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Google launched Google Docs in 2007, with limited cloud storage, later transitioning to Google Drive on April 24, 2012. Google Drive, as the name suggests, is a cloud storage service developed and owned by search giant Google that enables users with a Google account store and access files online. If you want more space, then you have to pay for the extra space. Microsoft offers a significant amount of space for free to anyone with a valid Microsoft account so that users can store and access their files from any internet-connected device from anywhere they want. It is the default storage location for Office Online cloud-based apps, and also for Office 2013 applications. OneDrive, formerly known as SkyDrive, is the Microsoft’s cloud storage solution and service that allows users to have their own virtual storage space, where they can store personal and sensitive files, share files with certain specific people, or choose to make files publicly available. OneDrive is a cloud hosting service for hosting files in the cloud owned and managed by Microsoft. While both Google and Microsoft offer fast and reliable cloud storage solutions to both consumers and business users, there are some noticeable differences between the two in terms of structure, pricing model and features. Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive are the two well-known and widely used public cloud storage services that allow users to store data on multiple virtual servers on a pay-as-you-go basis. All the data is stored, maintained and managed remotely in logical pools and the whole environment is owned by a hosting company, referred to as cloud service providers. This is where cloud comes to the picture.Ĭloud refers to online space that you use to store your personal and professional stuff which is easily accessible from multiple distributed and connected resources.
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As a result, more and more data is being generated, processed, stored and moved for longer periods of time because of which IT organizations are constantly faced with challenges regarding maximizing their resources while overcoming common storage constraints. We live in an information-centric world with a growing reliance on creating and consuming data both for personal and home use with businesses and professional needs. We are into cloud now, heading towards a digital era where everything is in the cloud.
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Over the years, we have moved way beyond the conventional data storage solutions such as computer or servers or hard disks as part of disaster management.
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