Local Storage vs Cloud Storage: Which is Better For Your Business?

Over recent years, technology has grown to provide more possibilities than previously imaginable. In particular, how information is stored has grown to include options well beyond a physical location but the cloud (insert dramatic wave to the sky here).

To start with, we should be clear about the differences between these two types of services. Cloud storage is the process of storing digital data in an online space that has multiple servers and locations. Local storage is the process of storing digital data on physical storage devices, such as hard disc drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), or external storage devices. Having somewhere to store your data from video surveillance and other important information is a necessity.

So which is better for your business? Well, let’s take a deeper look.

Benefits of local storage

Speed. Storing data on external hard drives is faster than uploading data to the cloud.

Security. You have complete control over how the data is stored, who has access, and information security protocols.

Capacity. One of the major advantages of local storage is capacity. While 10GB is definitely a good amount for cloud storage, a hard drive can provide easily 2TB. 

Survivor. Local storage is also not reliant on internet connection. Once saved on-premise and need access to it, you will find it straight away.

Benefits of cloud storage

Cost-effective. Buying physical storage or hardware can be pricey. Cloud storage is cheaper than using external drives.

Security. Cloud storage is safer than the local storage of the use of encryption algorithms. Only authorized personnel such as you and your employees to have access to the documents and files stored in the cloud. This adds an extra layer of protection.

Accessibility. The Cloud gives you access to your files from anywhere. The only thing you will need is an internet connection.

Recovery. In case of a hard drive failure or other hardware malfunction, the files can be accessed on the cloud. This acts as a backup solution for your local storage on physical drives.

Updating. When working with cloud storage, every time you make changes to a file, these will be updated and synced on all of your devices. This just makes life and your job a little bit easier.

Drawbacks of  local storage

Accessibility. One of the limitations of local storage is that data is not easily accessible and harder to share with other teammates when needed. 

Cost. The hardware and infrastructure costs are high and adding on more space and upgrading only adds extra costs.

Backup/ Recovery. If your server dies, the data dies along with it. This could be a major concern for businesses when deciding to move data to the cloud. Data that is stored locally is much more susceptible to unexpected events, such as fires and floods, and local storage and local backups could be easily destroyed.

Drawbacks of cloud storage

Downtime. Downtime is a factor that needs to be considered while working with cloud computing because your cloud provider may face low internet connectivity power loss, service maintenance,  and all these components will affect the performance.

Internet connectivity. Good internet connectivity is essential in cloud computing. This is the only way data can be gathered onto the cloud. 

Performance.  When using cloud storage, your application isn’t the only one running on the server. With other organizations and applications using the same network, your performance may be affected.  

As with any business decision, the best choice for your needs will depend on the goals you have set. Understanding the pros and cons of cloud storage vs local storage is useful in determining and planning how to store and access your data.  Whether you want cloud storage or local storage, the team at scDataCom can provide them. We know that every business is different and take into consideration your business’s specific needs when making a recommendation. 

If you’re looking to make the switch to the cloud, get more space, or just more information, contact us today!