Are cloud storage solutions irrelevant for a large organization of 1,500 employees? What is cloud storage? Cloud storage is the storage of online data in the cloud. The data is maintained, managed and backed up on a remote server by a cloud storage provider. It is made available to users via a network, usually the Internet. There are three main cloud storage models: • Public cloud storage is a cloud storage model that allows businesses and individuals to store, edit, and manage data. This is based on a remote cloud server and is accessible via the Internet. Providers charge the user a fixed amount, whereby the user pays for the storage capacity used. The storage provider hosts, manages, and provides storage infrastructure to many different users at the same time. • Private cloud storage is an environment protected by a corporate firewall. The storage provider has infrastructure in the organization's data center that it also manages. • Hybrid cloud storage is a combination of public and private cloud storage models. It works by placing some of the critical data in the organization's private cloud and the other data stored and accessed by a public storage provider. Capabilities Cloud storage can be used for many different functions by an individual or a business. Regardless of the storage type you choose (public, private, or hybrid), there is the option to increase the storage area of ​​your servers by placing most of your data in a cloud storage provider. This will create a large amount of space on your servers that you may need to update your current applications or software. Another way to use Cloud Storage is to back up all your data (movies, images, videos, documents and any other type of data). This is......half of the document.......com/storage/what-is-storage-qos/a/d-id/1127906 [accessed May 6, 2014].Melisa Rudy, 2013 .Cloud vs. Local backup: what do you need?. Teachopedia.com, available from: http://www.techopedia.com/2/29440/trends/cloud-computing/cloud-vs-local-backup-that-do-you-need [accessed May 6, 2014] .Anon, N/a. What is cloud storage. Webopedia.com, available from: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/cloud_storage.html [accessed April 23, 2014]. William, 2012. Cloudstoragebest.com, available from: http://www. cloudstoragebest. com/what-is-cloud-storage/ [accessed April 16, 2014].Interoute, n/a. What is a public cloud. Interoute.com, available from: http://www.interoute.com/cloud-article/what-public-cloud [accessed 30 April 2014]. Jonathan Strickland, Cloud storage. Howstuffworks.com, available from: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/cloud-storage.htm [Accessed 2 May 2014].