Cloud computing has been a popular solution for nearly a decade, but to some, the option of relocating all data and applications to some unknown server seem absurd. Though many businesses have found great success utilizing the cloud, individual migration remains relatively slow. Worse, those willing to entertain the idea of moving to the cloud face all sorts of obstacles and difficult decisions.
The benefits of the cloud:
The cloud has limitless space.
The cloud can be more secure than personal devices.
The cloud is accessible on all devices.
The cloud runs the most up-to-date software.
The cloud has flexible payment structures.
Yet, the complexities of moving to the cloud remain off-putting for most non-enterprise users. If you are considering relying more heavily on cloud solutions, here is a guide to help your transition.
Understand What You Are Relocating to the Cloud
The cloud is limitless, but few consumer cloud users are interested in acquiring infinite space. First, having access to so much storage only encourages bad habits, like data hoarding. Secondly, the more cloud space you have, the more you have to pay for. Unless you also have an unlimited cloud storage budget, you shouldn’t expect to acquire unlimited space.
Therefore, you need to pick and choose what you are moving to the cloud. Before you start sifting through your digital belongings, you should clean your devices of unnecessary data. Using a cleaning program like Dr. Cleaner, you can effortlessly eliminate worthless files and information that would otherwise clog up space in your cloud. Cleaning programs automatically identify junk data, saving you hours or days-worth of time in picking through your computer’s nooks and crannies.
Then, you should determine what information you want to relocate. Because your cloud can be accessed regardless of your location or your device, you should consider migrating files that you might want to use wherever you go. This might include work-related information, contact information, pictures or other data. Once you know the primary type of file moving to the cloud, you can begin evaluating cloud providers for your needs.
Research Available Cloud Providers and Available Solutions
There are three primary public cloud providers: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). All three have several tiers of service, offering different types of clouds for different types of users. These larger cloud providers target most of their services toward enterprises, but they do offer smaller solutions for personal cloud needs.
Of course, there are smaller cloud providers as well, and many of them more accurately cater to smaller cloud users, like you. You might consider solutions from providers like Dropbox, MediaFire and SpiderOak if you are less concerned about comprehensive service and more interested in immediate, intuitive and affordable cloud options.
Require Essential Security
Thankfully, insecurity in the cloud isn’t nearly as rampant as infosec professionals anticipated when the cloud first emerged. However, threats to the cloud still exist, so it is still vital that you choose a provider and a solution with sufficient security to protect your digital data and devices. Providers should be relatively transparent regarding their security strategy, and you should look for providers that advertise these features:
Encryption. This is the foundation of strong cloud security. Without encryption, your data is basically available for anyone to see and use.
Unique credentials and access control. You aren’t a business, which means you probably won’t need several tiers of access to your data. Still, you should be able to limit access to your data using unique login credentials that aren’t available to anyone else.
Positive reputation. A cloud provider with an established reputation for providing secure storage should be your top goal. You should research cloud providers and read news regarding their security history before making your final decision.
Check and Double-Check Contracts
You might be eager to migrate to the cloud, especially after all this research and preparation, but before you sign on the dotted line — or accept the terms of use, as the case may be — you need to know exactly what you are agreeing to. There might be all sorts of responsibilities hidden in the contract. For example, your provider might impose fees for every access of your cloud, or it might not permit certain types of files. To ensure you did all the research you could, you should read through the contract at least twice. Otherwise, you might have to move to a new cloud, starting the entire difficult process over again.
Damini Juyal
