3 Reasons Why You Should Install Your Own Private Cloud This tech tool puts cloud computing under your control.

Every headline-grabbing hack is a stark reminder that your data isn't always safe in other companies' hands -- or clouds. One solution: Create, and manage, your own cloud using the ZeroStack Z-Block.

Step 1: Plug it in. The ZeroStack system is a box (yes, like on Silicon Valley) that can quickly plug into a company's network, transforming the system into a web-accessible cloud computer. "Customers can deploy a cloud in less than an hour, instead of days or weeks," says Ajay Gulati, cofounder and CEO of ZeroStack. The price starts at $5,000 per month.

Step 2: Control your data. Your cloud can be accessed from any web browser. Because ZeroStack uses your company's own server, you can keep a watchful eye on your data instead of trusting your valuable information to somebody else's server farm. And while this doesn't make you hackerproof (it's not magic), you won't be suffering collateral damage when some bigtime hack hits a tech giant.

Step 3: Say, "Bye, IT guy." Keeping a fully private cloud afloat typically requires specially trained IT teams. Not this one. "Our management software monitors the cloud for problems and fixes them automatically," Gulati says. And should you need help, service and support from ZeroStack are included.