These days, it’s hard to hear about anything tech-related that does not mention “the cloud” in one form or another. From cloud storage to cloud computing, it seems like everything on the Internet is powered by the cloud. So, what is the cloud and how does it work?
Although it sounds like it is out of this world, the technical explanation is a lot less exciting once you learn more about it. The Internet is millions of connected networks all around the world working together to bring us social media, online gaming, news, and everything else. All this information is stored on powerful servers in data centers positioned near hotspots all around the world. This is where the “cloud” lives. It’s the connected data centers that can be accessed by users anywhere and stores whatever is uploaded to it.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of the cloud is its ease of use. Users upload photos or music and have access to this data anywhere that there is an Internet connection. This seamless connection replaces the days of forgotten floppy drives or USB keys with important items on it. Once the information is in the cloud, it is safe and secure from things like natural disasters and equipment failures because it is not limited to one computer memory system of device.
Of course, like everything that comes with ease of use and benefits, the cloud does have its drawbacks. The biggest one is privacy. With data being stored on servers throughout the world, it is subject to attacks like data breaches and password hacks. Another drawback is power outages. While it is rare, issues can arise when things in on the Internet are inaccessible, so it is possible that on occasion, users won’t be able to get to the items in the cloud.
Still, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. In conclusion, the cloud is something that is growing daily to meet our needs in a connected world and overall, it is a fantastic tool to help us in our daily lives.
