Despite how all-present cloud computing is in our lives today, many people don’t have a full understanding of what it is, what its risks are, or how to make use of its advantages. Today’s article will remedy that by covering the five things you need to know about the cloud.
1. Cloud Computing Is More Than Just Storage
Basically, the “cloud” is a way to refer to anything done through remote server clusters rather than a local computer or server. This can extend far beyond simply storing data remotely — though that is certainly a valuable use. If you’ve ever come across a reference to the term “Software as a Service,” you’ve encountered the non-storage elements of the cloud. “Software as a Service” (SaaS) is a category of services that take advantage of cloud computing for tasks like data processing, infrastructure, software deployment, and various business applications.
2. Easy Access Is a Primary Benefit
When you’re using the cloud, your content can be accessed from various compatible devices from anywhere in the world where you have internet access. What’s more, this works even when multiple people are accessing the same content. Various services introduced in the last decade have become famous for allowing real-time collaboration on files stored in the cloud.
3. It’s More Secure Than You Think
It’s a new era, and it’s vital to learn about the cloud’s security risks and the precautions you can take. However, reliable cloud providers are going to great lengths to ensure that anything that takes place in the cloud is secure. That ranges from data encryption during transfers to hacker-proof login gateways and beyond.
In fact, the biggest security risk for any cloud-based system is you. In the various news stories where celebrities or major companies had their information stolen, the culprit is almost always a phishing attack — where phony emails prompted users to share their login credentials — rather than a security vulnerability in the cloud itself.
4. Financial Savings Led to the Cloud’s Role in Business
One of the major reasons why cloud computing has become such a revolutionary force is that it allows companies to increase or decrease their level of service — and, as a result, their level of cost — at a moment’s notice. This “pay for what you use” model has dramatically decreased spending not just through the reduced cost of cloud-based services but also through lowered maintenance and staffing costs.
One extensive survey showed that cost was one of the two biggest factors (the other being deployment time) in choosing cloud over in-house services. It’s unsurprising, then, that adoption is so widespread among businesses. As a result, everyone should get comfortable with the cloud: It’s quickly becoming mandatory for employees in every field.
5. You’re Probably Already in the Cloud
If you’ve ever emailed yourself a document, you’ve used the cloud. If your employer has you on a client management system you access through your web browser, that’s the cloud. Facebook pictures? Also the cloud. While it may seem like an intimidating and foreign concept, cloud computing has become so commonplace that most of us are accidental experts already.
So don’t worry. The cloud may be revolutionary and all-present, but it’s not nearly so scary as it may initially appear.
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