“Sky is the limit”, they say, and in the 21st century, we took that seriously and created the cloud storage space.
With the continuous increase in population, there is an increase in production as well as more and more need for storage. The storage needed for data is far greater than the one needed for products being made and it’s impossible to keep track of all this data on paper. Therefore, digital file and information storage was invented. But even digitally, there is a limit. We cannot store all this information on hard drives, so we built an unlimited storage option, one that is similar to the clouds in the sky.
According to a Forbes study, 73% of manufacturers favor cloud storage above traditional storage for various reasons. With the increased use of cloud storage technology, security has become a very important criterion in both personal and global events.
Getting Data on the Cloud
Invented in the 1960s by Dr. Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider, it became a global phenomenon in the late 1990s thanks to AT&T’s launch of the first all web-based storage server for individual and business use. Cloud storage is a very basic way of keeping files and data stored securely, and at the tip of your fingers. It can store data for an infinite amount of time without damaging the files as years go by. The files in cloud storage are uploaded via any Internet-connected device.
Once uploaded, data is stored across various servers. Usually, it is stored on more than one server to avoid the loss of data and to ensure its accessibility in case one of the servers is down. The servers can store specific data like graphs, pictorial data, charts, or general storage such as text, audio, presentations, spreadsheets, etc.
Usually, cloud storage is a third-party purchased item, in which the client has access to the stored data as a pay and use service. Industries that sell cloud storage to other industries are responsible for the data storage capacity, its maintenance, and its security.
It is software-based storage with no hardware involved in the data collection and storing process. The only hardware that can be used is a monitoring system installed by the manufacturers to monitor their equipment on the floor. The data, once collected via the system, is sent to the servers in the cloud.
Perks:
Cloud Security
Cloud security is very important today. A major threat in cloud storage is data breaches via hacking. In the manufacturing sector, a cloud security growth of 19.08% is expected in 2021-2026. Security handlers are adopting the agile method to avoid any security breaches in the storage system. This means improving the cloud security with time and modifying it when new threats are found. Most ERP systems come with an IDPS (intrusion detection and prevention system) for enhanced data security. Options such as two-factor verification, strong passwords, fingerprint/retina scanners, and single device sign-on are some of the cloud security features available. Authentication and encryption of data are quite basic yet one of the most powerful data security steps.
As coins have two sides, similarly, cloud storage and security have their share of perks and drawbacks. But, when compared to the traditional data storage and security options, cloud storage, and cloud security are way ahead in terms of benefits. With the globalization and digitalization of industries, it has become important to change and adapt the cloud storage and security options. This increase in the use of cloud technology has made it easier to store humungous data as more research and development is done to improve these applications. The data of an industry is huge and practically impossible to keep on hard files. This is where cloud applications make things easier. They help manufacturers not only in the long run, but they give manufacturers immediate benefits in terms of access to real-time data, round-the-clock access, various automated data operations, revenue savings, and more. Cloud storage and cloud security are not only good choices. They are a must for manufacturers.