Earlier this month, following some outrage by Microsoft users, the company was forced to take a few steps back on a plan that would drastically reduce file storage space for users uploading images to their OneDrive account.
At the time Microsoft had sent an email to OneDrive users to inform them that “Soon, data from photos saved in your Gallery and in your albums will each count separately against your total Microsoft storage quota.”
Since some users, like photographers and small business owners doing their marketing themselves, would be storing their work on their OneDrive, such a change would end up resulting in the available space being used up fairly quickly, and the users would then be forced to spend money buying additional space.
While Microsoft has since changed its mind on how it will manage storage space, this should serve as a reminder that the Cloud space that you have available to you on OneDrive is not always guaranteed to be there, and as such, now might be an excellent time to start looking at ways that you can effectively manage your Cloud storage so that you don’t run out of space at the most unexpected time.
Managing your Cloud Storage the Right Way
This is certainly not the first time that Microsoft has made sudden changes to its storage policies and often users have little choice but to go along with the changes, since users are most times accessing the storage space for free.
Although there are so many Cloud storage options out there, Microsoft’s version remains popular and reliable.
Knowing how to make the most of your storage space is a must and since the Cloud is something that almost all of us use every day, these are just a handful of ways that you should be organising your Cloud account.
- Start with the right provider
There are numerous Cloud storage options these days, and some are better than others. If you are already using OneDrive, you are probably already quite happy with what you have, but if you are not using a provider that suits your needs, you should seriously consider upgrading to something more suitable.
- Get organised with your files
How you organise your files is not just important for ensuring that your business runs smoothly, but it can also be an important factor when it comes to making more space. We are all guilty of ignoring out of date files we no longer use, but deleting these files will free up additional space and should be done regularly.
- Make sure that the account is secure
Insecure accounts hosted on any cloud platform run the risk of being breeched and if enough damage is done to the account, it might even be removed, causing you to lose your data. And if your account is hacked, your data will naturally be compromised and no one wants to deal with that. The best way to make sure that your account is secure is to make use of exceptionally strong passwords as well as 2 step login authentication.
- Have a backup for your Cloud
Often the Cloud is used as a backup, but what happens if this backup fails? Whether you are looking to safely store your data online, or if you are working directly from the Cloud, don’t get too comfortable with thinking that your Cloud account will always be secure. Always have a secure backup elsewhere.
- Leave the shared files you no longer need
Did you know that shared files can take up a lot of space? Much like the files you are no longer using but neglect to remove, by leaving any shared files you no longer need to access, you can free up space for the other more important files.
Cloud storage and cloud computing in general can be a huge game changer for companies of all shapes and sizes. If you are looking for trusted IT provider to help you with your Cloud needs, you can give us a call. We also offer excellent business continuity plans, cyber security solutions, and VOIP systems.
