Whether you are choosing an online cloud storage solution for business or pleasure there are several things to consider. From security to ease of use, making your decision should be based on which provider ticks the most boxes, the most effectively.
Ease of Use
How easy is the site to use? From the moment you arrive on the site you need something that is easy to navigate. Having a site that is text heavy and confusing with no clear directions will just make you bounce off and go somewhere else. It is easy to determine for yourself whether the site is easy to use. Does the site have a clear pricing plan with features that are easy to find? Can you find contact details for support or do you have to click several times before you figure out that you can’t find what you are looking for? These are all things you should consider whether on a desktop or a mobile. If it is a clumsy, text heavy site that is hard to navigate then how easy is it going to be to use on a regular basis for everyday tasks?
Security
When you store your data you need to ensure that it is safe. You don’t want your data falling into the wrong hands and if you are uneasy about members of the providers’ staff being able to see your data then look for a company that has a Zero Knowledge privacy policy. All online storage providers should have an end to end secure encryption, specifically an SSL AES-256 bit data encryption. It is always easy to spot those that take security seriously as they tend to highlight it heavily on the website.
Support
For those times when you need answers from a human being it is good to know that support is easily accessible. With some providers you will find pop up chat boxes giving you access to live support, telephone numbers for whichever country you are calling from and a whole menu of support options. With other providers finding access to support will seem like finding a pot of gold at the end of rainbow. If you are confident with what you are doing and feel that you are not likely to need support then this won’t be much of a factor but for businesses entrusting their data to a cloud storage provider it is important to know that you can contact someone when the need arises.
Pricing
This is of course the bottom line for many. Whether you are looking for a personal or business solution you need to ensure that there is a plan that suits your needs. For personal cloud storage users you don’t want to pay a great deal if anything. Look for a good free plan that doesn’t have too many limitations. If you are looking for a business solution then ensure that there is a plan to suit your needs or that a custom plan can be provided without it costing you the earth. Most data storage providers are competitive and many offer bespoke solutions for larger organisations.
Features
This is probably the overriding factor for many. What features does the cloud storage provider offer? Can you access the files on the move from multiple devices? Can you share your files with other users and work offline when needed? For many an online data solution can just be an online backup but for many they need more than this. They need access to working files to collaborate with team members on the go. To cater for this many providers have a solution that is compatible across all devices offering a file sharing service and for emergencies a remote wipe facility.
Whatever you need from your online storage solution you will find plenty of information about each provider and the solutions that they offer. The easiest thing to do is to make a list of everything that is important to you. If security is your priority then this will be top of the list but if you need specific features these may rank above that. Whatever you are looking for you will find a few providers that stand out as the most suitable then it is just a case of comparing your shortlist.
