What is Cloud storage and why do you need it?

Cloud storage allows you to store data in a remote area that is accessible from any device. It plays a vital role in improving your productivity and efficiency in terms of backing up important data and ensuring its security. The conventional approach of storing data like hard drives has numerous benefits. But when the storage drive gets attacked by a virus or malware, all data can be lost. So, the utilization of Cloud storage acts as a substitute for the conventional storage gadgets that the businesses can use to store data and backup the files on hardware drives.

Top 10 free Cloud storage services

With numerous options available for Cloud storage, it’s important to choose a provider that will give you optimal storage amount and bandwidth while keeping your data secure. In this blog post, we’ll share a list of Cloud storage providers that offer the best services for free.

1. Degoo

Degoo gives you 100GB of free storage space once you set up an account. You can also refer your friends to use the service and get 500GB extra. You receive a storage space of 3GB for every user that creates an account via your referral. While you can choose which files to back up, it is done automatically every 24 hours to ensure your files are up-to-date. Since this software is somehow different than other Cloud storage products, you need to choose a fold on your PC that will accommodate your backed-up files or create a new one. Put your files in the folder that you intend to keep online and then ensure Degoo is running to back up your data online. You can use the Cloud storage account on your PC via the desktop program, or access your data with the mobile app for Android, iPhone, and iPad.

2. Amazon Drive

Amazon.com offers an online storage product, known as Amazon Drive, that provides its prime members with unlimited photo storage and 5GB of storage space for files and videos. The users can share documents to create a public link that is accessed by any person who uses it, even if they don’t own an Amazon account. However, it doesn’t support folder sharing. The documents can be uploaded with the desktop client software or web version. It also has a mobile app that lets you upload photos and videos from iOS and Android devices.

3. MyDrive

MyDrive is another free Cloud storage service but it provides lesser space than most products in this list. While there is no limit to how large uploads can be, you are only allowed to store up 100MB on MyDrive, and this means that the maximum file size should be 100MB. The site is limited, and document sharing is supported only when you give out a guest username and a password. The best thing about this service is that you can download several files in the archive and restore the deleted files up to one month of removing them from your account. The desktop app is accessible for Mac, Linux, and Windows PCs. The IOS and Android apps are available for mobile devices. You can as well connect your MyDrive account via WebDAV.

4. Jumpshare

Jumpshare comes with a free storage space of 2GB that allows you to upload numerous types of files. When you refer other users to create an account with Jumpshare, you qualify to get free storage of 18GB. The upload limit per file is 250MB. The desktop program allows you to record your screen and take screenshots. The downloadable program is accessible for the Mac and Windows users, iPad and iPhone, and it also supports simple drag and drop and hotkey file-sharing abilities.

5. Sync

Once you register with Sync, you get free Cloud storage of 5GB. The site allows you to upload several files at once via its interface and desktop, as well as through mobile apps. You can create shared folders that other individuals can interact with and even share files and folders with any person, regardless of whether they are Sync users or not.

6. OneDrive

This Cloud storage service is offered by Microsoft. OneDrive allows you a free storage space of 5GB once you sign up. You’ll get additional hosting by referring your friends to sign up. The service allows you to install a desktop program to transfer files and folders to any OneDrive. This makes them accessible from smartphones. You can also upload photos and videos via a mobile app.

7. Google Drive

Google Drive is one of the best Cloud storage products from Google. Every new user is entitled to get 15GB of free space. This space is shared with other services such as Google Photos and Gmail. You can use all the space if you don’t use these services. The desktop users can install a sync client that supports file and folder uploads. Folders & files can be shared with certain Google users through their email address or any person with a public link. It’s available for iPhone, iPad, or Android on smartphones, as well as Windows and Mac on PCs. There is a mobile app that allows you to send videos and images to Google Drive.

8. FlipDrive

FlipDrive gives you 10GB of initial storage with a chance for additional storage space for every friend you can refer to sign up for this service. It comes with a mobile app that allows you to download files and folders. It also has a web version that allows you to upload huge folders via the site. The product is available for iPad, Windows, iPhone.

