Cloud storage has to be the greatest invention since sliced bread. Well okay, perhaps not quite, but you get my drift. There are certainly a lot of useful things you can do with your cloud storage quota, and with a number of different providers all handing out cloud storage for free, it is a good idea to make the most of what’s on offer.
Popular Cloud Storage Options
- DropBox is a good choice if you need LAN synchronisation for your files. You can set up DropBox on any computer you use. Each time you work on a file and save it to your DropBox, the file will be synced when you log in from a different computer. So work on files at work and then access the updated files from home. DropBox also works with a number of different apps, including Kindle.
- Google Drive is great for working on collaborative documents, especially office files. Another great advantage of Google Drive is that it can open special files such as AutoCad and Photoshop files.
- Amazon Cloud Drive is useful for storing MP3 music files. You can stream music stored in the cloud straight on to Apple and Android devices.
Great Uses for Cloud Storage
Cloud storage can be used in a multitude of different ways depending on your personal requirements. And it doesn’t always need to be personal. There are also plenty of ways cloud storage can be useful if you are running a small business.
- Syncing content – Prior to cloud storage, the only way to transfer files between home and work was to email them to your account or drag them on to a CD or thumb drive. Both methods worked fine, although it could be pretty catastrophic if you lost the thumb drive, but cloud storage now offers a number of advantages. Instead of wondering which file is the most up to date, by working on files in the cloud, the content is synchronised automatically, so you always have the most up-to-date version of the file.
- Sharing files – there are always occasions when you need to share files with other people. Perhaps you want to share photos with friends and family, or you need a relative to read your CV before you apply for a job. Cloud storage is the ideal venue for sharing files. Simply share a folder and drag and drop the file in there.
- General backup – making regular backups of your computer hard drive, files and important documents is good practice. Unfortunately, not all of us remember to make regular backups, so when something goes wrong and a computer or hard drive fails, we face losing our precious photos and files. Backing up into the cloud is a much safer option. Your data is protected and even if you spill a bottle of red wine all over your laptop, your photos, music and videos are completely safe.
- Collaborate on Office documents – working on collaborative documents is common in the work environment and uploading documents to the cloud makes it a lot easier. You can also share project files with those who might not have the software to view them elsewhere, which is helpful in any number of businesses, from property investment consultants to quantity surveyors.
About the Author: Bruce White is an online businessman and provides hospitality supplies online. A tech enthusiast, he feels that cloud computing has changed the scenario for small businesses in terms of storage costs and other aspects. An avid blogger, he expresses his views on the latest tech issues on his blog.
License: Creative Commons image source
