One area of cloud services that has continued to grow since it was first introduced in the late 1990s is cloud storage. The market is expected to grow from 76.43 billion in 2021 to 390.33 billion in 2028. That is an increase of over 410%.
Most consumers and businesses store data in the cloud for easy accessibility from anywhere. Cloud storage also makes it much simpler to share files with multiple people without having to email copies back and forth.
People can collaborate and co-author, keeping one main file across an organization, which improves efficiency and reduces confusion with redundant copies.
Some of the feature additions over the years to web-based storage that have improved business workflows include:
- Ability to revert back to an earlier file version
- Permission levels for files (read-only, edit, etc.)
- Color coding for organization
Cloud storage is one of the core systems that companies need to operate effectively. It’s estimated that at least 50% of all company data is stored in the cloud. Thus, it’s important to take advantage of new features and trends happening in the industry.
We’ve taken a look at how online storage is evolving and highlighted some of the most exciting trends below.
Automation of Provisioning, Organization, and More
Manual tasks can eat up more time than we realize. It’s estimated that over half of managers spend 8 hours per week on manual and repetitive tasks.
One important trend in cloud storage to help eliminate manual tasks done by administrators and others is automation. Cloud storage services are adding automation for the organization of files, where the system learns how things are supposed to be filed and can help put files in the right folders based on your behaviors.
Other types of automated activities being added to reduce administrative workload are:
- Provisioning
- Ingesting (obtaining and importing files)
- Cleanup of unnecessary files
Ransomware Detection & Defense
Ransomware costs have more than doubled in the past year. Attacks continue to rise and become more sophisticated, and ransomware doesn’t only attack on-premises storage, cloud-based storage is also susceptible.
To help combat ransomware, cloud storage providers are putting protections in place to help prevent files from being encrypted by ransomware code. Other protections are also being added to detect and stop ransomware infections, such as the safe links feature in Microsoft 365.
It’s important to understand the ransomware defenses you may have available in your cloud storage system, as these may not be turned on by default. Connect2Geek’s team can help you review your security options and enable any that need to be.
Rapid Ransomware Recovery
Another anti-ransomware function being added by web-based storage providers is the ability to quickly recover your cloud files in case of a ransomware incident.
This involves the provider keeping a separate backup copy of your data that would not be infected should your cloud storage system be hit with ransomware.
This service may be an additional add-on, and you may want to explore this option along with other 3rd party cloud backup solutions to see which is best for your company.
Shortening the Distance Between Users & Cloud Storage Servers
One of the buzzwords that have come up in recent years is “Edge computing.” This simply means that cloud service providers work from a playbook where they try to locate cloud servers strategically and put services as close as possible to the user.
The shorter the data transmission has the travel, the easier and less costly it is to deliver a fast and responsive cloud service experience.
Edge computing is being increasingly employed by cloud storage providers to lower costs and keep things like file searches and large file uploads fast for users.
What this means for your business is that you may be asked either by a current provider or when signing up for a new cloud storage service in the future where the bulk of your business is located. This location will then factor into the data center the service provider uses to store your account’s information.
More Integration of Cloud Storage & Other Cloud Applications
Look for cloud storage to be integrated more into a full ecosystem with other cloud services. Microsoft already does this somewhat with Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint all being connected natively.
Other big players in the tech industry, like Dell and Hewlett Packard, are also exploring how to create a better integrated, full cloud environment with cloud storage being at the core.
This means better efficiency and more ability to automate digital workflows in the future, which saves time and improves productivity.
Is Your Cloud Storage Fully Optimized?
Connect2Geek can help your Treasure Valley businesses review your cloud storage and other cloud services to ensure your infrastructure is fully optimized and secured.
Schedule your free consultation to learn more today! Call 208-468-4323 or reach out online.