What is cloud storage? which are the best cloud storage services for free?

 Cloud storage or cloud computing

What is cloud storage? Are we saving data in clouds?

No, obviously we are not saving data in the clouds. Cloud storage enables you to store your data on hosted servers of the cloud storage service This means you can store all your digital things like documents, photos, music and videos remotely, without taking up physical space in your home or using up megabytes on your computer.

It also saves the storage of our device. we can view and download our data back whenever we want. It's delivered on demand with just-in-time capacity and costs, and eliminates buying and managing your own data storage infrastructure.

Some of the  examples of Cloud Storage are Google docs,  Media fire and Strong space. Perhaps most private computer users are familiar with backup

services in the Cloud. Mozy.com and carbonite.com are good examples of 

this technology.

Why is it called cloud?

The cloud is not a physical entity, but instead is a vast network of remote servers around the globe which are hooked together and meant to operate as a single ecosystem. 

The term cloud is used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on the cloud drawing used in the past to represent the telephone network, and later to depict the Internet in computer network diagrams as an abstraction of the underlying infrastructure it represents.

Is it safe to use cloud storage?

How is the Cloud Protected? To keep data secure, the front line of defense for any cloud system is encryption. ... Yes, the only way to keep your data safe for certain is to lock it up in a safe beneath the ground.

It's a fact that the cloud storage is safer than your local storage because providers have added additional layers of security to their services. Thanks to the use of encryption algorithm, only authorized personnel such as you and your employees have access to the documents and files stored in the cloud.

Who invented cloud storage?

Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider 

(Known as father of cloud computing)

Cloud storage is believed to have been invented by computer scientist Dr. Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider in the 1960s. About two decades later,CompuServe began to offer its customers small amounts of disk space in order to store some of their files.

With the passage of time many other companies started offering cloud service to the customers and today it becomes a global business and neccessity.

How much data is saved in the cloud?

According to recent research by Nasuni, there is over 1 Exabyte of data stored stored in the cloud equivalent to1,073,741,824 Gigabytes of data.

Popular cloud storage services

• google drive                               
• 
  amazon drive
• dropbox
• Apple's icloud
• icloud
• microsoft onedrive
• mega
• mediafire
• strong space
• carbonite

Is there any storage limit for cloud storage?

Yes,there is a limit of data an individual can store in icloud.it depends pon the cloud sevice you are using.For example when you use sign up for iCloud, you automatically get 5 GB of free storage. If you need more space in iCloud, you can upgrade to a larger storage plan. 

Also, Every Google Account starts with 15 GB of free storage that's shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. When you upgrade to Google One, your total storage increases to 100 GB or more depending on what plan you choose.

Advantages of using cloud storage

Usability and accessibility: Suppose you have to send an important file to someone and you don't have your phone or device at that time. In such a situation .In such a situation if you have stored that file in cloud, you can access it easily.

Security: Cloud provides security to your data as by using encryption algorithm. As we have discussed above ,it is safer than your local storage.

 
Cost-efficient: If you want more storage ,you have to purchase hard disks, pen drive or other storage devices which is very costly. cloud helps you for such tasks by giving you server space at the lowest cost.

Convenient sharing of files: If you want to work on a project with your team and you want that all the participants of the project have access to the data required. Rather of sharing the data to every individual, you can share it in the cloud platform.

Automation: You can automate your device to save your data to the cloud in case of shortage of storage on your device which makes your phone's space always available for you.

Multiple users: As we have discussed earlier, multiple users can have access to a single cloud storage via cloud sharing.

Some facts about cloud storage

• Nearly one-half of US Government agencies use the cloud.
• Banking produces the most activity within the cloud.
• 60% of U.S. IT decision makers trust the security of the cloud.
• 80% of companies that adopt the cloud see improvements within their IT departments within six months.