What Does Cloud Storage Mean?
Cloud storage is a cloud computing model in which data is stored on remote servers and accessed over the internet or through a dedicated private network connection. The storage infrastructure is maintained, operated and managed by the cloud storage service provider.
Cloud storage allows data to be accessed from anywhere and the cost of cloud storage is typically based on a flat rate for "x" amount of data storage. Other advantages of using cloud storage include:
- Self-service provisioning — the customer can provision additional cloud storage resources whenever needed. They can also deprovision unused storage capacity.
- Unlimited storage capacity — internal storage networks can be supplemented with public cloud storage in a hybrid model.
- High availability (HA) — the same data is stored redundantly in virtual machines (VMs) or containers on multiple machines so that when a server is down, customers can still access their data.
Techopedia Explains Cloud Storage
Cloud storage provides end users and applications with a virtual storage architecture that is scalable according to application requirements.
Cloud storage is available in private, public and hybrid clouds.
- Public cloud storage — the customer uses the internet to connect to a storage that’s maintained by a cloud provider and used by other companies.
- Private cloud storage — the customer builds their own storage storage that is accessed through a private connection and cannot be used by other companies.
- Hybrid cloud storage — the customer stores sensitive information in a private cloud and uses public cloud storage services to store data that is not sensitive.
In general, cloud storage operates through a web-based application programming interface (API) that is remotely implemented through its interaction with the client application's in-house cloud storage infrastructure for input/output (I/O) and read/write (R/W) operations.
When delivered through a public service provider, cloud storage may also be referred to as utility storage.
