Blog

What Exactly is the Cloud and is it safe

Posted: December 30, 2015
By: Janet A Johnson

One of the most ubiquitous IT terms to emerge in recent years is the CLOUD. But what exactly is it? Several software development companies have moved major products that were currently available as standalone hard copies to this abstract cloud. The concept is as vaporous as the mass from which it burrows its name. It represents the integration of several servers designed to fulfill various functions.

For example, when software companies maintain their product on the cloud, it basically means that several servers are tasked with storing, accessing and issuing data as needed. Your desktop computer, laptop, tablet and smartphone all have one thing in common – they initially store their information on physical devices. This could be the internal hard drive or an SD card in the case of some smartphones. Once this information is used online, for example, shared on Facebook, it is moved from this physical location to the cloud or in other words a network of several servers.

Convenience When you Need it

The cloud provides an incredible convenience for both personal use and businesses. A person may need to buy several hard drives to fulfill their storage needs. These devices can be vulnerable to data corruption and deprecation as the technology advances rendering them obsolete. This type of  storage offers users the ability to get the amount of space they need by purchasing data plans which can extend beyond a terabyte (1000GB of data). Thus the user is no longer left with the dilemma of worrying about losing that information because of a faulty hard drive, theft of the device or data corruption.

But is the Cloud Safe?

With numerous instances of hacked accounts one should be wary of what they place on the cloud. It is ideal for pictures that are perfectly suitable for public viewing, to do lists and other non-sensitive information. Regular users who are not backed by the experience of professional IT experts must be extremely vigilant when using shared cloud resources.

For larger organizations that require the efficiency of dedicated cloud accounts, additional security must be considered to ensure that the network is not easily compromised. No business should put vital information on a cloud based network that has not been secured by an IT expert. A specialist will be better equipped to manage and protect that data from malicious attacks.

The cloud is an incredibly useful piece of technology that has helped to reduce the overall cost that companies and individual users spend on storage devices and software. The concept is not as ambiguous as it may first appear. It is simply the means by which most online data is stored.  Project managers and project management teams should become aware of the pros and cons surrounding cloud technology in order to make good business and technology decisions.