Local Storage vs Cloud Storage: Everything You Have to Know

Your choice of computer storage could be the decision that prevents you from getting hacked. If you don’t manage storage, your computer becomes vulnerable and you’re open to cyber-predators. 

There are several ways to store your digital information these days, and that variety gives you the chance to free up space on your devices and allow things to work much more efficiently. 

That said, it’s important to think about where and why you store particular things, utilizing the different options available to you. We’re going to take a look at local storage and cloud storage in this article. Hopefully, the information below can give you some insight into how these two options function.

Using both to your advantage can make a big difference in your workflow and device capabilities. Let’s get started. 

What Is Local Storage?

Local storage is the fundamental version of storage. It’s any measure your device takes to log and manage your data within your device. Local storage can also include physical hard drives or disks that you use in addition to your device’s storage. 

You might purchase a flash drive or hard drive and contain certain information on it, for example. 

This kind of storage has a few obvious advantages. For one, it’s contained to your device, and you’ll always have access to it. There’s no third party that manages or stores that information for you. That means you don’t have to worry about logins, passwords, or using difficult interfaces. 

You’re also free from worrying about privacy issues like data leaks or security problems with the third-party storage operation. The data is yours, and it’s contained on a platform that you physically own. 

There’s something reassuring about that, which is why people tend to stick to local storage. Another benefit of local storage is that you can use it to benefit the function of the programs you use on the device. 

Playing a lot of sophisticated video games, for example, might require a lot more available storage and ram on your device. At the same time, there are several disadvantages to using local storage alone. 

Cons of Local Storage

The first disadvantage of utilizing local storage is that it takes up a lot of space on your device. Your device functions more effectively when it has more available storage. 

The relationship between day-to-day function and storage availability is a complex one. Even if you’re not downloading information or “saving” things in the way we typically do, your computer is still utilizing storage. 

Everything we do on the computer leaves a footprint, and those footprints tend to be stored somewhere within the device. Further, many applications and websites that we use require a measure of storage to catalog data to improve your experience. 

There’s a constant stream of data getting stored, and the device works more efficiently if there’s more available storage. 

Another thing to consider in the case of local storage is that single devices are easily hacked into. Your personal security is typically a lot less powerful than the security of a large cloud platform. Hackers have only one device to break into rather than a large network that invests millions of dollars into network security. 

Further, a lot of information stored on your computer is duplicate information or just information that isn’t necessary to access yourself. There’s a whole lot of information stored on your computer that is necessary for the device itself but pretty useless to you as an individual.

While that information is important, you don’t need to access it yourself. That’s one of the places where the cloud comes in and improves your experience. 

What Is Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is a form of storage that exists on the internet rather than the device you’re using. People tend not to use this option for one of these 5 reasons. It’s called the “cloud” because you can imagine it as a weightless space that floats around, containing information. 

The beautiful thing about the best cloud storage rather than local storage is that there’s nearly unlimited availability for you to store your information. It’s either free or very cheap to use, and you can place any information you’d like to in the cloud. 

The limitations of physical storage are severe, as most devices can only hold so much, and the costs of purchasing new devices or storage units are high. This is particularly true when the information you’re dealing with doesn’t have to do with the function of your computer. 

For example, many applications require ample storage to house the software information, subsequent data from your use of that software, and more. Application information typically has to be contained on the device unless the application exists online. 

So, freeing up as much space as you can for that data is a good thing. It helps everything else run more smoothly. On the other hand, things like your pictures, messages, documents, and videos might be better stored on the cloud. 

Cross-Device Functionality

One of the most beautiful things about the cloud is that you can use it wherever you have an internet connection. You can access your information from any device. 

This is incredibly useful when it comes to work information or pertinent personal information that you need wherever you go. Further, it frees that information from the chains of your old device. 

Many times, we don’t take the time or make the effort to transfer data from an old hard drive to a new one. Further, damaged devices and hard drives might lose all of the information that they store. 

You add a measure of protection when you place something on the cloud, ensuring that it won’t be destroyed unless you delete it yourself. Think of all of the pictures and messages you’ve had through the years, only to be deleted or lost when the device finally breaks down. 

Want to Learn More About Remote Storage?

Using local storage or exploring the cloud and other external hard drive options can get complicated. There’s a lot to learn if you want to use these tools to their full potential. 

We’re here to help. Explore our site for more ideas on remote storage, ways to find free cloud storage, and much more.