9. Box

Box offers a free online storage space of 10GB. It comes with a mobile app that allows you to download, upload, and share files. It features a sync client that makes it easy to upload files to Box. The users have a chance to share the entire folder of data or choose a specific document to share with a public link. It’s available for iPad, iPhone, Windows, Android, and MacOS.

10. Dropbox

The new Dropbox users have access to 2GB of free storage with numerous means of getting extra space of up to 18GB. You can download and view your files from a mobile app or a desktop and share folders with other people, even if they are not the Dropbox users. If you store your files in Microsoft Office, you can edit them from your browser for free through Microsoft Office Online. It is available for iPhone, Android, KindleFire, and Windows.

Conclusion

Understanding the features of a free Cloud storage service is essential when it comes to finding the ideal one. Numerous services offer you free Cloud storage and come with multiple benefits. They give you excellent UX and impressive features as they allow you enjoy free services after your registration. All you have to do now is choose the best one.

Cloning is a way to make an uncompressed duplicate of a hard disk in your system on another drive. The cloning tools are used as a precautionary measure to ensure your data and system settings are not lost. With the help of cloning software, you can easily switch the existing hard drive to SSD, substitute, or faulty drive. Cloning your drive allows you to save system data and installed software.

The best free cloning tools to save your data

There are a lot of different cloning programs that can help you deal with your problems. But we highlighted the top 5 cloning tools that can be of great help for you. Keep reading to find out the key points about them as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Clonezilla

Clonezilla is one of the best cloning software as it enables disk imaging and is very light on resources. This tool is available in two versions. Clonezilla Live is designed for the home users and is ideal for a single PC while SE is a business-oriented version that allows cloning of over 50 machines simultaneously. The software supports several systems as well as GPT/MBR partition formats. Moreover, it can clone different OS, such as Minix, Chromium, and NetBSD. If you are conversant with Debian/Linux, you’ll like this impressive feature.

Pros

• Offers fast restoration speed;
• Supports Linux OS and Windows OS;
• Gives you the opportunity to clone, partition, and perform disk imaging;
• Operates from optical media or USB drive.

Cons

• Not one of the best UI.

Acronis Disk Director

This free and reliable cloning tool is a top-quality cloning software that works on Windows OS only. Acronis makes the best software for cloning and other impressive things, such as formatting, creating, and labelling partitions. You can also resize, split, and merge volumes.  You can format your disk to any format, including FAT32/16, NTFS, Linux, Reiser3, Exts, Ext3, or SWAP. All Windows versions are supported.

Pros

• Supports UEFI;
• Supports several disk services and formats;
• Easy to use;
• Many backup tools;
• Free demo available.

Cons

• Not compatible with other OS apart from Windows;
• The demo version is limited.

Paragon Backup & Recovery Free

This is one of the best programs to back up and restore data on your home computer. It is reliable and comes with impressive features. It has been in the market for many years, and so this cloning tool is almost ideal and compatible with any version of Windows. It features a unique backup capsule that allows you to store your backup data on a local hard disk in a concealed partition for fast recovery when the active portion fails. It comes with WinPE and Linux bootable recovery media options. It is one of the best free and reliable cloning tools.

Pros

• Allows cloning to a small drive;
• Gives you the opportunity to clone the entire disk;
• Enables you to resize portions through disk cloning;
• Well-designed help wizard.

Cons

• It can be slow.

MiniTool Partition Wizard

This is another great program that offers free cloning services to the home users. It also includes a paid version called Minitool Partition Wizard Pro that comes with extra bells and whistles. But do you think you need this? The free version allows you to clone your disk as you benefit from other features. For the beginners, this software is a robust partition manager that will help you manage portions, align SSD partition, and check your file systems. It also allows you to change MBR to GPT, transfer your OS to another SSD/HDD, or even clone the whole disk. If you are using Windows, MiniTool Partition Wizard is the best choice since it supports any Windows version that is higher than XP.

