Cloud computing - what the heck is it and how can it help me and my business? That question may or may not be in your mind right now, but if it continues to soar in publicity, it might soon well be! If you are shrouded by fog as to what all the fuss is about, I have gone deep undercover to snoop out what's happening way up in the cloud, so join me and keep up!
I recently asked my nearest and dearest what he thought about "the cloud", and his response was as near to "naff off" as it was polite to be. He had no interest in the cloud, what the cloud is, what might be in the cloud or what it could possibly offer him. This - from a 35 year on-the-job-senior computer systems engineer!
So, gathering up my wits, I sloped off to find out for myself all about cloud computing - what the heck it was and how it could help me.
Firstly, I was intrigued to learn that the cloud is not new technology - it has been around for quite a while and many people are using it without knowing. It is simply a new word for services that use the internet to function. It has only become more popular recently because some of the bigger business companies spotted a new earning potential and repackaged it.
For example, I discovered that I am already using cloud technology when I access my emails on the web through Gmail. I can do that because although the code for the software is not on my PC, it is on the web server, so I can access it through a web browser. If you use Dropbox, Google Docs or Windows Live Skydrive, then you are also using services which exist in the cloud.
Secondly, I discovered that using cloud computing can give you more storage space on your own computer. For example, you may have bought products where you can only access them via the owner website with a username and password. There is no option to 'download' the material onto your own PC - someone else is storing your stuff. That is cloud computing.
Thirdly, Apple ramped things up a notch or three when they launched their own iCloud by giving their customers the ability to connect all their Apple devices. That means, taking a photo on an iPhone, viewing the picture on your iPad and then making a gallery on your iMac. Every device is synched to work together using cloud technology.
So how can you use it in your business? There are now cloud-based office services online, which means that projects and documents can be accessed by many people because it is not stored on one computer - it is in the cloud. This offers a lot more scope and freedom to non-office based personnel to touch base.
The obvious point that crosses the mind here is security - how secure will your information be? Occasional privacy breaches are a fact of life in our society, but it is possible to make things difficult for hackers by choosing very strong passwords for sensitive information and keeping a back-up copy.
Keeping up with new technology is vital for any business and if you are feeling overwhelmed, that simply means you do not have access to good online education. Do something about it now so that you can stay at the top of your league and master new technology before it masters you. I hope you have enjoyed Cloud computing - what the heck is it and how can it help me and my business?
Olive Bush is an online marketer who loves helping people from around the world to make money online and build their home based business. To learn more about Olive and her business please visit http://www.earnyourwealth.co.uk/
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