Question: Is Online Storage Practical?
Answer: Rising Internet connection speeds and falling storage costs have led numerous companies to begin offering online hosting services for data such as documents and photos. These services are proving to be extremely valuable for businesses and residential users alike.
A common approach is to position these online services as offsite backup solutions. For example, i365 and Mozy give customers tools to automate backups of sensitive information as a key component of a disaster recovery plan. Other providers such as DropBox and Syncplicity utilize online storage to enable the synchronization of information between multiple computers, allowing individuals to easily access and work with their files from home, work, or on the road.
One thing to keep in mind when considering any online storage service is the security of your information. All of the services mentioned here will encrypt your data to protect it while in transit and after it has been stored remotely. However, malicious individuals would nevertheless have a new attack vector through which they could attempt to compromise your information by, for example, guessing your password.
Regardless of the information you intend to store using an online service, protect your account with a strong password and avoid writing the password down. Businesses and individuals working with extremely sensitive information should consult with security specialists prior to delving into any online storage endeavor.
~Travis Luckey, Chief Solutions Engineer
Travis Luckey is a versatile IT leader with over 10 years of experience helping businesses leverage technology to increase productivity, reduce expenses, and accomplish strategic objectives.
Tags: data security, offsite backup solutions, online hosting services, online storage service, Travis Luckey, versatile IT leader