How to Determine How Much Storage Space You Need
Now that you’ve come to the conclusion that backing up your files is a necessity, you are probably wondering how much storage space you truly need. Fortunately, we have done the research for you.
We currently live in a “more is better” world, for better or worse. It is hard wired into us. That’s why so many users instinctively choose backup plans with many times more storage space that they currently use on their PCs. This is actually completely understandable especially for, say, gamers. The game Halo 4 alone requires 4GB of space. If you are a gamer, you will naturally download more games at a fast pace and will therefore need more space. Three more comparable games will put you at roughly 10GB of necessary cloud storage space.
However, as the saying goes, let’s take it slow. Most people do not use more than 10GB of space on their personal computers (even gamers). We have found that by adding 50% to the space you now use, this will be sufficient space for current and future files. For example, if you have 10GB in use, you should look for a plan around 15GB. More importantly, you can always upgrade to a better plan should it not be enough space for you.
Keep in mind that using the formula above works for the overwhelming majority of consumers. Conversely, this usually will not work for businesses. When it comes to businesses, it is far more difficult to assess how much cloud storage they really need. Most businesses are comprised of Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. Most business documents, even outside of Microsoft Office files, are no larger than 3MB. Even at 25,000 files, a business will use approximately 70GB just on their files. Also keep in mind that companies will need to back up their servers and most likely an operating system. If you are running a mid-sized business, you will probably need a cloud storage plan that offers access to multiple users and computers. As a business grows, so does the space they require. For businesses, we recommend at least doubling the space you currently use.
Speaking of multiple computers; if you are a household (most likely including children, or even worse – teenagers) with multiple users that run several computers, you will absolutely need as much space as a business. Photos, videos and games are some of the largest files known to man. It just so happens that these three types of files are the main files that you will find when backing up your kids’ files. Hey, kids are expensive! That being said, you can still save money here. It will be far more economical to find a storage plan that allows access to a few users and PCs under one account rather than signing up for multiple individual single-user accounts.
So when choosing a backup plan, try and remember that no matter what package you buy, you can always upgrade later. So choose a plan based on your current data needs, not based on files you don’t even have yet.
