So You’re Thinking About The Cloud, Eh?

Posted by Jim Van on December 23, 2011 under data security, entrepreneur, eOffice, Internet, mobility, Online, portability, security, Web | Be the First to Comment

Boy, there’s been so much hype about The Cloud in 2011, you’d think you were surrounded by meteorologists on meth some days. I recently counted 27 emails in a single day pitching a variety of service and products ranging from security, storage and servers to marketing tools and portable devices. It seems like everyone is in The Cloud, and it’s the newest thing, and is going to change our lives forever. Or is it yet ANOTHER bubble.

Fact is, Cloud Computing is nothing new. In the mid 1950′s, author Herb Grosch created Grosch’s Law, which predicted a world connected to a dozen or so large data centers using dumb terminals. In practice, some companies have been using such devices as cash registers and the like to connect to their own private data centers ( chains like K-mart, for example) via leased phone lines, The airlines, led by American’s Sabre reservation network were also early adopters of what we now call Cloud technology. But it wasn’t until the wide availability of broadband Internet access that cloud computing became an option for consumers and small business. With the explosion of smartphones, tablets and other portable Internet-ready devices, The Cloud has received more hype than ever.

The Cloud Defined

Cloud Computing, as defined by Wikipedia (itself a prime example of the topic) is the delivery of computing as a service rather than as a product, Information, software, and other resources are provided on a shared basis among multiple computers and Internet-capable devices through a Virtual Private Network link to a central data center, where the software and data are kept. Many iPhone/iPad and Android apps are Cloud apps, where most of the information, and computer activity, actually take place on a remote data center, the results of which are sent to the device. The Moviefone app is a good example.

There are many compelling reasons why small businesses should adopt cloud computing, but there are caveats as well. We’ll cover both in our next post. In the meantime, to read up on The Cloud, there’s a great article at Wikipedia. Search for ‘Cloud Computing.