What is the Cloud?

When you hear the word “cloud,” you might think of misty mountains, beautiful rainbows, or puffy white views from your airplane window seat. Over the last decade or so, however, this term has come to describe one of the most important advances in computing. “The Cloud” is everywhere—even if you don’t realize it, it’s probably where you store your smart phone photos and how you log in to your email, among many other uses. Despite its ubiquity, many people don’t know what this mysterious computerized cloud is. At SCS Cloud, we’ve made it our mission to leverage cloud solutions to help businesses succeed. Of course, to truly make the cloud work for you, you first need to know what it actually does. Fortunately, our tech-savvy, high-quality, customer-oriented team is ready to help you understand and implement this technology. In the following blog, we define the cloud and explain how the SCS team utilizes it.

Clarifying The Cloud

It’s safe to say that the computerized cloud isn’t a hunk of fluffy water vapor, but what is it, then? The cloud is the name we give to remote storage banks you access via the Internet. Basically, when you save a file to “The Cloud,” it’s actually stored on a faraway hard drive, transported to an external server through the Internet. When you want to access this information again, you simply log on, type in your password, and retrieve it from that remote server. This saves you space, hassle, and time. For example, it means that your computer doesn’t have to bear the burden of storing hundreds of old emails, but you can still access all your archived messages just by typing in your username and password. On a broader scale, you can also run complex applications and save even larger data sets in this magical cloud.

In his PC Magazine article, “What Is Cloud Computing?,” Eric Griffith illuminates why we call this beautifully simple system “the cloud”: “[it] is just a metaphor for the Internet. It goes back to the days of flowcharts and presentations that would represent the gigantic server-farm infrastructure of the Internet as nothing but a puffy, white cumulus cloud, accepting connections and doling out information as it floats.”

The Cloud: A History

So, how did the cloud come to be? In the good old days, you’d store all of your data on hard drives or perhaps a LAN (Local Area Network), which was an interlinked system of servers for devices in a single space, like a home or office. However, in the digital age, we began accumulating vast stores of data and demanding instant access to all of our information, no matter where we were or what newfangled device we were on. In this climate, hard drive storage increasingly became overworked and outdated. When you can fit a computer in the palm of your hand, carrying around clunky hard drives to back up your data seems just plain silly. So computer scientists and business consultants devised a modern solution: the contemporary Cloud.

Although it’s entered public consciousness more recently, the concept behind cloud computing is actually decades old. In his Computer Weekly article, “A history of cloud computing,” Arif Mohamed explains: “the idea of an ‘intergalactic computer network’ was introduced in the sixties by J.C.R. Licklider… in 1969.” While this sounds like science fiction, it became our twenty-first century reality. After all, Licklider’s utopian “vision was for everyone on the globe to be interconnected and accessing programs and data from any site, from anywhere.” If this sounds familiar, it’s because it accurately describes much of today’s computing. Mohamed goes on to describe: “one of the first milestones in cloud computing…the arrival of Salesforce.com in 1999, which pioneered the concept of delivering enterprise applications via a simple website.”

From this business-oriented storage solution, the Cloud continued to grow in scope and size. Back in 2009, Mohamed foretold: “cloud computing will ultimately transform today’s computing landscape.” In 2016, we can confirm that he was absolutely correct.

The SCS Cloud

Cumulus, cirrus, nimbostratus—just as in nature, there are many ways to configure the digital cloud. At SCS Cloud, our experienced team can help you find the best arrangement for your business’s needs. We most often use NetSuite, an advanced suite of cloud software for businesses developed in the renowned Silicon Valley. This set of programs has become the number one product of its type in the world, and for good reason. Our cloud specialists also use Salesforce. This pioneering cloud enterprise platform remains one of the most influential in its field. No matter which software suites you currently use or programs you prefer, SCS Cloud can help you make the most of this advanced technology for your business.

Find Out More About The Cloud

Our experts can help you rocket your business’ statistics into the stratosphere with the power of cloud computing. Contact us today to learn more about our services or schedule a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!