Dummies Guide to Cloud Computing or Service

With the launch of various cloud based storage services from Google, Apple, Microsoft, DropBox and many others, probably most of the users are no longer ignorant of the term. However, not everyone understands it that well. Many even confuses it as some new technology which has something to do with real clouds. However, cloud has only been taken as an indicative term for simple understanding of the concept. Well, it is really not difficult to understand the term or know how a cloud based service actually work.

Cloud Computing or Service Explained for Dummies and Layman

Cloud computing or cloud service is the next in thing in the world of computers and internet. It will change the way we use computer and internet. To understand it in simple words – cloud computing or cloud service is nothing but to keep and access all the data, software, applications from a central server called as “cloud” and not from the local computer. Obviously, internet connectivity will be an integral part of cloud computing unlike today when we having an internet is still optional.

How Does Cloud Service Work to Backup, Store and Access Data from Anywhere, Any Device?

Today, even if you don’t have an internet connection, you can still use and work on your computer, laptop, notebook etc. You would still have access to all the software, applications and data existing on your local machine or computer. So, you can work on documents, play games, listen to music, watch movies, see pictures and many other such offline functions. But once you move to cloud computing or cloud service model, all of your data, applications and software move to central server which can be accessed and used via an internet connection. Your local computing device like PC, laptop etc will become mere a disk less hardware with just an piece of operating system software and nothing else. This will be just enough to make the device gets connected to internet and then it uses the computing power of the central server (cloud) to perform all the functions. Even when you add, edit, update the existing data and applications the same gets updated on the cloud server only with no local copy.

Real Life Examples to Understand Cloud-based Service or Storage concept

Various different types of cloud computing are SaaS (Software as a Service), Utility computing, cloud web services and cloud platform services.

Another real life example which can further help understanding the cloud computing concept is the electricity generation and distribution. We all uses electricity in our homes and offices to run various electrical and electronic gadgets. But do we actually generate and manage the electricity ourselves locally in our homes? Ofcourse, not.

Electricity is generated remotely some where in big power houses and then distributed to each household using big distribution infrastructure. We, the end user, only pay for the electricity we consume and we are not responsible for any tasks related to its generation and management. People who uses more electricity have to pay more and who uses less have to pay lesser.

Same way, cloud computing works. Computing and computing power takes the form of a service that exist remotely and you as an end user will be paying for as much as you use with no additional responsibility of its management.

These cloud computing or cloud service providers are companies housing big servers with large computing powers, excellent connectivity and best disaster management to manage such a large number of users /subscribers. Google and Facebook are such example who are making use of these server farms with world class infrastructure in place.

Access Same Data Any Time from Anywhere, Any Device – Mobile, Computer, Tablet

Best part of the cloud computing and which a layman can easily relate to is the fact that cloud service allows you to access your data, applications and software from anywhere, anytime and from any device. For example, you created a document sitting in your office from a PC, you can access the same document in the same state where you left while working in office from your home laptop or from any other mobile devices like iPad, Tablet from anywhere.

Hope, now you understand what actually a cloud computing or service is and how it works as an online storage to backup and store the data.

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