Advantages of a Cloud Based Document Solution

Advantages of a Cloud Based Document Solution

According to a Study published by researchandmarkets.com The global cloud computing market size is expected to grow from USD 371.4 billion in 2020 to USD 832.1 billion by 2025. 

 Managed Vs. Unmanaged
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There are many variables to consider when thinking about implementing a data hosting service. Variables such as; the size and amount of data you'll need stored, what needs the hosting service will fill in your business, IT professional on staff vs provider answering most of your questions, what level of security do you want/need, and the scalability of the space you may require in the future. Unmanaged companies tend to charge to fix issues that arise which can not be fixed yourself. Although these issues can generally be corrected, it can be costly. Unless you have staff on hand that is skilled in trouble shooting and fixing servers, the time and money that is lost will most likely be greater than what third party management can accomplish.

Cloud based storage vs. Local
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Cloud based servers are remote. Because you do not own the server, you will have lower upfront costs. They are maintained by the hosting company and are accessed via the internet. Alternatively, you can buy a remote or local server that can you keep on site or a place where the company will be able to care for and maintain. The latter option has higher upfront costs and may require maintenance which can easily make cloud based data hosting much more cost effective. The popularity of Wifi, the increase in internet availability, and the decrease in the cost of data band width has caused many companies to switch to storing their data within the cloud as the risk decreases. 
 
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Cloud delivery models
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Cloud based service models

 (SaaS) Software as a service.
With this model, the customer orders data hosting space with a fully functional interface, without creating applications that run independent of the offered product. Customer's pay for both space and the interface. These providers reduce the development time that would have otherwise resulted in lost time and labor. This provides both an interface and storage that works best with non-businesses for storing documents and getting rid of hard copy information.
 
(PaaS) Platform as a service.
PaaS provides higher level access with a software platform-based code that clients can use to build software deploying tools and applications that run within the framework of the code offered by the provider. These providers work best for software or app developers using a specific operating system or code. They generally cannot be used without some initial investment in the creation of a good application.
 
(IaaS) Infrastructure as a service.
Infrastructure as a service is the sharing of hardware over a cloud computation interface and is generally charged on a case by case basis depending upon the amount of purchased space. The user builds software from scratch directly on top of open server space. This requires the most initial time and investment to create a base for applications to run. This is the closest you can get to hosting your own data without keeping servers in house and paying for required bandwidth, power, cooling, and maintenance.

Principals of cloud-based Security
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Security: Redundancy in the cloud ensures that your data has backup copies available when you need them. The security of remote data centers rivals and often surpass those of government institutions and reduces the risk of stolen data from within your local network. Not all cloud based servers have the same level of security, which makes it important to talk with your provider about your security needs, space requirements and potential for scalability in the future.

Confidentiality: No unauthorized disclosure of confidential information by individuals within an organization.
 
Integrity: Avoidance of unauthorized data modification from users that should not have access to certain information.
 
Availability: Cloud data and resources/applications within the cloud are continuously available when needed by a customer.
 
Authentication: Enhanced Encryption and security measures together with testing a user's credentials to ensure they are the owner.
 
Authorization: Processes in place for granting a user the correct privileges and access to their data and ability to modify that data.
 
Accountability: Record keeping for cloud server maintenance and nonrepudiation actions for providing safe data storage.

Private Vs. Public 

Public Cloud
Offered by a third-party provider, the infrastructure is available to all users and offered to multiple people. Each customer pays for what they use.  
 
Private cloud
Private clouds can be offered as a service from a third-party service provider. They are created for one company, and are controlled exclusively by one client; who has all rights to applications, and how and where they run. 
 
Hybrid cloud
A Hybrid Cloud is a combination of both public and private cloud models that generally feature greater segmentation between customer's than that of a public cloud alone. However, the Hybrid cloud can still share some server space between companies. This model is becoming more popular as it can allow for the security and admin privileges of having your own private cloud, with the added benefit of scalable server space.

Common Concerns when searching for a data hosting service.

Amount of space
Cloud storage data is not infinite, but without your own server farm, you will have access to more affordable space than you are able to establish on your own. Unless your bandwidth costs are less than your costs to host yourself, it will make more financial sense to have your data stored remotely. More Recently, non localized data techniques provide for rapid scale up databases, allowing very specific requirements to be met on an as needed basis.
 
