Storing your data in a cloud service brings bunch of benefits. Here are some top reasons why you should consider using cloud storage service.
- Access – Accessibility is the reason/benefit you should consider storing your files in cloud storage. Cloud storage provides seamless support for smart-phones, tablets and computers. You don’t need to copy paste documents to access them from multiple device.
- Sync – You files stored in cloud storage service always returns the latest version of a document. Your changes in documents on your computer, for example, will automatically reflect on your tablets.
- Protection – Your hard-disks or other removable storage devices may eventually fail to work. Cloud storage service adds an extra layer of data protection against accidental loss.
- Collaboration – Many cloud storage service allows multiple people to work on a single document.
- Easy Share – Cloud storage offers easy sharing of your files or folders to one or more people. You can also generate a link for any document/folder stored in your cloud storage to give access to resource any one with the link.
What is Google Drive or Google Documents?
Google Drive is a cloud storage service from Google, launched in 2012. You can store all type of files in Google Drive. It is the best and cheapest solution from Google that also provides seamless integration with Google Services like Gmail and Google Docs. As of now Google offers 15 GB of free shared space across its Gmail, Google+ photos and Google Drive service.
Any file stored in Google Drive can be easily shared privately or publicly. Though, it is not limited to storage service only, it's a complete collaborative office suite in the form of Software as a Service (SaaS). You can create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings and much more right from your Google Drive account. With appropriate permissions on Google Documents you can allow viewers to comment, edit or download the shared documents. You can also publish your documents directly on the web.
It is worth noting that Google Documents aka Google Docs which allows creating various types of documents is now part of Google Drive. Any document created with Google Docs will automatically stored in Google Drive.
You can also use Google Drive desktop software to manage download and upload files without using a web browser. By installing Google Drive software on your computer creates a special Google Drive folder which syncs constantly and automatically with you Google Drive web account and vice versa. Anything your add in local Google Drive folder will be uploaded to your Google Drive web account, while anything you create or add in Google Drive web accounts gets downloaded on your desktop for offline use.
Why Google Drive?
It’s a fact that Google Drive is not alone that offers this type of cloud service. But Google Drive offers robust integration of other Google Services like Gmail. Besides the storage service, it offers a complete Office suite (similar to Microsoft Office), that too FREE! You can create and edit documents with your friends, family or colleagues in real time regardless of your geographical boundaries.
Besides, these primary tasks you can also use plug and play features in the apps form created by some third parties and can easily be used for the file types that is not supported by Google Drive itself. Balsamiq Mockups, Hello Fax, Gantter and Pixlr are some of the widely used apps that work with Google Drive.
Conclusion
Google Drive is much more than just a file storage service. You can use its office suite to create various types of documents, can easily share them and lot more. Apps for Google Drive extend its basic file format support to advanced file formats. All you need is just a Google account. If you are using Gmail, then you indeed posses a Google Account and can use Google Drive. But, if you don’t have any Google Accounts you need to first create a Google Account.
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