Cloud storage evolved over the years and there are now more vendors and offers than ever.
- No local hardware and maintenance
- No defined storage size (expand and pay as you go)
- Build upload services/devices by several vendors
- No guaranteed upload or download speed
- Possible security concerns
- Monthly cost
The best way to store archive video depends on requirements, budget and existing hardware.
From a financial perspective there might be some consideration to take into account. Purchasing storage hardware, media and software are considered capital expense or CapEx. Monthly fees for cloud storage is considered operating expense or OpEx. In some companies there is a tendency to favour OpEx over CapEx because it can be calculated and budgeted in advance. Investment in physical hardware can pay off and work for many years. In reality it is open how long a setup stays operational without additional repair/replacement cost. Usually, if used reasonably, equipment lasts longer than anticipated.
Cloud storage has the advantage of avoiding any upfront investment in storage hardware and installation. You can start immediately. Also the storage can grow to any size at any time on demand. P5 Archive offers the option of running completely in the cloud. This way you can build a cloud media archive on AWS. The P5 Server runs within Amazons AWS and can access any compatible cloud storage (even from other companies).