebDAV
protocol. It can function as a central file server for organizations with
multiple office locations.

10. EXAMPLES OF CLOUD
STORAGE• ADrive is a storage and backup site. Access files anywhere, edit documents online, and
share files. ADrive offers 50 GB of storage in its free account. However, some traditionally
standard features, such as SSL encryption, are only available in the paid account. Price: 50
GB Basic is free. Signature 50 GB accounts — which include security and other features —
are $6.95 per month. Premium 100 GB to 10 TB accounts start at $13.95 per month.
• Box.net is an easy-to-use system to store, manage, and share files. It has nice features,
including exchange feedback around file versions, task management, and smartphone
access. Advanced security features only come with Business and Enterprise level accounts.
Price: 5 GB with one user is free. 500 GB and 3 to 500 users is $15 per user per month. Call
for Enterprise pricing.

11. • Carbonite is an automatic backup system. It offers unlimited backup to protect
your files (not software) for a very competitive price. Carbonite is great if all you
need is backup protection. Price: $59 per year per computer. 3-plus-computer
plans start at $229 per year. Discount for multi-year subscription.
• Dropbox is a storage, syncing and sharing system. Any file you save to Dropbox
instantly saves to your computer, phones, and the Dropbox website. Invite others
to a folder, then see their changes instantly. Dropbox has a mobile app. Price: 2
GB is free. 50 GB is $9.99 per month. 100 GB is $19.99 per month. Team plans
start at $795 per year for 5 users and 350 GB.

12. • ElephantDrive is an automated backup system with a simple interface program.
Easily manage stored files with file search and file history. Multi-user storage is
only available for Enterprise account. Price: 2 GB is free. 100 GB with two
devices is $9.95 per month. 500 GB with 5 devices is $19.95 per month. Call for
Enterprise pricing for unlimited storage and multiple users.
• FilesAnywhere this is an online file storage, syncing and sharing system.
Manage and share files anywhere, including from mobile phone. View and edit
documents. Advanced plans feature additional security and automated backup.
Price: 1 GB is free. 10 GB is $11.95 per month for Basic plan and $15.75 per
month for Advanced plan.

13. • FlipDrive Simplify your life with FlipDrive. FlipDrive offers storage for
files, contacts, photos, favorite sites, calendar, and other information.
FlipDrive does not have an application to backup files automatically.
Price: 1 GB storage is free. 10 GB storage is $4.95 per month. 50 GB
storage is $9.95 per month. 100 GB is $19.95 per month.
• FreeDrive is a personal storage and file sharing service designed for
users of social networks, such as Facebook, MySpace and Bebo.
Users can access both their own files and their friends’ files from within
the social network. Price: 1 GB storage, free.

14. • iStorage is an online storage service from Iomega. Simply click what you want
to backup automatically with an easy-to-use interface. Manage files, access
remotely with smartphone, and share your data. File sharing can only be
accomplished using WhaleMail. Price: Individual plans start at 1 GB for $5.99
per month and goes to 15 GB for $49.99 per month. Multi-user plans start at 1
GB for $9.99 per month and goes to 25 GB for $99.99 per month.
• Mozy is an automated storage system. While this is primarily for backup
protection, you can easily manage stored files and access them remotely,
including from smartphone. Mozy offers strong security features and is
inexpensive for the amount of space. Price: 50 GB is $5.99 per month. 125 GB
with 3 computers is $9.99 per month.

15. • JungleDisk Store, sync, backup, and share online with Jungle Disk. Features
automated backup and smartphone app. Share files between multiple computers.
Multi-way sync keeps files up to date. Pay only for the storage you use. Price:
Simply Backup is $2 per month plus $0.15 per GB of storage used; first 5 GB
storage is free. Workgroup Edition is $4 per user per month plus $0.15 per GB of
storage used; first 10 GB storage per user is free.
• OpenDrive Store your content for remote access, sharing and collaboration. Back
up files automatically, and sync across multiple platforms. Directly link or embed
any of your files for use in emails, websites, or social networks. With its full set of
features, this is a top solution for online storage and collaboration. Price: 5 GB
storage is free. 100 GB storage with 3 users is $5 per month. 500 GB storage with
5 users is $15 per month. 1 TB storage with 7 users is $25 per month.

16. • SkyDrive is part of Microsoft Windows Live. Upload your files and photos so you
can access them from anywhere. Share files and collaborate with others. Create,
edit, and share Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files online, even if you
don’t have Microsoft Office installed on your computer. Price: 5 GB is free.
• Storegate is a storage and backup site. Store files to access or share anywhere,
including from smartphone. Backup files automatically. Storegate is cell phone
compatible so you can back up your phone contact list and calendar. Price: 1 GB
online hard drive is free. 25 GB storage is $7.99 per month. 50 GB is $14.99 per
month. 100 GB is $29.99 per month.

17. • SugarSync is a perfect blend of storage and backup. Store and sync your files
in the cloud to access from any device, including smartphone. Back up files
automatically. Access, share, and edit files and folders from anywhere. Price: 5
GB is free. 30 GB is $4.99 per month. 60 GB is $9.99 per month. 100 GB is
$14.99 per month. 250 GB is $24.99 per month.