The cloud is actually a tangible thing. It
is an off-site storage area for your data. You can connect to the storage securely
over the Internet and then access it anytime through the Internet. There are
many companies that offer cloud storage – Apple’s iCloud, Microsoft OneDrive,
Google Drive, Flickr, Evernote, Dropbox, etc. If you can create your own
server, you could create your own “cloud.”
The main benefit to utilizing the cloud for
information storage is that your data is not “stuck” on one device, but is
accessible from anywhere with an Internet connection. Gone are the days of
those frustrating moments, “My resume is on my desktop computer and I’m out of
town!”
Before the cloud, most people used FTP to
share large files and data across the Internet. Now, it’s as easy as sharing a
single link.
It’s possible that you have been using the
cloud without realizing it. With that, you are accessing files someone else has
put on a server. Some people use companies to sync or backup entire computer or
phone systems. The downside to cloud
storage is that it cannot be 100 percent secure. Data can be hacked and servers
can crash – people have had data lost or stolen. If you’re going to use cloud
storage, files should be backed up somewhere else.
Several companies offer online services or
software to encrypt your files, such as Pretty Good Privacy, BoxCrypter,
CloudFogger. There are also cloud companies that offer encryption as part of
its services. Encrypted files need a specific decryption tool with your
password to view the files.
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