Digital Storage Solutions for Educational Materials

(Many of the links in this article redirect to a specific reviewed product. Your purchase of these products through affiliate links helps to generate commission for Storables.com, at no extra cost. Learn more)

Digital data storage is a specially allocated space on a server where Internet users have the opportunity to upload a wide variety of information, from ordinary text files to recordings from CCTV cameras.

Cloud data storage is the best option for students. Cloud technology has significant advantages over traditional methods of storing information. The main one is reliability. The probability of a remote server failing is still much lower than the same flash drive or hard drive.

It happens that you lose a flash drive or your hard drive fails, and there is no access to your project, which was stored on one or another medium. What to do? You can order a new paper from the writing service. Professional essay writers will quickly produce any type of written work. Thus, even if you have lost access to your data storage, you can always quickly solve the problem using writing services.

Since cloud storage is the best way to store educational materials, we will look at this solution in more detail.

How cloud data storage works

Very often, you can hear the opinion that the use of USB cables, flash cards, hard drives, and other external media to save large amounts of data, as well as to transfer various files and information, is a “last century.” For these purposes, in the modern world, the most convenient tool is cloud data storage.

Absolutely every person has the opportunity to use cloud data storage services. To do this, just go to the Internet, open a certain website (in this case, a specific service), download the necessary files, and manage them depending on your goals (delete, download, share with others). The convenience of using cloud storage is that, in fact, all important information (files, images, videos, etc.) is stored on the server.

Of course, on our side of the monitor, this entire structure is not visible and is not particularly understandable. If you look at it, it turns out that when we go into the storage, we have access to the “cloud” – one large virtual server. It may include hundreds of computers located all over the world. In this regard, this feature facilitates storing files not only on one but also on several devices.

Cloud storage developers are responsible for the resource, and more specifically:

• for its condition
• for reliability
• for complete safety.

In addition, providers make data available to applications over the network through a dedicated private connection using an Internet portal or website.

Sometimes, in order to expand the possibilities of using the “cloud,” you have to pay. The list may include additional services that provide better data protection, simplified data management, collection, and analysis on a fairly large scale.

Main functions of the technology

Why is it convenient to use cloud data storage? What are they needed for? Users note that the service is great for saving space on gadgets (tablets, smartphones, and PCs). You can upload whatever you want to the storage:

• photos
• video
• documentation
• songs and much more.

The biggest advantage of this tool for people is the ability to store extremely massive files. We are talking not only about educational materials. For example, recordings from a CCTV camera at some facility. The “cloud” can be used to save information from gaming platforms, as well as for hosting, not only by owners of blogs and various resources but also by online stores. It should be noted that video and photo hosting sites cooperate with the “cloud” exclusively for streaming content.

If we talk about other tasks, then we need to mention data recovery and backup to cloud storage. They are applicable in cases where it is necessary to save important information.

3 storage access models

There are three main models for accessing the cloud service:

Public

This model is applicable for subscription-based unstructured data. This means that people pay to use it. Examples of cloud data storage:

• Amazon S3 Glacier
• Microsoft Azure
• Google Cloud Nearline Storage.

Private

The private cloud storage access model typically takes place in an environment that is protected by a firewall. It is hosted internally but offers commercial, public storage functionality. This model is recommended for use by anyone interested in security, as well as greater control over all data.

Hybrid

The name of this model speaks for itself. It brings together both private and public types of storage services. It allows many companies to be more flexible and also increases their ability to deploy data.

4 types of cloud storage

There are four types of cloud data storage. This diversity is directly related to the fact that various materials should be stored in the places most suitable for them.

Cloud services differ from each other by type of organization:

• File storage
• Block storage
• Object storage
• Database.

We invite you to take a closer look at each.

File storage

The basis of file storage is a hierarchical structure, that is, a root record with data about files and their attributes branching off from it. All of them are structured and presented in the form of catalogs. That is why, knowing the name of the desired document, you can click on the name and easily access it.

Block storage

The structure of block storages is identical to file storages, but all data is divided into separate blocks (each one must have its own identifier, with the help of which, if necessary, the system collects various files together). This type is perfect for working with educational materials.

Object storage

Object storage types are the most popular because instead of a file system, they have space called flat. It consists of many objects, and each of them includes identifiers and metadata. A 128-bit number in such a system is the assigned address, in other words, the identifier.

Database

Databases are usually understood as a collection of certain information that is stored in a strictly established order, both on physical and virtual media. A database management system (DBMS) is a special program through which you can process graphics, media, and texts and carry out various manipulations with them: test, analyze, store, and launch new projects.

Choose the right type for you to store your educational materials.