Cloudy With a Chance of Data?

THE CLOUD!

Beyond the fluffy white diaphanous objects floating across our skyline, ‘the cloud’ means something new.  Maybe you’ve heard words like “the cloud” or lately “iCloud” and wonder if this is something you need to embrace with giggly anticipation or with trepidation like the big needle shot that they say “won’t hurt” and is steals your breath away.

Here’s the basic primer: 

Cloud based services were once places to store data & files like a safe deposit box at a bank.  Cloud-based applications are much more than this.  Cloud computing takes away the need for your computer to install the software required to operate the application.  Simple example: In order to create a document in WORD, you must have Microsoft Word installed on your computer or your laptop.  Now with ‘cloud computing’, the cloud holds that software allowing the device you use to be much smaller, lighter, etc., because it doesn’t have to store it; it “lives” in the cloud.  [also known as “software as a service”.]

In the past, tasks such as word processing were not possible without the installation of software on a local computer.  New Cloud computing takes away the installation and upgrades hassles and needed for higher computing power from users and gives more control to the service providers on administration of the services.

Another analogy to explain cloud computing is to think of it as a public utility such as electricity, gas, or water. Centralized and standardized utilities freed us from the difficulties of generating electricity or pumping water. All of the development and maintenance tasks involved in bringing these commodities to us have been eliminated.  So far, cloud-folk are swearing with Cloud computing, the savings should translate to a reduced cost in software distribution.  Of course, time will tell if this is true.

The principle behind the cloud is that any computer connected to the Internet, can be connected to the Cloud, if you have assess.  iCloud, coming soon through Apple reports free connectivity.  Rumor is ‘free’ translates to mean user who own Late model Apple devices.

If you connect to the Cloud, you can store and access your personal files such as music, pictures, videos, documents and everything else you store.  If you’re like me and own several devices, I could connect to the cloud and retrieve all my latest emails, documents picture….everything from my computer or iPhone or iPad.  I wouldn’t have to worry about copying files and making sure I had the latest version of my proposal.  It would be there.  That’s in a perfect world.

We all know we don’t live in that world, so I think about the times I don’t have an Internet connection or when I visit my father who’s small miraculously and famously has  no 3G connection either unless you drive to the county hospital parking lot.  I also think about flying on planes and the “no Internet” rule.  What happens then?

Cloud computing sounds grand and exciting.  I’m still a little worried about those rainy days when you can’t find your umbrella.