CLOUD COMPUTING: Everything You Need to Know About Cloud Computing

More and more, technology is moving to the cloud. It’s not just a fad — the shift away from traditional software models to software as a service, or Saas, has steadily gained momentum over the last 10 years. Looking ahead, the next decade of cloud computing promises even more ways to collaborate from anywhere, using mobile devices. So what is cloud computing? Essentially, cloud computing is a kind of outsourcing of software, data storage, and processing. Users access applications and files by logging in from any device that has an internet connection. Information and programs are hosted by outside parties and reside on a global network of secure data centers instead of on the user’s hard drive. This frees up processing power, facilitates sharing and collaboration, and allows secure mobile access regardless of where the user is or what device is being used. Cloud computing is a more efficient way of delivering computing resources. With cloud computing, software and service environments are subscription-based — users pay a monthly fee instead of buying licenses. Software and platforms are managed by the providers and are updated continuously for maximum performance and security. Computing power is remote instead of centralized, so users can tap into extra capacity if business spikes. Multiple people can access a shared program or file and collaborate in real time from different locations.