What is “The Cloud”?

by Dan Karas

There are many popular and modern terms we hear about each and every day, but we really do not know much or anything about them. As well as terms, there are also services and devices we use each and every day, while not even knowing their real names, let alone anything more about them. Well, the cloud is one of these terms. If you have ever used the Internet, you have used cloud computing of some sort, but you probably haven’t thought about it at the time. Here will be discussed cloud computing in general, as well as some of its main benefits.

The Cloud in General

Cloud computing in general is the action of providing end-users with a service as the final product, and not a device. This means that end-users, be it a company or an individual, will access a service from their own device over the Internet or a network of any kind, and use it without actually having it installed or maintained on the device in question. This is the simplest explanation of the cloud there is, and many people have compared cloud computing to having electricity in your apartment or house. You just have to plug in your device into the wall socket, and the electricity is there to power it. Most people do not think about how the electricity got here, or how it was produced – the bottom line is that this service is there when you need it, without you having to think about getting it there, maintaining it and so on – exactly the same as with cloud computing.

Common Examples and Benefits of the Cloud

Some of the common types of cloud computing include email, online data storage, Google Docs, online offices such as Office Live by Microsoft, and so on. Here will be listed and explained some of the most important benefits of these cloud computing systems:

Accessibility – The cloud can be accessed from anywhere and at any time. This means that you, as a user, will be able to use the services regardless of where you are, whose device (laptop, desktop computer, iPad, cell phone…) you are using, and when you need to use the service.
Reduced costs – For companies using cloud computing, the costs of electricity and maintenance significantly go down, as there are no dedicated devices to be used, just a service.
Ease of use – Cloud computing services are generally designed to make it easy for end-users to use them. So, ease of use is a great benefit of cloud computing.
Environmental friendliness – Owing to the fact that cloud computing is based around the idea of shared resources and virtualization, it is easy to see how going for “the cloud” will make your company greener.

The Cloud as a Very Practical Service

When all the benefits of cloud computing are taken into consideration, it is safe to say that using these kind of services really does make sense from a lot of different aspects. Therefore, if you are thinking about it, make sure to do some research and find out everything “The Cloud” will have to offer you.

What Is “The Cloud”?

What is “The Cloud”?

The Cloud in General

Common Examples and Benefits of the Cloud

The Cloud as a Very Practical Service

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