I have to be honest, I hate the use of the buzz word “cloud”, but the true idea behind cloud technology is fascinating. You will see “cloud sync” or “works in the cloud” and even “cloud computing” in just about any tech publication today. They are using the buzz word instead of actually telling you the great features of the technology, and I just wanted to show you a semi-technical, no-fluff version of what cloud means.
What is “The Cloud”?
A remarkably fancy word for the internet and how you use data today. Sparing you any boring tech details, the idea behind cloud technologies is that you can stay connected with more data at any time on any platform. Where your computer applications typically stored data on your machine, you are now storing it in the cloud, or across the internet. This data, tied to your login to a service can then be served across a multitude of computers, devices and platforms, such as your PC at work, smart phone and iPad at home. But there is so much more that you may not know a simple cloud can do.
Backup your data
If you own an iPhone, you may have come across Apple’s cloud platform. They store a backup of your entire phone on the cloud. This is the same technique that you would use by plugging your phone into the computer and syncing through iTunes, except this is wirelessly and usually when you are asleep. Why is that good though? Lose your phone or get a new one, you can restore from the cloud and all the apps, songs, text messages, and email are automatically put on your device without ever plugging into the computer. Thats only scratching the surface of this technology though, with applications taking use of the Software as a service model, cloud technology has been taken to a whole new level.
Software
Do you use a service that utilizes the cloud? Evernote, Wunderlist, Dropbox, Chrome. Each use some form of syncing that allows for a seamless interaction between device and platform. With Google’s Chrome web browser, they sync bookmarks, history, open tabs, and username/password combinations for websites. So when you move from your computer to your phone you can continue where you left off. With Evernote, you can create notes and collaborate on notes with other users, syncing in the cloud so everyone has the most recent version of the document. More than that though, Adobe uses the Creative Cloud to be a dashboard, or hub for their software to allow you to download the Creative Suite where you are.
What does it mean for you?
As a consumer it gives you the option to have your data follow you from place to place, accessible where you are on your time. As a business offering a service, you now have the ability to give your customer better control over their data, more access on different platforms and a new way of selling your service. Cloud technology is more than a buzz word, it is a means of connecting people to data and data to devices.
