What are secure USB flash drives and do they happen to be a better option than cloud storage? Let’s take a look at both options and then you be the judge:
USB Flash Drives Defined
USB flash drives are storage devices that are portable and can transport information from one device to another. Depending on what your needs are, these drives come in a variety of sizes from finger sized ones to hard drives that weigh in at a few pounds. The nice thing about these drives is that you can select the one that will suit your needs best. USB flash drives are currently available in sizes up to 3TB.
Cloud Storage Defined
Cloud storage is actually more easily explained than you might think. You might already be using it and not realize that it is part of a cloud. Do these names ring a bell: Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft Skydrive? These are all cloud storage. With these services, you will be able to create an account in which to store data for free. If you need a larger storage space, you might purchase more. With an account, you will be able to access your data from any device that has an active internet connection.
Security
All of your data that is on the cloud will be protected by a password. This makes it easier to save pertinent information using the cloud when you want to access it from various devices. That being said, it will be safer if you have a secure USB flash drive. Then you can use a PIN or password to open and edit any of your files on the drive, and you won’t even need to be connected to the internet to do it.
Cloud Future
The cloud is used for quite a few things, including CRM, and this means that yes, there is a future in it. In fact, CRM in regards to the cloud, has become a true game changer. This is making the cloud an essential tool for any and all businesses in the digital era. With that being said, there is still the fact that if the internet goes down, you will be at a loss if you are only using the cloud. On the other hand, you can store any and all types of information with nearly no limits in regards to size on the cloud…as long as you can find a service that will accommodate the size you need.
USB Future
When talking about the future of USB flash drives, it is difficult to imagine a world in which there were none. They are compatible with nearly any OS. They have their own, tiny little circuit boards inside of them and power themselves on when connected to a device. Everyone from students to professionals, housewives to the military uses them. There is such a high demand for them and as such, they are economical, accessible, and prevalent both in the business world as well as in the private sector.
So, which one is the better option? A portable drive that you will be able to carry with you where ever you might go, or online storage that you can access from any device connected to the internet? There really isn’t a right or wrong answer. They both have their own advantages and disadvantages. Aside from that, there isn’t anything wrong with using both of them simultaneously. Here are just a few more things to consider though.
- Device diversity – most computers and tablets will be able to access USB flash drives, but smartphones, well… not so much. Also, managed work and school devices might have restrictions regarding external drives. – Advantage: Cloud
- Regarding internet – Any and all cloud services will require that you have an active internet connection to access your data. – Advantage: USB flash drive
When all is said and done, both of these types of technology offer you amazing ways to store your information and any business will be better off using one or both of them. Which one should you choose though? First, you should decide what you need to store and how much space you will require. Do you expect a growth in your business? Is having cloud storage fast for those small file transfers, or would USB flash drives be a solution that is more logical? All of these things need to be answered before you decide which one to use, or to use both of them.