Google Cloud Storage isn't available for consumer usage, but it's used by major brands like Rovio, Ubisoft, and Best Buy.

So, it's really important for Google that these major brands feel safe and secure using the search giant's cloud-based storage service, especially in the wake of the NSA debate.

In response to cloud safety concerns, Google will encrypt Cloud Storage user data for the first time ever. Using 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Google will encrypt data on the company's end before it is "written to disk" (as the company told press).

Encryption keys will be held by Google, though, and this still leaves room for some concern.

Free From Government Spying?

If Google is still holding the key to cloud-based encryption, what's stopping the government from prying into company information?

That's the question that brands will want to know before signing on with Google's cloud. Google has responded to this question by stating that the company will absolutely not respond to any government requests asking for encrypted data.

Still, companies should take some serious precautions before sending data to a cloud like Google's. Companies should take the time to encrypt data before it is sent to the cloud, but this is a very rare occurrence. Most of the time, companies that rely on cloud-based technology trust cloud providers to secure data, but (as has been seen in the past) this can be a major mistake.

Google also has to live up to competitor promises, and companies like Amazon have been offering better encryption services for a longer period of time. Throughout the whole government spying ordeal, Google has been at the center of the debate, too, and that doesn't bode well for Google at all.

What to Know About Cloud Storage

If you own a small company and are considering using Google, Amazon, or another massive company to store company data, there are some things that you should know first.

1. Always determine what kind of data can and can't be stored in the cloud. Do you own your data? Are you sure? If another party is involved in a file or has claim to some information, make sure that data can be moved to the cloud without any legal repercussions.

2. Encrypt sensitive data before sending it to any cloud. This way, you hold the encryption keys - not another company. If a government organization comes knocking, they will have to go through multi-encryption layers to get to that information.

3. Compare services carefully. Optimally, users should have data encryption keys, not companies. Check out cloud-based services other than Google. There are lots of options.

Not Enough for Most Companies

Google's efforts to make its cloud more secure are a step in the right direction, but it might not be enough for most companies to feel safe sending information to Google's cloud. As it stands, the fact that Google holds those encryption keys doesn't provide enough security for big brands with lots of sensitive information.

Again, Google has stated that the company will not give in to government pressure, unless warranted, but this doesn't set many minds at ease.