In this era, companies need to take special concern about security and safety of data and information. Data are prime assets of an organization and mishandling them under any circumstances cannot be entertained. It is advised to use proper devices or medium to store these data as they are vital for business sustainability.

Storage Media

There most basic question that a firm needs to answer is whether to use physical media for storage or to opt for cloud storage. Each of them i.e. physical media or cloud has their own benefits and disadvantages.

Physical Storage Media

Benefits:

• It is substantial and in your hands when required.
• There are least chances of failure.
• You do not need an internet connection to access files.
• You do not face any downtimes if you save your data in the physical medium.

Disadvantages:

• Hardware cost is involved, which raises operational and maintenance cost.
• Hardware devices are more prone to virus attacks.
• Wear and tear are possible in case of hardware devices.
• The physical medium also involves back up cost and other related costs which are difficult to quantify.

Cloud Storage Media

Benefits:

• Generally, cloud storage is more secure than physical storage media.
• Most cloud storage service providers backup their servers, ensuring, in case of unlikely event your data are safe and their operations are not paused.
• The speed of backup in case of cloud storage is unparalleled with cloud storage opposed to physical media.
• Data sharing and accessibility are simple.
• You can access data with the help of internet connection.

Disadvantages:

• Data uploading is time-consuming
• Internet connection is mandatory.