Why Your Small Business Needs Better Data Storage Solutions
Over the past decade, finding sufficient and secure data storage solutions has become a top IT services priority for businesses of all sizes. What’s typically referred to as “the cloud” has evolved from generally being known as an accommodative personal data storage option to a system used by an estimated 85% of businesses around the world to store valuable data and information.
But even as more and more businesses have begun to utilize cloud data storage services, there still seems to be a subtle misconception that these virtual forms of data storage pertain mostly to bigger-sized corporations, compared to the data storage needs of smaller businesses.
Much of that ‘big business’ perception of cloud computing doesn’t take into account the wide range of advantages that cloud data storage can provide for small business IT solutions, which can include:
● Convenience
● Security
● Affordability
● Synergy
● Flexibility
At Lighthouse Technology Solutions, we offer efficient and affordable data storage options for small businesses to help save and protect any form of important or sensitive information.
If you’re unsure whether cloud computing is right for your small business, let’s consider how your company can benefit from better data storage solutions.
Comprehensible Convenience
In the old days of business data storage, vital documents and information were either stored and organized through physical files and copies, or computer hard drives, meaning they were only accessible if you were physically present.
Nowadays, all you need to gain access to various forms of company data, such as payroll, license agreements, or other contracts, is essentially an Internet connection and a password!
Utilizing cloud data storage enhances your company’s overall organization and provides a significant convenience when accessing files or information at any time or location. You can also save physical space in your office by completely converting your prior data storage services into cloud computing.
Accessing any information you need is as easy as typing it into your cloud data storage browser for a more comprehensible experience than rummaging through cabinets or clicking through dozens of saved computer files.
Safe & Secure
Hackers and malware are a serious threat to security and use various techniques that breach the target’s data to expose clients’ and employees’ information.
The most common attacks include:
● Ransomware
● Virus/malware
● Phishing
● Distributed denial of service
Mitigating these threats means using the proper storage. And while there’s a misconception about cloud computing being vulnerable to hacking, which seems to dissuade some small business owners from utilizing its services. Your company’s data and information are generally safer and more secure through cloud-based storage services than on a computer hard drive.
For starters, cloud computing features built-in firewalls designed to filter out and eliminate any possibility of malware or other suspicious online activity attempting to access your data. Cloud computing services also hire third-party software security companies to test their firewalls and guarantee their clients’ safety and security.
They also save your data on multiple servers; if one somehow malfunctions, all your data is saved on backup servers.
Cost-Efficiency
By eliminating any storage hardware or maintenance, cloud computing data storage solutions can save your small business more money in the long run than resorting to other IT data-storing services.
There are plenty of affordable, sometimes even free, versions of cloud computing software that will vary in price depending on your data storage needs.
And when you choose to work with a technology solutions company, an experienced telecom consultant can help you find the right data storage solutions while at the same time streamlining your company's productivity through enhanced support with IT, security support, and improved employee performance through enhanced communication resources.
Superior Synergy
Arguably, the biggest advantage that cloud data storage services provide small businesses is how accessible they are for everyone in your company to access and utilize. If you have team members working remotely in different places, everyone can equally retrieve, view, and edit any documents or information at an instant’s notice without having to deal with any headaches of screen-sharing, email threads, or phone conferences where one person has to relay information to everyone else.
This is particularly convenient for small businesses with significant or occasional traveling!
When you need advanced security components and reliable performance, here are five of our expert's favorites.
Cloud-Based
Cloud-based is the ideal option if individuals on multiple devices or in various locations need data access. It's also more secure because the information is stored
off-site away from the business removing the risk of data loss.
External
External hard drives have been used for over 30 years, are portable, easy to replace if the drive breaks, and can be formatted to be used as internal storage.
Direct Attached
DAS Connects directly to the computer instead of the server, has an easy
installation, and is a more affordable option.
Flash Drives
Flash drives are ideal for small amounts of information and are designed to be small, portable, and connect easily to computers are used as a backup for hard disks.
RAID
RAID is a combination of multiple hard drives into one which means increased protection and performance while at the same time holding a large amount of information.
Functional Flexibility
In the end, cloud data storing solutions are mainly beneficial to any small business because of the overall flexibility these services provide.
Whether it’s choosing to pay as you go to take a few months to figure out whether cloud computing is right for your company or the ability to adjust storing settings as you see fit, the bottom line is that efficient data storing services will give your business the power to decide what works best for you and your employees.
Streamlined Solutions
An effective data storage solution also means freeing up space in office computers, which will help them perform optimally. In a company with 500 employees, even one minute a day in lag time can cost upwards of 2000+ hours of work time annually wasted waiting on slow computer speeds.
An enhanced data storage solution removes the stress from your computers and creates a streamlined solution to find documents in seconds, increasing free time within your company.
Contact Lighthouse Technology Solutions for Efficient Data Storage Solutions
Whatever your small business IT service needs are, Lighthouse Technology Solutions has the resources, experience, and services necessary to accommodate your company’s data storage demands.
If you’re interested in learning whether cloud computing storage services are best for your business, contact us today for a free quote on all our IT services, or call us at 612-345-9177 to speak directly with one of our data storage experts.