It is a cloud computing model which stores data over the Internet through a cloud computing provider that manages and operates data storage as a service. It’s delivered on-demand with just-in-time capacity and costs and eliminates buying and managing your own data storage infrastructure. They give you agility, global scale, and durability with “anytime, anywhere” data.
Its providers are amenable to keeping the data available and accessible and the physical environment secured, preserved, and executed. Users and companies buy or lease storage capacity from the providers to store users, companies, or application data.
How Does it Work?
It buys by the third-party cloud vendor who owns and operates data storage capacity and delivers it on the Internet in a pay-as-you-go model. These cloud storage vendors manage power, security, and durability to make data accessible to your applications all around the world.
Applications are used by the cloud storage by dint of traditional storage protocols or directly via an API. Multiple vendors offer complementary services designed to help collect, manage, secure and analyze data at a massive scale.
Types of Cloud Storage:-
There are three types of cloud storage available:-
- Object storage
- File storage
- Block storage
Object Storage
Applications created in the cloud often take advantage of object storage’s vast scalability and metadata characteristics. Object storage solutions like Amazone Simple Storage Service(S3) are ideal for building modern applications from scratch that need scale and flexibility and can also be used to import existing data stores for analytics, backup, or archive.
File Storage
Few applications or software are required to use shared files and need a file system. This type of storage is often supported with a Network Attached Storage (NAS) server. File storage solutions like Amazone Elastic File System(EFS) are ideal for use cases like large content repositories, development environments, media stores, or user home directories.
Block Storage
Other enterprise applications such as ERP systems often require dedicated or database, low latency storage for each host. It is analogous to Direct-Attached Storage (DAS) or Storage Area Network (SAN). Block-based cloud storage solutions rule with every virtual server and proposal the ultra-low latency required for high-performance workloads.
Names of the cloud storage providers:-
1. DropBox:-
It is the best file cloud storage and file synchronization services, developed by American company dropbox
2. iCloud:-
Apple Inc. gives this service, and each apple user is aware of this technology. It is only applicable for Apple devices, and in Windows 7 or older versions, there is no mobile app for Android devices. iCloud serves more than 950 million active users.
3. Google Drive:-
Google itself maintains Google drive. With android devices, it appears with built-in integration.
4. Microsoft One Drive:-
Microsoft One Drive was specially created for Microsoft users; that’s why the documents or files of Microsoft application could be saved on the cloud storage.
5. IDrive:-
IDrive is a service that mainly focuses on data backup.
6. Mega:-
It is cloud storage, and it supports files hosting service, which is offered by an Auckland-based company called Mega limited. It is one of the top services that provide 50Gb of free data storage space.
7. Box:-
The box is highly recommended for enterprise solutions and small teams.
8. pCloud:-
pCloud is specially designed to store big files, and it is often used for own and small businesses. pCloud mere provides two plans for storage space 10 and 100 GB.
9. Tresorit:-
It is a service that emphasizes data security and encoding, and it is an idealistic service for individuals and organizations.
10. Amazon Drive:-
It was formerly also called Amazon Cloud Drive. Amazon supports cloud storage service, file backup, file sharing, and photo printing.