While most people have had some sort of experience with “the cloud”, many still don’t know what it is or how it works. They simply trust that it’s a place where they can store their music, photos, and work documents or a way to run software without it being physically installed on your computer. With the Internet becoming the most powerful tool in the world cloud computing is only going to get bigger and increasingly necessary. It’s time you learned a few things about the cloud that you may not have known before.
1. Not All Clouds Are The Same As Others
No, not all cloud set-ups are equal. In fact, some are worlds better than others. While they may seem the same, they aren’t. In fact, setting up a “cloud” isn’t that difficult at all. The cloud simply means storing something in a different physical location. What it does is free you up to worry about other things rather than setting up your own IT storage or hosting environment. Someone could essentially set up a “cloud service” right out of their basement with an Internet connection and a few servers, while others set up highly secure datacenters. In the end, the “cloud” can be many different things, but it’s important to make sure you know what you’re getting before procuring any cloud service.
2. Expertise Means Something
Not all cloud providers are “experts”. As we mentioned in the first point almost anyone with some knowledge of computers and an Internet connection can set up a cloud “service”, but it’s the experts that really make it worth your while. Many companies providing cloud services have a number of experts who not only build cloud infrastructure well, but know how to manage and scale it also. Expertise really means something in the field of cloud or managed cloud services.
3. Not All Clouds Are Managed
Simply paying for access to storage or computing power doesn’t mean you’re getting anything more. Some cloud providers only set you up with access, then you’re on your own. If you want to have your cloud managed they’ll jack up the price. Solid cloud providers will make sure you know what you’re getting before you sign on, and will offer options for management that don’t break the bank.
4. Security Is Better
While some may argue against this point, it’s becoming increasingly evident that cloud based platforms are more secure than local environments. This is mainly due to the expertise of many cloud providers. As we mentioned before almost anyone can set a cloud service, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best. Finding expert, datacenter driven cloud providers is the way to go.
5. The Cloud Is Not Something To Fear
It’s common that we fear change, and the cloud is a big change from how things have been done for a long, long time. However, this doesn’t mean you need to fear the cloud. It has tons of advantages including cost effectiveness, scalability, and reliability just to name a few. Overall, the cloud is a big plus in the technology world and can help businesses and individuals alike.