Know the Difference: Summit Storage vs. Other Cloud Solutions

Know the Difference: Summit Storage vs. Other Cloud Solutions

One of the most common questions we get as a cloud hosting company is, "Why does adding storage on my server cost more than it would be for me to sign up for DropBox, Google Drive, or iCloud storage?". Often, the answer we have to provide for that question isn't as simple as just giving a single reason. So, let's dive into the reasons why some cloud storage solutions cost more than others, and what makes each one the right or wrong choice for your business.

What kind of storage does Summit use?

Summit Hosting utilizes certified "High Availability" (HA) storage, guaranteeing 99.9999% data availability. This means that a drive failure where a customer's data is stored is highly unlikely. This type of storage also takes advantage of solid-state technology, meaning that not only is the storage offered by Summit Hosting extremely reliable, but it's also blazing fast.

What are some of the key benefits of hosted storage with Summit?

• 24/7/365 Enterprise-level security monitoring
• Active scanning of files upon upload and files at rest
• Lose a file? No problem, we've got a 15-day complete backup repository
• Need access to your backups? We offer Carbonite so you can access and restore your files from backup from anywhere, any time.
• FAST! 5ms response time from drive to server.
• Stored on hardware that guarantees 99.9999% data availability
• 24/7 U.S.-based support
• Available from anywhere, any time, on ANY device

Our Storage vs. Theirs

In today's world, all anyone seems to care about is how fast they can get from point A to point B. In our environments, your storage is in the same data center as your server, so point A and B are within the same network chain, making the connection insanely fast. You may have to access your server over the internet, but from there, your internet connection from the server to your data is reliant on our networks, not the outside worlds'. When you store data on Google Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud service and connect it to the server, you have to download your data from the outside world before reaching our networks and your server. This can take a while, and we have no control over the speeds at which you can access your files, but with our storage, if you need it right away, it's there. There's no downloading and no waiting.When you purchase large quantities of space with Summit Hosting, you get more than just the storage space you get from those other services. With Summit Hosting storage, you get fully encrypted, backed-up, protected and maintained hosted storage space with a 99.9999% availability rating. If you ever lose a file due to corruption or accidental deletion, our 15-day repository of backups has you covered. You get all of this, plus 24/7/365 security monitoring and active scanning, a feature that other solutions simply don't have.In addition to this, Summit Hosting isn't just storage space somewhere out in the cloud. Our cloud storage is located in one of our secure data centers, right here in the U.S (or Canada). Other solutions often have offshore data centers, or they don't say where they are at all. They give the illusion that your files are literally out in the cloud, when in fact, that's never the case.

Which option is best for you and your business?

Even though we've spent quite a bit of time talking about how fast, reliable, and secure Summit Hosting storage is, that doesn't mean there isn't any use case where another option is best for your business. The fact of the matter is that you can get large quantities of storage from other solutions for a lower monthly cost, and you can also connect those storage solutions to your Summit Hosting server. Other storage solutions offer access from anywhere, and you can download your files from a browser or applications on your computer or mobile device. They're cheap, easy to access, and easy to use, which often makes them an easy choice for storing your files.However, an easy choice is not always the right choice, and a cheaper solution is not always a better one. While you can still access your files on those other solutions from your Summit Hosting server, Summit Hosting can only protect your server itself and what you have stored there directly. Storing data in another cloud storage solution and accessing it from the server you have hosted with Summit will not fall under the protection of our enterprise-level security measures, which could leave your data at risk. In addition, those files will also not be protected by our backup solutions or supported by our teams, meaning if you lose a file or have any trouble with accessing your accounts from the server, we will not be able to help.For further information about which option might be best for your business, please contact one of our cloud hosting specialists today.