#islandertech – Taking the mystery out of cloud computing – Islander News.com

We often hear the term cloud storage or cloud computing discussed, but what exactly is cloud computing or storage? How does it work? Is it safe, and is it the right solution for your needs? Here, we will answer those and other questions about this often mysterious subject.

Boiling it down to its simplest form, cloud computing is storage on somebody elses computer server. It is accessible mainly via a password-protected account, with a device connected to the internet. Some samples of this are Dropbox, Google Drive or iCloud.

In those services, an account is created usually using your email with password protection. You can store files there, such as pictures or documents, just like on a computer folder. The advantage is that your documents are safe and available from just about any device with an internet connection. You dont have to worry if your computer fails; just log into your account with another computer and access your files.

Another plus is the ability to increase your storage capacity, usually for a fee, or go down on storage space when desired. Its like having a flexible hard drive you can access from anywhere. This also makes synchronization between devices easy since you can access all your files from any internet-linked device.

Is cod computing safe? The short answer is yes because it is protected by your user ID and password. Of course, there is always risk so use a safe password and change it frequently.

Dropbox is well known to be safe, and you can get a free account for basic storage, or a paid, full-fledged business account. Google Drive is another expandable solution, but you need a gmail account to use it.

A iCloud account can only be created on an iOS device (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) running iOS 5 or higher, or on a Mac computer running OS X Lion or higher.

You can set up an account for the services mentioned above by simply creating an account up for them at their websites.

In my next column I will discuss antivirus protection for your computer devices. Who needs it and which one to get.

If you have any suggestions on tech topics youd like to see addressed, contact Leo Quintana at (305) 523-9203 or leo@leoquintana.com

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#islandertech - Taking the mystery out of cloud computing - Islander News.com