The ABCs Of Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is effectively becoming the way all computing is done. From individuals using Dropbox and Evernote to companies and enterprises using Amazon S3, Google Drive and more, cloud computing is reaching out and affecting the way everyone is computing. As cloud surges forward and mainframes slowly fade away, we must come to the realization that cloud is not just some fad that's going away any time soon. This article is going to look at cloud computing- what it is, what you need to look for in a cloud provider, why you need it and why you need to have a solid cloud backup plan.
What is cloud computing?
The basic idea behind cloud computing is to allow companies to buy what they need - a specific amount of storage, security, computing power and other IT functions from cloud computing providers and specialists. Many cloud providers have targeted individual users as well, making cloud computing available for everyone. Everything is stored on separate servers so that your data is protected and safe.
Why do I need cloud computing?
As an individual user, you may use cloud computing to safely store photos, quickly share files with friends, create documents and much more. Small businesses and enterprises use the cloud in a variety of ways. To cut costs, reduce staff hours, add security and more. Many companies are now utilizing the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) function to the workplace. This allows employees to use their own computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones to access company data and perform work. This can ensure that tasks are completed quicker and more efficiently because the user gets to use a device they are comfortable with. The same with Bring Your Own Service (BYOS). This allows employees to use their own cloud service or apps to perform company work and can be extremely more efficient as employees will work better and faster when allowed to use their preferred cloud services that they are more comfortable using.
What should I look for when choosing a cloud computing provider?
You need to examine the Terms of Service (TOS) of each cloud provider that you are considering as a potential cloud provider for your company. Any third-party that will have access to your data will need to be examined to ensure that you are not signing on to anything that could be detrimental to your data or to the company. Be sure that the cloud provider's ToS implicitly states that your data is completely owned by you and that you can do what you want with it. Some cloud providers have tried to create rules that lock users into their cloud service so that they cannot move their data to another cloud provider. You need to make sure this does not happen.
Security is another concern that should be examined. Does the cloud provider provide encryption during both transfer and storage? Do they also allow you to keep control over the encryption or do they hold the key? You need to find out who has access to your data in order to assess any possible threats to company data.
Security is another concern that should be examined. Does the cloud provider provide encryption during both transfer and storage? Do they also allow you to keep control over the encryption or do they hold the key? You need to find out who has access to your data in order to assess any possible threats to company data.
Why do I need cloud backup?
As mentioned above, cloud lock-in is a real issue. Even if your cloud provider doesn't attempt to lock you in, other problems can occur. Data loss can be extremely harmful to a company, especially one that deals with confidential or sensitive material. If you lose contracts or other important company documents, they can be hard to replace and it can be a time-consuming task.
Human error is the leading cause of data loss. If you or someone you have authorized to use the account accidentally deletes files, you must ensure that you have a copy of the file to restore it.
Whether you're an individual user, a small business owner or a large enterprise, you will benefit greatly from a solid cloud backup plan. CloudHQ provides this backup but it's so much more than just a backup. Other backup providers offer to back up your data once a day, once a week or even once a month. If you experience data loss during this time, you can still lose a lot of data. With cloudHQ, the replication is instantaneous and automatic so all you have to do is set it and forget it. CloudHQ runs in the background completely transparent to you. But every time you add a file, it is instantly copied and backed up. Every time you revise a file, the revision is instantly backed up. So if you experience data loss, your restore point will be form seconds ago- not hours, not days and definitely not weeks. Often, other backup providers want you to perform your backups manually. If you forget, tough luck. With cloudHQ, the replication is instant and transparent so you are not interrupted in your work. And if you accidentally get locked in to a certain cloud provider, cloudHQ ensures that you maintain control over your data so that you can yank your data away at any point in time and do what you wish with it.
Human error is the leading cause of data loss. If you or someone you have authorized to use the account accidentally deletes files, you must ensure that you have a copy of the file to restore it.
Whether you're an individual user, a small business owner or a large enterprise, you will benefit greatly from a solid cloud backup plan. CloudHQ provides this backup but it's so much more than just a backup. Other backup providers offer to back up your data once a day, once a week or even once a month. If you experience data loss during this time, you can still lose a lot of data. With cloudHQ, the replication is instantaneous and automatic so all you have to do is set it and forget it. CloudHQ runs in the background completely transparent to you. But every time you add a file, it is instantly copied and backed up. Every time you revise a file, the revision is instantly backed up. So if you experience data loss, your restore point will be form seconds ago- not hours, not days and definitely not weeks. Often, other backup providers want you to perform your backups manually. If you forget, tough luck. With cloudHQ, the replication is instant and transparent so you are not interrupted in your work. And if you accidentally get locked in to a certain cloud provider, cloudHQ ensures that you maintain control over your data so that you can yank your data away at any point in time and do what you wish with it.
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