by: Cathy Zimmermann
What is the
cloud? Well, if you're reading this article, it means you use the Internet, so
you're already in the cloud. If you order from Amazon or update a
Facebook status, if you bid on eBay, do electronic banking, or enter payroll
online, you're already using cloud-based services.
Definitions
vary, but the idea behind cloud computing is a greater access to software,
computing power, and data storage, achieved at a lower cost by sharing
resources, "in the cloud." It's not a new idea. In the 1960's, ARPANET,
the very foundation of the Internet, was created to allow remote sharing of
University research computers. SaaS (Software as a Service) allows you to use,
via the Internet, software that is operated and maintained by the vendors on
their hardware, at their location.
Innovation
in computing happens so fast now that, by the time we finish paying for
computer hardware and software, it's often obsolete. With cloud computing, you
can use software without having to buy and install it. You can store data
without a server. You can keep track of business travel expenses in real time.
You can collaborate with others on a file that sits in one location, instead of
being e-mailed back and forth. You access all these services through an
internet browser, on a variety of devices.
Cloud
services are scalable. There's no need to continually upgrade computer systems
as your business grows from 3 employees to 10 to 500. In 13
Terrific Cloud Services for Small Business, PC Magazine lists tools
for communication, productivity, accounting, CRM (Customer Relationship
Management) and data backup. PCWorld offers tips for small businesses thinking of moving to
the cloud. Practical eCommerce has compiled a list of 15 Cloud Storage Sites.
Some
services are free; most are subscription-based. Some are free but offer
additional services by subscription. Google Apps are free for up to 10 user accounts
per organization and include Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Sites and Google
Docs. Google Apps for Business, for an unlimited number
of users at $5 a month each (or $50 a year,) offers more support and additional
Apps, like Google Video for Business. Microsoft's Skydrive
and Apple's iCloud are free. Dropbox
is free up to 2GB, $9.99/mo. for 50GB and $19.99/mo for 100GB.
How do you
keep your data safe in the cloud? Encryption. In "Protecting your data in the cloud," cyber
security expert Richard Stiennon is quoted as saying "ALL data should
be encrypted ALL the time in the cloud." Phil Lieberman, President and
CEO of Lieberman Software says, "Put simply, this
means implementing data encryption across any endpoint - desktops, laptops,
handheld devices and removable media - and implementing full disk encryption
where appropriate. This ensures that any and all data that flows to and from a
cloud resource is fully protected."
Newline, a Seattle startup founded by two former Microsoft
colleagues, promises 100% data privacy with their Exact backup
service, using OPTIC (Online Privacy Technology In the Cloud.) Data is
encrypted when it leaves your device and cannot be decrypted at the data center
(making it HIPAA compliant,) but OPTIC allows it to be searchable by you while
it is encrypted. Pricing is the same for home or business use, and
depends on the amount of data backed up and transferred, not the number of computers.
Amazon
S3 also bases pricing on the amount of data stored and transferred,
provides multiple encryption options and allows you to control access to your
files.
Interest in
cloud computing is growing exponentially. SYS-CON's first Cloud
Expo in 2007 drew 450 delegates; over 5,000 will attend the 9th
Cloud Expo in Santa Clara, November 2011. 7 Intriguing Cloud Services at Cloud Expo 2011
details some of the offerings at the April 2011 Cloud Expo in New York.
Whatever
service you choose, read all the fine print. Know what happens to your
data if, for example, you're late paying the bill. Some services will specify
that you are responsible for backing up your data. Backing up data in the cloud
protects it from being destroyed in an office fire or flood, but backup on disk
or tape protects your data from a cloud service going bankrupt.
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