12 free cloud storage options

With all the public cloud storage offerings on the market today, many vendors just want customers to sign up for their services. So, in return for a new account, many offer free cloud storage.

Using the following 12 public cloud storage options, you could theoretically get 112GB of free cloud storage. But not all services are the same. Some have their pros and cons related to how large a file can be uploaded, the pricing of additional cloud storage space, integrations with various operating systems and mobile apps, and of course security precautions the vendors take.

Here are side-by-side comparisons of free cloud storage options.

Amazon Cloud Drive; Apple iCloud; Box, Dropbox; Google Drive; MediaFire; Microsoft SkyDrive; MiMedia; SpiderOak; SugarSync; Symform; and Syncplicity.

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10 Enterprise Cloud Storage Options

The topic of cloud storage stirs debate in even the sanest of conversations. But, even the most anti-cloud naysayer will agree that the cloud is an excellent choice as a disaster recovery (DR) solution. Providers understand that their clients need security, redundancy and reliability. Cloud storage companies also know that there is a lot of cloud-based fear, and most offer a staged approach to moving to cloud storage, from archive to online backup to live storage.

Many providers sell their services as a "replace the tape" strategy for businesses. And, they make it very enticing to do so by comparing costs, hassles and reliability numbers. Cloud-based backup and storage are compelling when you put pencil to paper and see the numbers for yourself.

This list of 10 cloud storage providers will give you a sense of some of the key players and their options for cloud-based storage. The list is in no particular order.

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Cloud Storage Economics for Dummies

Determine the real cost of storage infrastructure by understanding that the cost of acquiring assets is just a small percentage of their total cost to own. Data storage economics focuses on measuring the total cost of ownership to align information technology investments with corporate goals.

Download this free eBook from Hitachi Data Systems and understand why price doesn't alway equal cost and become an economic hero in your own organization.