IMG_2599

Cloud storage has become an integral part of business and consumer technology. It is the most efficient way to share files and create backups that currently exists. It’s also far cheaper than creating multiple physical backups, and most services make it as simple as managing a folder on a local computer.

Simplistic doesn’t equal optimal, however. Most cloud services have a lot going on under the hood, and users who understand the options available to them will be able to get far more out of their cloud storage solutions than those who don’t.

Tip 1: Streaming Files

Not everyone will need to stream media files, and not all cloud services provide the option to do so. However, anyone who works with multimedia projects can certainly take advantage of streaming, and so can anyone who wants access to movies and music from any location.

Each provider has a slightly different process for streaming media from the cloud, but it’s usually not much more complicated than downloading an app. Once the user uploads the desired files, they can be accessed from anywhere with a few button presses. The best part is that the cloud services that offer streaming follow very similar business models to the services that don’t, and that means it’s possible to get some limited storage for absolutely nothing. It certainly makes managing media much more convenient for someone who is constantly on the go.

There is one problem, though: Not all cloud streaming providers are made equal. Most services can stream flawless through certain apps or to certain devices but they choke when someone tries to access media in a different way. If streaming video content is one of the major draws for someone, he needs to determine which device he primarily wants to stream to and pick a service that caters to it.

Tip 2: Saving Attachments

E-mail is the traditional way to share files with different people, but it’s hard to keep track of everything no matter how well organized someone’s e-mail account is. It’s easy for someone to find himself in a position where he needs to access something he received months ago and he has to wade through hundreds of messages to find it.

Cloud storage can eliminate this hassle as many services will allow users to save things directly to their cloud drives. All they need to do is create folders that are specifically for their attachments. From that moment on, they never have to go digging through their e-mail archives again.

Tip 3: Remotely Accessing a Home Computer

People don’t store everything on the cloud, and that’s probably a good thing. Having local backups of important files is still an important step for safeguarding one’s data. However, it’s easy to forget that something should be copied to the cloud, and that’s why being able to access the computer that houses a certain file can be a godsend.

The major operating systems have built-in utilities that work quite well, but there are paid solutions that offer better security and more features. Someone who doesn’t want to upload everything to the cloud should definitely utilize services like these if there’s a chance that he’ll need something that would otherwise be unavailable.

The Power of the Cloud

Cloud computing has opened up a world of new possibilities for consumers around the globe. While some features are currently in their rough stages due to certain technological and structural limitations, it’s only a matter of time before everything can be done within the cloud. This is only a good thing for consumers, and if they can’t find anything that can provide them with what they need, they only have to wait a few years before that changes.

 

Guest Author Alan Banks is a technical writer who offers information on cloud services and how to securely send files online.

By Techwacky

Editor-in-Chef of TechWacky.com