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Unlock the Advantages of Cloud Computing for Small Business

Before I go any further I want to say that I’m not an IT professional.  My background is in sales, marketing, and supply chain management, but my point of view on this topic is as a user of the software.

We have all experienced the evolution of computer technology during the past several decades. My first computer in the 1980s was a Zenith, the operating system was DOS 3.1, and there was no hard-drive. This computer was primarily a word processing tool. Next came the various incarnations of Windows and Macs, followed by mobile devices.  During this evolution, these tools have dramatically changed the way we use our business tools.

The newest trend in technology is cloud-based platforms which include storage, online office programs, and communications.  In this segment, I will cover the storage use of the cloud and in future posts, we will discuss office programs and communications.

Cloud Storage
The advantage of using Cloud storage is the economies of scale which spread the cost of equipment, improvements, and maintenance to thousands of subscribers. Cloud storage eliminates the need for expensive high powered computers, servers, and security.

There are many cloud storage providers which you can find on Google. In this post, I will cover the Cloud sources that I have personally used.

Dropbox brings your cloud content and traditional files together with the tools you love—so you can be organized, stay focused, and get in sync with your team. With all your files organized in one central place, you can safely sync them across all your devices and access them anytime, anywhere.

iCloud is an Apple product that offers a free plan and very reasonable pricing for larger storage. The best benefit is that you can have every document on your Mac automatically uploaded to iCloud. All of your files can be accessed from Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Google Drive (15GB Free) easy storage and accessible from your devices. The big advantage is that you can purchase a Chromebook computer for as low as $300.00 and keep all your files in the cloud. Unfortunately, there is almost no storage on the laptop.

Amazon Drive is free with a Prime membership account. Like the others, it provides storage for your files. There is an unlimited amount of storage for photos. I store several thousand photos on this cloud.

If you have any comments or questions please email me at nick@kbizbrokers.com