Storage as a service

Storage as a service (STaaS) is an architecture model in which a provider provides digital storage on their own infrastructure. Storage as a service can be implemented as a business model in which a large service provider rents space in their storage infrastructure on a subscription basis. The economy of scale in the service provider's infrastructure theoretically allows them to provide storage much more cost effectively than most individuals or corporations can provide their own storage, when total cost of ownership is considered.

Storage as a Service is often used to solve offsite backup challenges

Critics of storage as a service point to the large amount of network bandwidth required to conduct their storage utilizing an internet-based service.