Published on October 29, 2026 · The mitza.es team
More and more small businesses keep their documents in the cloud: it's convenient, lets you work from anywhere and avoids depending on one person's computer. But “the cloud” isn't a single place. Choosing badly means overpaying, losing control over who sees what, or finding out too late that syncing is not the same as having a backup. This guide helps you choose with good judgment.
What cloud storage is and what advantages it has
Cloud storage means keeping files on a provider's servers, accessible over the internet from any device with your credentials. For a business it brings several advantages: access from anywhere, simultaneous work on the same document, version history, permissions per person or per folder and less dependence on your own hardware. It's one of the simplest ways to start using cloud services, as we explain in our guide to cloud computing for small businesses.
Types of cloud storage
- File storage and sync: what a team uses every day (Google Drive, OneDrive and SharePoint, Dropbox, Box). Shared folders synced to your computers.
- Object storage: designed for developers and applications (the storage services of the big cloud providers). It isn't what an office usually needs.
- Cloud backups: services that keep a copy of your computers or servers so you can restore it. They are different from syncing.
- Your own cloud: solutions such as Nextcloud, which you can install on your own server or NAS, or buy hosted, to keep control of the data.
Main options depending on your situation
- Google Drive: fits if you already work with Google Workspace and value collaborating on documents from the browser.
- OneDrive and SharePoint: fit if you already use Microsoft 365, Word and Excel, and Teams. SharePoint works as a team space.
- Dropbox: very convenient for sharing files with customers and suppliers and for syncing large folders.
- Nextcloud or other open-source solutions: for those who prioritize control of the data and have someone to administer it.
If you haven't yet decided on the office suite, go first to our comparison of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365: storage usually comes included with one of them and saves you paying for two services.
Criteria for choosing
- Integration with what you already use: email, office apps and video calls. Mixing suites multiplies the problems.
- Capacity and growth: how much space you need today and how much you'll have in two or three years.
- Permissions and sharing: being able to give access per folder, with expiry dates and passwords on links.
- Versions and recycle bin: how long they are kept so you can recover a deleted or modified file.
- Security: encryption, two-step verification, activity logs and device control.
- Data location and data protection: data centers in the European Union and a data processing agreement.
- Sync and offline work: check how it behaves with large files.
- Administration: adding and removing users, and what happens to the files of someone who leaves the company.
- Cost: per user or per storage space, with VAT, and whether the price is annual or monthly.
- Exit: how you export everything if you change provider.
Security: how to protect your files in the cloud
- Two-step verification for all users, and stricter for administrators.
- Long, unique passwords. You can generate them with the password generator and check them with the checker.
- Minimum permissions: each person accesses only what they need; review access from time to time.
- Beware of public links: use links with an expiry date and, for sensitive information, with a password.
- Phishing training: most unauthorized access starts with a stolen password; we explain it in our article on AI phishing and deepfakes.
Syncing is not making a backup
It's the costliest mistake. If someone deletes a folder, or ransomware encrypts the files on a computer, syncing replicates the change everywhere. The recycle bin and version history help, but they have time limits. An independent copy (following the 3-2-1 rule) is what saves you in a serious incident. We cover the risks of ransomware in the analysis of ransomware in Spanish businesses.
Data protection: what to bear in mind
If you store personal data of customers or employees in the cloud, the provider acts as a data processor. You need a contract that covers it, to know in which countries the data is hosted and processed and to assess whether there are transfers outside the European Economic Area. The big suites offer these contracts and European data centers, but it's worth checking and reflecting it in your privacy policy. If in doubt, consult your advisor.
How to organize files in the cloud
- Create a folder structure by department or project, with someone responsible for each one.
- Set a naming convention (date, customer, version) and stick to it.
- Avoid having working files live in personal accounts: they should be in the company's space.
- Define what happens when someone leaves the company: transfer of their files and removal of access.
- Periodically clean up duplicates and old files so search stays useful.
How to migrate from local folders, a NAS or a server
- Inventory: which files there are, how many GB and who uses them.
- Cleanup: delete duplicates and obsolete files before uploading anything.
- Design the structure of folders and permissions in the cloud.
- Migrate in phases, starting with one department, and keep the source untouched until you confirm everything is there.
- Train the team in syncing, sharing and what shouldn't be stored locally.
- Set up the independent copy and test a restore.
Cloud, NAS or both
It isn't an either-or decision. For those who work with very large files or want to physically control the data, a NAS makes sense (we explain it in what a NAS is); for collaborating from several places, the cloud is more convenient. The usual approach is to combine them: day-to-day work on one and the backup copy on the other.
Common mistakes when choosing cloud storage
- Paying for several services that do the same thing because each person chose their own.
- Sharing folders with public links that never expire.
- Not removing access for someone who has left the company.
- Believing the service's recycle bin is a backup.
- Not checking where the data is hosted or signing the data processing agreement.
- Keeping the only copy of critical documents in a personal account.
How we can help at Mitza
We help you choose the service, migrate your files and get permissions, two-step verification and backups properly set up. If you're in southern Madrid, see our IT maintenance, or write to us from the contact page.