Pros

• Supports FAT12/16/32, exFAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4;
• Allows you to restore lost partitions;
• Comes with an in-built space analyzer;
• Features a portable mode;
• Great for the Windows home users;
• Easy installation;
• Intuitive and friendly UI;
• Numerous data recovery features.

Cons

• Compatible with Windows only;
• The free version cannot manage dynamic disks.

Macrium Reflect

It is a widely-known cloning software for commercial and personal use. Apart from cloning services, Macrium Reflect provides free backup services and disk imaging in the free edition. It also has a 30-day trial that lets you test all the essential features available in the enterprise version. The software is an easy-to-use top quality direct disk cloning service. You can also restore non-boosting systems using the free version and schedule backups or make live photos of your operating system. Furthermore, you can add cool security features such as back-encryption and ransomware protection. Note that these features will cost you some bucks. The program supports various file systems, such as exFAT, FAT12/16/32, HFS+, NTFS, and ReFS.

Pros

• Numerous features;
• Malware protection;
• Intuitive and easy-to-use interface;
• Enough and robust backup;
• The free version is enough for HDD cloning or disk imaging;
• It can support all versions of Windows and Linux OS.

Cons

• No cons for the free version.

Final Words

If you’ve been searching for the best backup solutions to help you clone your hard disk, look no more. These free and reliable cloning tools will give you the solution you’ve been looking for. Some of these programs are more powerful than others. Some apps will help you perform a bit-for-bit copy while others will let you make a complete ISO of your operating system. Some are compatible with Windows only while others can support any OS. What matters is that you get software that fits your skills as well as needs. Getting a cloning software for your PC is mandatory if you intend to clone your disk or create an image. It allows you to restore, clone, copy, or even make portions on your drive and restore data on any of your HDD or PC any time you want.

REASON # 7 – BUSINESS SAVES MONEY WITH CLOUDS

When you go to work in Cloud, you do not need to buy new powerful computers, servers, network equipment. Your employees need only simple computers and the Internet. When using Cloud services, you only pay for the resources you use. If you decide that your tasks need a minimum power, it can be reduced. In simple words, when you work in Cloud, your business stops spending money on the purchase of equipment. All equipment is provided and maintained by the Cloud provider. In addition, the Cloud server is easier to administer, maintain, and configure systems, so there is no need to connect additional resources and finances.

REASON # 8 – THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE PICTURES OF THE SYSTEM AND BACKUPS

There are unpleasant situations with data loss in every business. For example, losing a customer base is very disappointing, and losing an accounting base and important electronic documents is very dangerous. All this threatens financial losses and a collapse of reputation, sometimes bankruptcy. The causes of information loss are different: viruses that delete data themselves, hackers, malfunctions, failures, employee errors, information theft. Clouds provide an opportunity to protect against these events – to take pictures of the system and backups. These are backup copies of the system and data that allow you to recover information in case of loss. That is, if suddenly you lose some of the information or all the information, you can restore it, because you will have a snapshot of the system and/or a backup.

REASON # 9 – CLOUDS MAKE BUSINESS MOBILE

If up to this point your business has been tied to the office and equipment that is installed there, with the transition to Cloud, the business becomes mobile. You can connect to Cloud from any computer, tablet, or phone. You sit down at any device, connect to Cloud and see your usual desktop. Even if you decide to fly to the moon, and there will be Internet, you can continue to solve business problems remotely. No one will notice your absence in the office. Clouds allow you to work on any device in any place where there is Internet. At the same time, your information remains under reliable protection.

REASON # 10 – CLOUDS CAN BE ADMINISTERED EASILY

The infrastructure of Cloud is built on a single platform. This allows the customers to easily manage it, standardizing and unifying their own IT infrastructures within Cloud. Administration of such a system takes much less time and effort than managing a chaotically formed classical infrastructure. In Cloud, the system administrator of the client company monitors security, manages resources, and introduces new solutions, rather than picking on hardware and running from one workplace to another, simultaneously solving problems of lack of resources, as before. And for those clients who do not want to administer anything at all independently, there is a separate server administration service.

