External storage is any type of storage device that is located outside of your computer. This can include things such as flash drives, external hard drives, network attached storage or cloud storage. These devices are very common and utilized every day for personal and business needs. But what is the advantage of having different forms of external storage in the business world?

There are many obvious advantages to using flash drives and external hard drives for IT support in San Diego. With a flash drive, you can store numerous business documents on a drive that is smaller than a pack of gum. Simply save your important documents and data to this removable drive, and connect it to any computer with a USB port. This can make sharing documents, powerpoints and other presentations much easier than in the past.

External hard drives fill a similar role to the flash drive, only they are able to store a much greater amount of information. This makes storing and transporting video files and other large graphic files much more convenient. External hard drives can also be used for storing backups. An individual computer or group of computers can be configured to back up to an external hard drive to make transportation easier. This works for transporting backups offsite or for quick removal in an emergency.

Network attached storage or NAS, is another common form of external storage. This is a collection of high capacity hard drives that are connected directly to the network using either a dedicated server or a special NAS device. NAS allows users to upload documents and other files to a shared location so that any user on the network can access them. This leads to more efficient transfer of information from one party to another within a business network. NAS is also an excellent way to store backups. However, NAS devices are not easily removed from their physical location. Therefore, an offsite backup plan is needed in case of natural disaster or theft.

This leads to a fourth form of external storage, the cloud. To many users, the cloud is an invisible location where they can store their information to be accessed later from anywhere in the world using any device such as a smart phone, tablet or PC. But wvhat is the cloud? The cloud is simply a collection of remote servers that are configured to store information and make it available for users to access as needed. Services such as Google Drive and Dropbox provide hosting and are responsible for keeping data safe and protected. The cloud provides convenience to users who want to be able to access information on the go, but it is not always the best way to store large files. Since the cloud is remote and usually far away, it can take a long time to download large files and access information. It is also limited to the speed of your internet connection since all the data that is stored must be transferred over the internet. For this reason the cloud is best used for small pictures and documents and for offsite storage for backups.

Each form of external storage has its advantages and disadvantages to the business world. Some will be better suited for different environments than others. But the role that external storage plays on a day-to-day basis cannot be denied. There will always be a need for some form of external storage in every business environment. To find out which types of storage will be best for your business, reach out to the professional San Diego IT consultants at Syndeo Communications at 760-650-3300 and schedule a free consultation today.