Is cloud computing the future?

Cloud Computing. The term has gone from little known to wide spread and now everyone is talking about it. But most people don’t know what it is, even if they know the term. We are slowly shifting towards a cloud future moving away from localized machines and actually using all that computing power of servers and supercomputers to good use. Although you may not know it, you might actually be using cloud computing. Do you store documents in cloud services like Google Drive and Drop box? Do you use web apps ( online apps in your browser ) ? Do you use Evernote or Google Keep?  If the answer to any of those questions is yes, then you are using cloud computing without knowing it!

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing , at it’s most basic level, is the usage of another computer’s computing power, storage, peripherals or resources by another computer over the Internet. Cloud Computing has caught on only recently after high speed internet became more affordable.

What are the impacts of cloud computing?

Cloud computing  has a huge impact  in what we perceive of as computing. When we think of computing, we think of localized computers utilizing their own power. Cloud Computing is going to change that. With the power of cloud computing, one can perform the most daunting tasks on the weakest computers with the only requirement being a reasonably strong internet connection. Small companies will be able to focus on their industries, as they can now perform all the tasks they want at a fraction of the cost of buying powerful servers.

What are the major players in this field?

Amazon EC2 is the single largest cloud service provider with notable companies like Google and Drop Box in it’s portfolio. Cloud computing is one of Amazon’s most profitable services.

What are the hurdles of cloud computing?

Currently , the only major hurdle that cloud computing has to pass is that of internet connectivity. Although  high speed internet has become much more cheaper and affordable, it still comprises a small part of internet connected users. And without stable and fast connections, cloud computing is practically useless.

Advantages of cloud computing

It allows for the cheapest computers to take on the most demanding tasks. It saves cost by allowing companies to buy cloud power for a fraction of the cost compared to buying a real computer equivalent. It allows for universally accessible data which can be managed from anywhere through the internet.

Disadvantages of cloud computing: Cloud computing is still not ready  and doesn’t have the necessary encryption ( Current encryption isn’t sufficient) to store confidential data Cloud data companies may seize our data or use it for their own purposes. Data isn’t available if internet connection is disrupted. Also it is difficult to access data if there are any technical malfunctions. Cloud companies may also share private data with the United States Government.

Current state of cloud computing

Cloud computing has become popular and with many major companies shifting their applications to the cloud ( Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office ) , the future of cloud computing seems bright. If internet becomes even more widespread, and be established in every corner of the Earth, cloud computing may actually go mainstream.