Re: Best Cloud Storage For Small Business Mac
Mathilda Gibby
Cloud services have all but replaced physical media for securely storing company data and sharing files between coworkers, clients, and partners. The trend has been accelerated by the distributed nature of modern work, with many staffers now working from home. It simply isn't practical to expect a small business's IT staff to maintain an entire workforce's data on local storage when so much of it is constantly traversing the internet. With their robust data centers and advanced data protection and security measures, cloud storage and file sharing providers are the better solution.
Still, there are a number of factors to consider when choosing a cloud storage provider. Data security through strong encryption is an essential consideration. You may also find you need powerful access controls and data integrity features like versioning and snapshotting. One feature that's increasingly important to many businesses is the ability of a cloud storage service to integrate with other cloud services, such as business backup providers. Some customers may even want to use cloud storage to support a desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) model, where you can access your desktop applications and data from any device.
All of this can be a lot to take in, which is why we test and rate leading cloud storage and file-sharing services to see which ones best serve the needs of today's businesses. Our top picks are laid out below, followed by buying tips to help you navigate the many options.
Egnyte's offering has evolved from a standard cloud storage service to a full-fledged data governance solution. It provides enterprise-grade data security and strong tools for compliance with GDPR, Sarbanes-Oxley, and other regulations. It works across file servers, Amazon S3, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and any number of additional locations. In addition, Egnyte automatically scans and classifies documents based on industry-specific rules, and applies policies accordingly (though the process is a bit slow).
You call on Egnyte when you need the big guns. If you have a complex data storage scenario, especially if you're in a heavily regulated industry where mishandling data has serious consequences, the Egnyte suite should have tools that meet your needs. Although its tools are powerful and comprehensive, Egnyte isn't necessarily the best bargain in the market. If your company is small or you don't need Egnyte's data governance features, another service might better suit your business.
OneDrive for Business is more than just Microsoft's answer to competing cloud storage services. Although it best integrates with Microsoft's own products, one of its advantages is that it is compatible with various OS and productivity solutions, including Android, iOS, macOS, Microsoft 365, and Office 365. OneDrive's ubiquity makes it a viable choice for any business that needs a flexible and reliable cloud storage service. What's more, it regularly adds new features in areas such as collaboration, security, and AI-backed file organization.
Smaller businesses looking for a cloud backup solution that's easy to use, cost-effective, and reliable should consider IDrive Team. It's an excellent choice for distributed teams that need a fast and secure backup solution. However, its design does have its drawbacks. For example, IDrive lacks features found in competing products, such as malware scanning and ransomware protection.
Citrix Content Collaboration is a mature, business-first cloud storage solution that has evolved into a collaboration platform focusing on security. It offers granular control over login policy and duration, lightweight endpoint capability, and remote control via PIN locks and remote wipe functionality for mobile devices. Furthermore, it balances security and encryption controls with smart collaboration features, and has open integration with tools that business users engage with the most, including Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
Citrix Content Collaboration is one of the most versatile and full-featured solutions we've tested, but it might not be for everyone. Very small businesses might find its feature set to be overkill for the price. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a cloud storage platform with a laser focus on security, Citrix's reputation as a longstanding leader in networking and collaboration technologies should be enough for you to consider what it offers, especially if your company is already a Citrix customer.
Dropbox Business is a powerful cloud storage solution that offers advanced security features, the option of unlimited storage space, and flexible user management options. Having grown beyond simple storage, it's versatile enough to serve as a document management (DM) tool. Dropbox Business also houses customer data in its own data centers for added security, and it offers a robust remote-wipe feature.
Backblaze offers unlimited storage at an affordable price, although it's primarily a cloud backup service. It gives you a robust set of choices for backup and restore, including downloading from the cloud, saving to or copying from cloud storage, or having the company send you an external hard drive. Backblaze is also the company behind B2 Cloud Storage, an infrastructure as a service (IaaS) product that's supported by several other backup vendors.
If you're primarily interested in backing up desktop and laptop endpoints, Backblaze Business should suit your needs. It lacks the file-sharing and document collaboration features of more generalized cloud storage services. Still, it provides customers with a wide variety of options for restoring backup data, which should appeal to even the most cautious companies. However, if you need a service that acts more like a traditional file server, look elsewhere.
Google Drive offers advanced data backup and sync, file collaboration, and productivity features. It is designed for SMBs and enterprises that want to integrate Google Cloud storage with productivity services they already use, such as Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365. Google Drive Enterprise uses AI to manage files and workflows, and it provides flexible storage options, powerful search and organizational features, and security, sharing, and encryption protocols for business use.
If Microsoft's approach to cloud storage with OneDrive appeals to you, you should also give Google Drive a look. Like Microsoft 365, it enables real-time collaboration with Microsoft Office documents in the cloud, while integrating Google AI file management. Google Drive works best when integrated with Google Workspace, so dedicated Microsoft shops should probably pass on it.
Box is a mature cloud storage and file-sharing provider for businesses of all sizes. In addition to secure storage, it offers synching, collaboration, workflow automation, password policy enforcement, and tools for regulatory compliance. It integrates with a wide variety of SaaS services and Microsoft Office. Box also stands out by offering unlimited storage and unlimited users for most of its plans, making it a scalable and cost-effective option.
Organizations that want an established, reliable cloud storage provider will be in good hands with Box. It offers a full range of storage and file-sharing features without tying you into a productivity suite's ecosystem. Unfortunately, Box falls short of several competitors when viewing and editing various document types. If live document editing and collaboration are must-have features for you, you might choose a different service.
Wasabi's offering isn't primarily a file-oriented storage solution. Instead, it's positioned as an alternative to Amazon S3 storage. In essence, it's a bit bucket in the cloud that can be used for any number of applications, from file storage to backup and recovery. Wasabi is cost-competitive with S3, yet its compatibility with that service means any storage management product designed to work with S3 should also work with Wasabi.
There are reasons to be leery of services and applications that rely on Amazon Web Services (AWS), most notably cost. If you're looking for an alternative, Wasabi could fill the bill. The most obvious caveat is that because of its nature as a general-purpose object cloud storage service, you'll need more help from IT to configure it to serve your business's needs. If you're just looking for virtual drives in the cloud, there are easier and simpler solutions.
Livedrive is primarily a backup and restore solution. Still, it's unique on our list because despite being a cloud solution, and therefore theoretically capable of global reach, it's focused on the needs of businesses in the EU and UK, with servers located in Europe. The EU regions it currently supports include France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain, although it is expanding into more countries. Its UI is easy to use, and the same goes for its mobile apps for Android and iOS.
Companies that require strict compliance with EU regulations such as GDPR should give Livedrive a look, especially if they are geographically located in the EU. Although it's a viable option for US companies, Livedrive's pricey for what it does in that region. Even for companies in the EU and UK, it's best for companies with only modest needs for backup and restore. Notably, it lacks prebuilt integrations with popular business suites, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
The positive side of the ever-growing feature set that cloud storage vendors offer is that smart organizations can find new and creative ways to use their storage infrastructure. Cloud storage means you can tweak a service so it acts as a lightweight document management system or even a workflow manager that controls how your data flows through a user chain. Alternatively, you can focus on collaboration and file-sharing features, so employees can edit the same files in a team space while protecting their work with versioning.
This customization is more important now than ever. Remote work is on the rise, but employees moving away from a central office work model can drastically alter how work gets done. Storing and retrieving your company's data needs to adapt, and no other storage method can handle those changes as easily as a cloud service.
aa06259810