LOCAL & CLOUD STORAGE

By
Karl Haye
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Table of Contents

What is local and cloud storage?………………………………………..3-4

What are the similarities between both?..................................................5

Differences between local and cloud storage……………………………6

Advantages and disadvantages of local and cloud storage………………7

Uses of both local and cloud storage……………………………………8-10

What is Local and Cloud Storage?

Cloud Storage:
Cloud storage stores data on remote servers connected via the internet and
owned by someone else, typically a cloud service provider. Although the
provider will usually provide some protection, most adopt a shared
responsibility model, which means you must take security precautions to protect
any files you save on the remote servers. Your data may potentially be stored on
numerous servers, depending on your provider.

Types of Cloud Storage:

● Platform as a Service (PaaS) : PaaS is primarily concerned with providing

an execution environment as well as hardware and software tools to app
developers. Microsoft Azure can serve as a PaaS solution. With PaaS,
your data is stored in the cloud, and you can have distinct locations for
data required to build apps and vital business data.

● Software as a Service (SaaS) : SaaS platforms involve software and

applications made available over the Internet by a third party, such as
Microsoft. Common SaaS providers include OneDrive, Dropbox,
Outlook, Word, and Excel. These apps are designed to interact with
customers and require access to the majority of your data at all times. As
a result, you will most likely store your data on the same server as your
 applications (or a server that communicates with them).

Local Storage:
Local storage stores data on physical server equipment on your premises, such
as flash memory or hard disk drives. You are alone responsible for security and
accident prevention, and no one else is involved in how you organise the files
that you keep.

Types of Local Storage:

● Secure digital card(SD card): SD card is a sort of detachable storage

device that stores and transfers digital information. It is widely utilised in
electronic gadgets such digital cameras, cellphones, tablets, and portable
gaming consoles.

● Network-Attached storage (NAS drive): NAS drive is a file-based storage

device that makes data continually available, allowing employees to
interact efficiently over a network. Any computer network consists of
interconnected server machines and client machines that transmit requests
to those servers.
What are the Similarities Between Both?
Differences between local and cloud storage
Advantages and Disadvantages of Local and Cloud

storage

Advantages

Cloud Storage:

● Cost Savings: Whatever cloud service model you choose, you only pay

for the resources you utilise. This helps you avoid overbuilding and

overprovisioning your data centre, freeing up critical time for your IT

personnel to focus on more strategic tasks.

● Advanced security: Contrary to popular belief, cloud computing can

actually improve your security posture due to its depth and breadth of

security features, automatic maintenance, and centralised management.

● Data Loss Prevention: Cloud companies provide backup and disaster

recovery services. Storing data in the cloud rather than locally can help to

prevent data loss in the event of an emergency, such as a hardware

failure, malicious threats, or even simple user error.

Local Storage:

● No WiFi required: Unlike in the cloud, local storage does not require an

internet connection. You can access your data whenever you need it,

without having to worry about internet speeds, connectivity issues, or

overall reliability. There are no additional expenses related to

downloading your own data. Alternatively, the cost of uploading more of

it. Save, of course, for those times when you need to expand your storage

capacity. However, in general, local storage is more reliable and

accessible.

● Local storage systems are easily altered: We briefly mentioned the

unexpected paywalls that can occur with cloud storage. An on-site

solution can help to mitigate these surprises. If you require more storage

capacity, you can expand the size of your infrastructure. If you want to

improve performance, you can replace the components of your storage

server.

● Physically on-site, giving you complete control: With a local storage

server on-site, you have complete control over your storage

infrastructure. You can define permissions, file trees, data quotas, buckets

for individual users, and user access permissions. This feature is still

available in the cloud, but you can implement more stringent controls

when your storage servers are situated at your business or home office.
 Also, having your data at your location reduces the chance of intrusion

into your systems.

Disadvantages

Cloud Storage:

● Unexpected paywalls: The upfront price of cloud storage can appear

appealing. The cost per gigabyte, especially if you only have a modest

amount, may appear reasonable in comparison to local storage prices.

However, the price begins to rise dramatically as soon as you attempt to

download material that already belongs to you. Even uploading more data

outside the boundaries of the bundle you purchased can result in

increased expenses.

● Reliance on the internet: Because cloud storage is entirely online, any

outage or disturbance to the internet will make it difficult to retrieve your

files. The speed of your internet connection can also affect your ability to

access them. Slow download speeds and bottlenecks can significantly

impact data retrieval.

Local Storage:

● Risk of unauthorized internal access: Because your storage servers are

physically present at your location, you must ensure that they are

stationed in the appropriate areas based on your physical security policy,

 such as locked away securely in separate rooms or in a space with low

traffic.

● Physical servers are more prone to external harm. Keeping physical

servers in the office or data centre increases the risk of loss due to

external damage. If there is a fire, flood, or structural damage to your

building, you will most likely lose all of your data. And if you haven't

retrieved it, it can be really tough.

Uses of Both Local and Cloud Storage