A Beginner's Guide to Cloud Computing

What is Cloud Computing?

If you’ve ever used a service such as Apple iCloud or Google Drive, you’ve used cloud computing technology. Simply put, cloud computing is the storage of files and programs on a server that is accessed through the Internet rather than storing them on your computer’s hard drive. With cloud computing, you don’t have to worry about not being able to access important documents at a moment’s notice. Files saved in a cloud can be accessed anytime by any authorized user from any device such as a computer, smartphone, or iPad. As long as you have Internet access, you have your files.

Types of Cloud Computing

• Software as a Service (SaaS): This is the kind of cloud computing you use with services such as Google Drive and GMail. For example, with Google Drive, you get the functionality of Microsoft Office programs such as Word and Excel, but you access it through the Internet instead of software installed on your computer’s hard drive.
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): With IaaS, you access computing resources (storage space, RAM, etc.) through the cloud. This is something companies like Yottabyte and Nutanix offer.
• Platforms as a Service (PaaS): Platforms as a Service provide virtual operating systems so that people who develop programs and apps can test them out and see how they behave in various systems. Google App Engine would be a good example of this.

Can Cloud Computing Benefit My Business?

Absolutely! Cloud computing can be an excellent option for many businesses! If your employees frequently need to collaborate on projects, cloud computing makes it very easy to do so. Cloud computing also makes it easy for employees to work remotely. This way, employees can work from home on days when weather is bad or if they need to be at home to wait for a repairman, preventing losses in productivity.

With cloud computing, you only pay for what you need and it can easily grow with your business as needed. If business is doing well and you find yourself needing more storage space, it’s not a problem to get more in a matter of minutes. You’ll also have fewer upfront costs than purchasing your own equipment and having IT professionals maintain it. Your one monthly payment covers everything you need.

Is Cloud Computing Secure?

Many people are skeptical about uploading documents with their personal information into a cloud and rightfully so. But reputable cloud computing companies will encrypt their customers’ information for them. Google automatically encrypts data for paid cloud storage users. It’s also important to note that backing up your information is still very important. For example, Yottabyte is a great company for cloud computing services since they offer both data encryption and backup.