8 Best Cloud Storage
Product Benefits Compute is used to reference processing power, memory, networking, storage, and other resources required for the computational success of any program. For example, applications that run machine learning algorithms or 3D graphics rendering functions require many gigs of RAM and multiple CPUs to run successfully. Data Storage Optionsbusinesscloudsolutions Before cloud-computing, individuals stored their personal data on hard drives and memory cards. But computers and mobile phones can be easily damaged or lost, and may require physical proximity to the device in order to access the stored data. Businesses have stored their data on large-sized servers hosted in dedicated data centers. Data can only be accessed by a user who logs in to the corporate network, and it may not be accessible via the Internet or when the user is on the move. (For more, see: Investing in Data Centers.) Both the individual devices and the corporate servers need dedicated support and maintenance, and ensuring the security of the data remains a challenge. What is cloud storage? A cloud service provider or a cloud hosting company provides a fixed-size server space to clients, who use it to store data. While the client owns the stored data, the hosting company owns and maintains the required hardware. The cloud host offers non-stop accessibility to client data, while providing secure access as designated by the clients. The data, in turn, may be stored across one or many servers, configured by the cloud hosting company in their data centers. Although this concept dates back to the 1960s, it has gained popularity in the last few years due to improved Internet infrastructure allowing faster access to remotely-hosted data. Businesses are rapidly moving to cloud hosting, as it does away with the hassles of local server maintenance, associated costs and certain security concerns. The growing market of cloud hosting includes big names like Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and giants like Intel are reportedly investing heavily in supporting technologies. Amazon Web Services (AWS): Amazon’s AWS offers a wide range of cloud hosting services. Plans include Pay as you go, Pay less when you reserve, Pay even less per unit by using more, Pay even less as AWS grows, and Custom pricing. “Pay as you go” allows one to pay only for the resources actually used, without any long term commitments or upfront costs. The “Pay less when you reserve” plan allows one to invest in reserved capacity, and later get discounts and savings. “Pay even less per unit by using more” allows one to get benefits of reduced costs with increased storage space and data transfer.