Online Storage

Online storage is a widely used term that refers to the use of data storage capacity on remote servers to store files, pictures, music and other file types. Online storage services are becoming more widely used every day, as people are more “hooked up” to the Internet. Back in those days when people would only be online a few minutes a day, an hour at most, having files stored online was senseless, as you might need one of those files when you were offline, and getting online using old dial up connections wasn’t that fast or easy. However with broadband connections, more people can be online at all times.

The first step into online storage was taken by web based email service providers (like Hotmail or Yahoo! Mail). Before those services emerged, people used to download their mail to their computers using a mail client program and save them there, which was good as you could read your emails offline, even write your replies and just get online to send them. However with the rise of web based emails, people got used to have their emails stored online and having to go online in order to read, write or reply.

Then it was time for online photo albums, people could now keep their entire photo collections online, manage them and even share them with friends, relatives and colleagues. A few shots were taken to store music online, however copyright issues brought down those services before sunrise.

Since then, online storage is used to store more file types, as security is added, some online editing features have emerged and storage costs keep falling down. There are also thousands of online or web based applications that are replacing other local applications (such like Office suits, image editors and even games). The Internet is quickly becoming an integral part of every computer and therefore online storage will be as common as local storage.

There are even some operating system projects that are designed to run online and that they are accessed using a common web browser, so that it doesn’t matter where you are, or what computer you’re using, you’ll still have access to your applications, files and information. That’s what some experts call the future of computing, when everything will be stored in the net and local storage will only be used for basic tasks, like having the local operating system and managing network access.