REASON # 11 – RELIABILITY AND CONTINUITY OF WORK

In order for the local infrastructure to work well and without interruption, you need to buy expensive, reliable equipment and constantly maintain it. But even in this case, from time to time something goes wrong. This is a technique. When using Cloud, you do not need to allocate a budget for the purchase of equipment, repairs and maintenance. You pay only the monthly fee, solve the problems of your business, and gain time that you can use for development. Everything works reliably and continuously.

REASON # 12 – FLEXIBILITY AND SCALABILITY

When using Cloud, you can change the configuration at any time: add a server, separate computing resources to it, workstations, additional services. You pay a provider only for what you really need. From resources that you do not need, you can always refuse. In fact, you choose how much to pay. For example, you can transfer to Cloud not the entire company, but individual units, whose information should be kept safe away from prying eyes.

Summary

In fact, there are more reasons. Each business has its own. The main benefit is that Cloud is a flexible tool with which you can set up a convenient ecosystem for your business and constantly improve it, increasing the speed of solving problems and the productivity of each department or employee.

In this article, we laid out the basics on the shelves. We hope it worked out. We tried not to use special technical terms. And if something is missed, we will be happy to answer additional questions in the comments. So, we list 12 reasons why you should use Cloud services in your business.

REASON # 1 – WHEN YOUR DATA ARE ABROAD, BUSINESS IS IN SAFETY

When you store information on the Cloud server abroad, it is difficult to reach it without your permission. If you install a physical server in your office or place it in one of the data centers, you will be virtually defenseless in front of local ill-wishers. After receiving physical access to the server, the attacker gets access to your information. Loss of data disrupts business processes or stops the company at all. And while idle, the business is losing customers. When the company will be able to restore work again is unknown. To avoid this, keep information in Cloud abroad. To work in it, you can transfer all employees of the organization or a separate unit (for example, accounting).

REASON # 2 – ETERNAL TOPICALITY WITHOUT COSTS

All computers and programs become obsolete with time, because time does not stand still. New technologies are being born that push the old ones to the museum shelves. For everything to work properly, you need to constantly update the equipment. If the company has acquired its server, it needs to be constantly maintained and updated for normal operation. When fails – to look for parts and repair.

When using Clouds, this question disappears. You do not think about how and when to upgrade your equipment, who to contact, and what to do if something is not working. A suitable provider always monitors the operation of servers and does not allow failures. You only pay for the use of capacity in Cloud – the ordered amount of resources and programs if you need them.

REASON # 3 – CLOUD IS A UNIVERSAL TOOL

When ordering the Cloud server, you can install your programs on it or rent a server with a set of programs already installed to solve specific problems. For example, you can order a mail server, a server for hosting sites on 1C-Bitrix, or a machine for hosting 1C: Accounting, an office software package for working with remote desktops, and so on. If necessary, in Cloud, you can build a self-sufficient IT infrastructure configured to work with your business – an individual tool to perform tasks with which you and your employees can work from any device.

REASON # 4 – BUSINESS CAN BE MOVED INTO CLOUD FOR A DAY

There is an opinion: to transfer information, programs, and other business resources to Cloud, you need to spend a few days or weeks. In most cases, this view is wrong. Of course, if you need to transfer several thousand or hundreds of thousands of employees, it will take more time. But a company of 10-20 people can move to Cloud in a day, or even a few hours. So everything depends on the size of the business and tasks. For your employees, nothing will change. Just now they will work through the remote desktop, and the business will be safe in Cloud.

REASON # 5 – MONITORING OPPORTUNITY

The Cloud infrastructure can be supplemented with monitoring and control tools to keep track of who performs what operations in your Cloud, what information they use in their work, and what they do with the data.

REASON # 6 – HIGH SPEED OF WORK

Technology is evolving. Clouds are becoming faster and more convenient. Now the speed of work in Cloud is no different from the usual work on the local computer. Only now your information is safe.

This is the first part of reasons to use the Cloud servers for your business. Check out our blog page to find the second part of this interesting article.

To be continued…