Online Storage vs Offline Storage – Which is better?

Data storage is a major concern not just for companies but also for individual users. As our need for bigger and bigger space increases, so does our worry regarding the safety of our documents and other electronic files. Offline solutions remain popular; after all, external hard disk drives are still commonly used. However, more and more people are considering online solutions either as an alternative or a supplement to their current storage type of choice. So now the question remains: online storage vs offline storage – which is better? Let us take a look at each solution to compare their advantages and limitations.

Convenience

Offline storage requires a device that can keep documents in electronic form. Some of the more common options are USB drives, hard disk drives (internal and external) and optical devices such as CDs and DVDs. To access the data from any of these devices, users have to be able to plug into a computer. The advantage is that they do not need an Internet connection. USB drives are very handy because of their small size but other devices are bulky. If the user requires a large storage capacity, he may even have to use two or more devices in order to accommodate the amount of data that needs to be stored.

Online storage, on the other hand, requires only an Internet connection, a cloud storage facility and a computer. It does not require a physical storage device and data may be accessed from virtually anywhere. However, this option fails if any of the abovementioned factors is missing.

Which is better: Either one works but it all depends on the availability of the tools.

Security

Security is critical particularly for high-risk data. The usual concern for offline storage is that with data being stored in a physical device, there is a danger of corruption in case the device itself is damaged. There is also the risk of loss and unauthorized access in case of theft.

For online storage, users can usually rely on tight security measures implemented by the service provider. The user, for his part, should make sure that the account user ID and associated password he uses is secure. Loss of data can occur, however, in the rare likelihood that the service provider’s servers get corrupted or damaged irreparably or if the user’s account is hacked.

Which is better: Both options offer a secure way of storing data, provided care is practiced by both user and service provider.

Integrity

One of the biggest problems regarding offline storage options such as hard drives is that they could crash. If this happens, data can no longer be retrieved. Great if the user made a backup of the files but if not, important data will be lost or damaged beyond recovery.

This is an area where online options have the upper hand. Storage providers take extra precaution to ensure that data stored in their facilities is safe and secure. They do this by creating redundant hardware that will prevent loss of data.

So which is better? That really depends on the user’s needs, along with the available resources he may have. When deciding on whether to go with an offline or an online solution, consider the pros and cons carefully to ensure that your choice meets your requirements.

Author bio : Peter Lee is the webmaster of ComputerHowToGuide.com. Despite the popularity of cloud storage, Peter still prefer to use external hard drives to store files offline. A cloud storage user himself, he found external storage devices far more secured than the cloud. You may also follow him on Twitter @com_howtoguide.

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com