Pun Intended
Let’s talk clouds. No, not nimbus or cumulus, but “The Cloud”. “The Cloud” has joined the long list of abstract terms like “Big Data” and the “Internet of Things” used in the tech industry. In the last few years, “The Cloud” has raised many eyebrows, and graced media headlines:
“How secure is your data in ‘The Cloud’?”
“‘The Cloud’ changes the face of data.”
“Death of traditional enterprise storage.”
But what is “The Cloud”?
“The Cloud” refers to data storage. As opposed to traditional storage (where data, software, and documents are held locally on your computer’s hard drive), cloud storage uses the internet and data centers to store data and files.
We all use “The Cloud” every day, sometimes without knowing it. Google Drive, Netflix, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive are examples of services that use “The Cloud”. Pictures, documents, streaming media, and other kinds of data are stored online, and accessed by users through web browsers. Stored data resides on different servers across the nation (or the world).
The development of cloud storage allowed any computer and any person (who has the correct passwords) to view documents, making data more available to the general public. More and more companies and organizations are using cloud storage because of its efficiency and ease of access.
Why is it valuable?
Whether you’re a student with essays and photos to store, or a high-tech security organization with confidential documents, cloud storage offers benefits that traditional server storage does not. For you and me, the ability to store and share stuff online with something like Google Docs reduces the time needed to send them over mail. Or thumb drive… I feel old just thinking about external physical storage devices. Consumer services like Dropbox and Google Drive have simple user interfaces, which draws users from all levels of computer literacy.
Other companies make millions interfacing with larger corporations to set up more complex data infrastructures. For organizations and businesses, cloud storage provides several benefits, like reducing cost. Since everything is stored online, money doesn’t need to be spent on hardware. As a huge plus to small businesses or the average Joe that can’t change their software quickly, most cloud services update automatically, continuously refining and improving their ease of access and security.
Speaking of, let’s talk about security.
The new technology has not been adapted without concern from users. Many tech authorities have questioned the security of The Cloud. How can it be safe, if it’s simply out there on the internet, with only a password behind it?
As it turns out, according to John L. Miller, a Principal Engineer at Microsoft, the characteristics of cloud storage make it as safe as local servers — if not more so.
Cloud storage services typically hold several encrypted copies stored in different server locations, so ALL those hard drives need to fail at the same time for any data to be lost. Miller recalls that while working with exabyte-scale (equivalent to 1 billion GBs) data storage, he’s only seen data loss with a tiny fraction of data (around 10^-9 of data). Even then, Miller says that the data is recoverable.
The locations of the data servers are also secure and remote, so your data is less likely to be stolen or corrupted.
Using the safe sharing system that most services use, you don’t need to risk transferring data through email or any thumb drive. You can simply share a document with anyone you want, and only them.
How Companies Use The Cloud
Over 94% of companies use Cloud Computing in some degree. It's a cheaper, more effective option for data storage and communications. As security in the internet age continues to become a concern for consumers, companies must be transparent about their use of Cloud Storage.
With the powers of the cloud at nearly every level of business—from startups and local brick and mortar to global corporations—cloud computing is quickly replacing the alternative.
"The Cloud" is one of many recent tech revolutions. Data storage, the "Internet of Things," and "Big Data" are all on people's minds today, but who knows what innovation tomorrow will bring. As the tech world evolves, companies must endeavor to evolve with it.
Originally Published on medium.com.
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