Cloud Storage Explained: Online File Storage vs Online Backup vs Online Archiving

With “cloud” technology becoming cheaper and more accessible each day, new start-ups are coming out with clever ways of using these tools to provide value to customers.

Within the “cloud storage” space, three leading technologies have emerged which—although they might seem similar—are quite different in their mechanics and the value they provide to customers.

These are: online archiving, online backup, and online file storage. (Do check out online backup reviews.)

Knowing the difference is important, because it will assist you in deciding which solution is right for you.

Additionally: Choosing the wrong type of cloud solution can lead to wasted money, poor data protection, or inefficient workflows.

Online File Storage

This is probably one of the more common uses for cloud storage. Online file storage is similar to having a hard drive on the internet. This allows you to store files remotely and securely access them from any machine, anywhere in the world.

Another attractive feature of online file storage is that this “internet hard drive” can be shared with other people.

Before online file storage became popular, people commonly used NAS devices. Although these devices are still very popular, online file storage is simply more convenient.

Some people use their web hosting account as an online file storage device, but this is insecure and usually against the terms of service. So beware.

Online Backup

Online backup is very specific in the way it works.

Of course, it’s designed to copy your data to another location to protect you from disaster. But what really makes an online backup service different is the fact that it retains versions of your data files.

This allows you to “roll back” if you ever upload a corrupted file.

You can use both an online backup and an online file storage service together without redundancy, since they serve different purposes. One is for storing and sharing data, and the other is for protecting data.

Instructions: Use online backup for automatic, scheduled protection of your entire system, and avoid relying on manual uploads for critical data.

Online Archiving

This last one is poorly understood because fewer people use it. It’s generally sold to larger companies that need to manage huge amounts of fast-growing data (email servers are perfect examples).

If you’re into digital photography or video production, you probably produce a lot of large data files. As a result, your hard drive may fill up quickly, forcing you to move older pictures and videos to another storage device to free up space on your main computer.

For a photographer, this type of maintenance might only be required on a monthly basis. But for a large company that produces several terabytes of business data per month, this can become a full-time job.

In addition to taking inactive data off production equipment, companies are also bound by special laws that force them to retain this data for several years and ensure it can be quickly searched at a moment’s notice. Imagine trying to locate a single Word document among 400 backup tapes.

For this reason, automating the process can offer huge cost savings. Storing data in the cloud also means that massive archives can be searched quickly using the online archiving provider’s powerful server infrastructure.

Having said that, online archiving isn’t something you’re likely to start using on your home machine any time soon. But it’s still useful to understand how it differs from online file storage and online backup.

Case Study: Choosing the Right Cloud Solution

Short Case Study: A small creative agency initially used online file storage to protect client projects. After losing work due to accidental file corruption, they added an online backup service with versioning. As the business grew, archived older projects were moved to an online archiving solution, reducing costs and improving data organization.

There are other variations on the idea of storing data in the cloud, and new concepts are being introduced every day by ambitious tech start-ups (server replication, virtualization, etc.). However, these three categories continue to dominate when it comes to managing data through online storage solutions.

Conclusion

Online file storage, online backup, and online archiving each serve distinct purposes. Understanding their differences helps you choose the right combination to protect, manage, and scale your data efficiently in an increasingly cloud-driven world.