“The Cloud” can be a very hard concept for people to grasp. When most people think of “The Cloud,” they think of music or a place to store their files. However, one practice that is continuing to gain traction is cloud computing. Like all new technologies, there are a lot of people that remain uninformed when it comes to cloud computing. What’s important is that Cloud computing is a very useful way to save time, energy, and money.
What is Cloud Computing?
PCMag describes cloud computing, “In the simplest terms, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer’s hard drive.” It’s truly that simple. It doesn’t seem like a very big deal, but cloud computing is changing the way we handle our own computing needs and it’s changing the way businesses handles theirs. In fact, the majority of people have already experienced cloud computing without even realizing it. If you have an email account with a web-based service such as Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail, then you are accessing saved data remotely over the internet instead of a hard drive on a single computer.
What are the Benefits to Cloud Computing?
A lot of people continue to use older methods for their computing needs. However, more and more companies are converting to the cloud because they can see that the benefits are paramount.
- Hardware costs are brought to a minimum. Instead of storing your applications on hard drives or local storage devices, you’re able to access them as long as you have a secure Internet connection. In addition to that, you don’t need to buy top of the line hardware to handle your computing needs. Everything is handled over the cloud, which means you can save money by buying cheaper computers. You will still get the same result.
- Cloud computing is extremely convenient. Again, all you need to have is a stable Internet connection and all the data and applications that you need are there. When things are stored locally, if something happens to go wrong with that device, you’re completely out of luck.
- It also saves a lot of space. A lot of businesses actually have to rent entire rooms in order to store their data or applications. With cloud computing, this is no longer needed. You’re free to use your space to its maximum capacity.
While there are still some slight concerns when it comes to cloud computing, there is no denying the fact that more and more people are adopting its use. A lot of people even use it without actually realizing it. If trends continue the way they are heading now, cloud computing is here to stay.
Mark works in IT solutions and recommends Principal, to businesses who are thinking of moving to the Cloud storage system.
NOTE – This is a Guest Post by Rosita Bounce