Performance speed
Speed has become less of a concern as internet bandwidth increases. However , other factors affect the ability to upload, download and access information; including how the data is stored, where it’s stored, and the procedures used to access it.
 
Cost
The cost of creating and managing your own database is going to have an upfront cost that is not comparable to that of a cloud-based data hosting solution. Some things to consider before setting up your own local storage is to review your need for space, the cost of your internet bandwidth, electricity and cooling. It's also important to consider the potential for power outages, internet outages, server maintenance, and how that might affect your business. 
 
I don’t have enough control
It is understandable to want to have complete control of your data. You might even feel your information is more secure  right there where you can see it. However, one of the biggest benefits of cloud-based data hosting is enhanced security, via modern encryption methods.
 
Difficulty connecting to multiple cloud vendors
A cloud based server is only as secure as the provider. Unless you already have the infrastructure and skilled staff in place, having the option to pick a secure provider will generally lead to a much better outcome than hosting data yourself.
 
The security of the cloud based server is also only as secure as the company who uses it. Having policies in place to lockout intruders, manage access, and secure passwords are imperative to ensure only those with correct credentials have access. Most cloud providers use penetration testers to check for gaps in security. However, managing and hiring staff to do those things on a local network can be costly.​

Benefits of a custom interface
​Faster data retrieval times
Enhanced workflow
Improved organization 

Variable Levels of security
Depending on what's being stored, better security generally means a higher cost. With a managed solution, you can pay based on the level of security you need for the different types of data. For instance, maybe for you, minimum security for design templates is okay but you would like the highest level for proprietary information and financial records. Having the ability to choose a level of data management and security for different uses allows costs to be reduced, while still knowing your data is safe.
 
Restricted Personalized Access
An often-overlooked feature to look for when choosing a database is the ability to manage security privileges for your data (i.e. admin, edit, view only). This is not only important when decluttering storage for differing departments, but it will allow you to securely share information with customers  without fear of leaks or accidental oversharing of confidential financial information.
 
Relationship with the database hosting service.
Managed data hosting companies can offer a higher quality customer service and have faster turnover times for bug fixes and adjustments. An unmanaged solution will generally have an hourly customer service fee for database management. Unless you have someone on call, it’s cheaper to work with a management solution.
 
It can save you money.
As mentioned earlier, the cost of moving data into a cloud-based storage provider will typically be much cheaper than building your own storage system. It may also be beneficial to consider the size of the company hosting your information. Smaller data hosting services will have lower overhead and may provide a cheaper alternative making them a viable competitive choice.
 
Pricing based on need
Cloud based data storage can easily be scaled up or down in smaller increments than simply buying physical servers and having them ready for potential use taking up space. This can give you the flexibility to export and adjust the amount of space you require day to day, without having to purchase additional servers, internet broadband, or power. This flexibility can also be scaled up in a shorter amount of time than purchasing and implementing physical servers.
  
Reduced development time
Customers who work with a custom managed database solution can be directly involved in the development process, customized branded appearances, integrations to other hosting services, and optimization and adjusted security needs. Licensing costs are also reduced with smaller independent entities. With customer interaction and customized databases you can choose what to automate and what to do by hand, where the data is routed, how documents are scanned in, what to share, and how many backups you want to keep. 

Access
There is rarely anything as destructive as not being able to access company data when it’s needed. With quality customer service, if something occurs at your data hosting provider effecting the ability to access  your data, being able to reach your hosting company is extremely important. Our solution offers complete assistance in getting you started securely hosting your data. 

• Doc2Web is a customizable private cloud hosting service for documents that can be integrated into google drive, google sheets, and drop box. Doc2Web Features advanced security and quick development times, an intuitive customizable interface and the ability to attach to our other products to create a seamless workflow experience. We built doc2web to be an efficient stand-alone data or web hosting service that allows for a quick retrieval of your information in a secure location, Scan your documents directly into your created folders and allow the option for your business to go paperless.  ​

Take Away
Cloud-based computing has been increasing in popularity over locally hosted servers. This is due to the cost savings provided by large scale server farms being able to outperform local hosting in security and reliability, data retrieval speed and efficiency, coupled with significant cost savings. A workable user interface focused on intuitive organization and human factors is an addition that helps reduce  user error and wasted time. 

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