Of all the various ways that cloud computing has transformed the way business operate, cloud storage is perhaps the most well-known and significant change. Where individuals used to either store files on their device, or invest in external storage solutions, and where businesses might setup servers for databases and company storage – now, everything can be kept in the cloud.
One of the most recognisable examples of business cloud storage are two products included in Microsoft 365 – OneDrive and SharePoint. These two products have helped many businesses over the years. We spoke with one business – TechQuarters – who not only rely on the Microsoft Cloud products themselves, but have also helped clients migrate to these products in their role as a trusted Microsoft Partner.
Microsoft Cloud Storage
For quite some time now, the entirety of the Microsoft 365 suite of products and services have been entirely cloud-based, and OneDrive and SharePoint are what links the whole ecosystem together – but how exactly do they do this?
- OneDrive – by providing individual cloud storage for M365 users, OneDrive is the glue that links Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote together; content created in any of these apps can be saved directly to OneDrive. Furthermore, Outlook integrates with OneDrive to make it easy to attach content to emails, directly from the Microsoft Cloud.
- SharePoint – aimed more at providing shared storage, file-sharing, and information sharing capabilities for the whole organisation, SharePoint is the perfect space for project and teamwork. It too integrates with all the Office apps, meaning one can save content directly to a SharePoint site. It also integrates closely with Microsoft Teams, thus providing an unrivalled collaborative experience.
According to TechQuarters, whose business IT support London-based companies have been using for years, the cloud storage that forms the backbone of Microsoft 365 is a bit part of why it is such an ideal solution for small businesses.
Advantages of OneDrive & SharePoint for Small Business
There are a great many advantages to using OneDrive and SharePoint as a small business. When we asked TechQuarters about it, they stated that, in conjunction with the rest of the Microsoft 365 stack, they make business processes much more streamlined. But what are the specific advantages of the two products, with consideration to their functionality?
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Streamlined File Management
Both OneDrive and SharePoint are hosted within the Microsoft Cloud, and both are closely interlinked, meaning that it is easy to access either service from any of the Microsoft apps, from the web, or even from your desktop. Having all files centralised like this makes the management of business content much simpler.
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Flexible / Remote Working
OneDrive and SharePoint are never switched off, and they are not bound by geographical location, meaning users of M365 can access content on either service wherever they are, on any platform, at any time of day. Both services are protected by Microsoft’s extensive cloud security, and so organisations can be sure that if their employees are working remotely, company resources will remain protected.
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Company-wide Communication
SharePoint is particularly good for facilitating company-wide communication. One of the main types of sites that can be created on SharePoint is the communication site, which is primarily used for sharing company news, stories, updates, and more. SharePoint also integrates closely with Microsoft Teams, which is equally effective at streamlining communications within an organisation.
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Security and Compliance
A big priority for many sectors is security and compliance to data regulations. For instance, organisations in the finance and legal sectors are bound by very strict regulations and frameworks. TechQuarters, who have provided SharePoint consultancy services for businesses in these types of sectors, pointed to the fact that SharePoint, and the Microsoft Cloud in general, is audited by a number of third parties to ensure that their infrastructure is compliant with regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA. This means that businesses wanting to use SharePoint for storing and managing data will be able to configure it so that they are compliant, too.
