If your organization has been considering restructuring its document storage system, cloud storage has likely been mentioned. This increasingly popular method of data and document storage involves using a remote server, often hosted by a third party, to store and manage documents.
As with any document storage solution, this document management method has elements that must be considered as part of your decision. One of the primary benefits is having a central location where all your organization’s most important documents are stored. This means increased accessibility, collaboration, and productivity.
However, with the ever-evolving landscape of digital solutions poses risks to the security of digital services, including cloud storage. That’s why the security measures of cloud storage services are so important. In this blog, we’ll dig into how the cloud provides secure document storage.
Cloud Storage Basics
First, let’s discuss what the term cloud storage means. The “cloud” refers to remote servers where files are stored and accessed via the Internet. You can store images, business data, files, videos, invoices, and even larger documents such as maps, blueprints, and engineering schematics.
Your documents are uploaded to the servers where they are saved on a remote server. Often, this data will be stored in multiple locations to ensure accessibility and protection through redundancy without sacrificing security. Moreover, authorized individuals can access these documents using mobile apps, a browser, or custom software.
Cloud Storage Security Features
Because of their digital nature, cloud storage platforms feature a number of capabilities that help ensure the security of the data they store.
Customizable Permissions
Large organizations often find they need the ability to carefully define which teams and individuals have certain permissions to specific documents. One individual may be able to view a document, while another may be able to view the document and make edits. Furthermore, the ability to destroy or archive documents may be restricted to a specific team.
Permission settings like this ensure to protect documents against unauthorized or accidental deletion or alteration. It’s even possible to set age requirements on documents, preventing them from being deleted or archived before they have existed for a set period of time. This helps drive compliance with document retention requirements.
Version Control and Tracking
Documents you store in the cloud retain a history of modifications you make to them, including who modifies them and when. This helps keep a history of interactions with the documents, makes it easy to roll back the document to a previous version, and maintains the document’s security.
Client Portal Integration
Cloud storage providers offer methods of integrating with your existing systems and tools, such as a client portal. These systems are used by individuals at the organization to interact with the files and documents you’re storing. It can help streamline common tasks such as sending, saving, editing, creating, and signing documents.
Data Redundancy
One of the greatest risks to organizations not utilizing a cloud storage option is loss, corruption, or destruction of data. Consequently, mechanical failures, software corruption, and natural disasters can compromise in-house servers. If these occur, there is a high risk of losing the documents you’re storing on them.
Using third-party cloud storage guarantees that your documents are stored in multiple locations, ensuring that no single event will ever result in the loss or destruction of valuable data. In fact, when technical problems do occur, it’s likely it won’t affect your organization thanks to the reliability and built-in redundancy of these document storage systems.
Streamlined Data Sharing
Organizations that take advantage of cloud storage often find that the change positively impacts their productivity. Sharing a document previously required that the actual file be transferred to the recipient. With cloud storage, you merely need to share a link to the file’s location. The recipient will then be able to open that link and access the file it leads to.
Even more, these documents are available from anywhere that internet access is available without the need for storage on the accessing device. Your entire organization’s documents will be able to be accessed by authorized individuals wherever they need to. Further, multiple individuals can often collaborate on the same document simultaneously through this system, facilitating effective teamwork.
Encryption and Virus Protection
Every time you access or modify a document, there’s a risk of compromising the document. Cloud storage provides encryption and access control to ensure that only authorized individuals are viewing your documents. Generally, the specific requirements for accessing files can be set. SSO (Single Sign-On) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) are the most common options. Further, virus-scanning software is included to protect your information and company.
Hacker And Malware Protection
Information you store in the cloud has great protection against malware and hackers. Every document that enters the cloud is encrypted and hidden behind security access methods. Further, these files are scanned for viruses and malware when uploaded and accessed during and after.
This particularly impacts small businesses, as 46% have experienced a cyberattack on their current business. And if that weren’t bad enough, nearly one in five filed for bankruptcy or closed their business afterward. These attacks aren’t restricted to small businesses, however. Even powerhouses like Microsoft and Meta have been impacted by these attacks. In each case, their reputation suffered. Cloud storage reduces your vulnerability and ensures to protect your documents.
Cloud Storage Considerations
As with any new system, it’s important to consider the unique document storage needs of your organization. Here, we’ve outlined a few factors that may influence your decision to migrate to cloud storage.
Storage Compliance
Specialized industries may have specific requirements for how they store and access their information. Basic cloud services often cannot meet these requirements. Options are available through private cloud storage services that can accommodate them.
Latency in Access
Access to cloud services is based on numerous factors, including the available bandwidth and the amount of congestion on the network. High-quality cloud storage options can mitigate this with redundant server storage, ensuring a clear path is always available to your data.
Data Control
Some degree of management and control over data stored in public clouds is lost by entrusting that the provider will ensure your data is always available and secure. Investing in a reputable cloud storage provider with a history of meeting the needs of organizations like yours is essential to getting the best services.
Service Outages
All cloud storage providers strive to ensure that their services are always available. However, even when redundant servers are used to ensure stability, certain internet concerns can lead to the service and your data becoming temporarily unavailable.
Secure Your Documents With Record Nations
From digitization and record management systems to document storage and destruction, Record Nations has a network of experienced providers ready to help you transform your document management strategy.
Record Nations’ network of secure cloud storage providers is ready to meet your organization’s needs. We’ve built connections with some of the most reliable providers in the field that can deliver specialized systems. Find out what they can do for you by contacting us at (866) 385-3706 or filling out our contact form to request we reach out to you.
