Storage in the Cloud: What You Need to Know and Why

Abstract

In recent years there has been huge growth in the amount of data stored on public cloud services. Much of the data stored on these services is placed there through the use of mobile apps (such as Facebook or DropBox), with little consideration given by the owners to the potential consequences of storing their data on a public service. While these services typically spell out the conditions under which user data is stored in their Terms of Service, most users don't take the time to read these and they are seldom written in a way that encourages real understanding of the terms. However, there are many issues that should be considered when choosing to store personal data in a public cloud service, both from the perspective of the user and the cloud service provider. This paper begins by explaining some key concepts of cloud storage. It then provides a list of items that should be considered when choosing a cloud service provider, explains why the issues are potentially important, and gives suggestions for actions the user might make in order to achieve their desired goals.

Keywords: Cloud, Storage

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100243