Cloud services are those programs that are not fully installed on our computer, but are services that we access from the Internet to store files within a server accessible from any device with an Internet connection. There are more basic programs especially focused on the domestic environment and other more sophisticated ones especially oriented to the professional and business environment.
When choosing to use this type of storage system, know that they have a series of advantages that make their use especially interesting. But, equally, it is worth mentioning that they are not perfect, so we can find some drawbacks that we must also take into account.
The advantages of cloud services
Cloud storage services give us the ability to share and access our files remotely, without the need to access our local storage systems.
One of the highlights without a doubt is its price. Most cloud services offer free storage just for signing up. In addition, they offer us different pricing plans in case we need more capacity. This is why they are especially cheaper per GB than buying a storage device.
And not only the price is relevant since accessibility it is not far behind, as a relevant factor to take into account when using these cloud services. And it is that we must bear in mind that we are not only going to be able to access our files from our Windows PC. Services such as Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox are multiplatform, so it will only be necessary to have a web browser and an Internet connection to access them. In addition, they have applications for mobile services compatible with both Android and iOS.
Also noteworthy is its ability to sync and update, as well as the possibility of recovering any file. When we work with storage services in the cloud, every time we make changes to a file, it will be synchronized and updated on all the devices from which we access. In addition, it acts as a backup and backup solution for our files stored on physical drives.
Not everything is perfect, there are also drawbacks
Despite its important advantages, we are not talking about a perfect service, so when using it we must also take into account some disadvantages that they present us.
If accessibility is an advantage, we can also speak of it as a disadvantage. And is that to be able to access and read files that are in the cloud it is mandatory have an Internet connection. It is true that it is easy to have a connection almost anywhere and with mobile data, but even so we must be clear that where we do not have a connection we will not be able to access the files. Likewise, if our connection is slow, we will surely have problems accessing the stored data.
The security and privacy of our data is another factor that we must take into account. Not in vain we are storing the files remotely to a server, so we do not know if it is possible that someone can access them or if our data can be shared with other organizations. You have to know that our data is no longer in a physical place, so we do not know who can assure us that it is in a safe place.
