What exactly is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is an increasingly popular form of computing that relies on the storage and retrieval of data from the cloud. The “cloud” is simply a term used in place of the internet. Whenever you use an online service to back up your data, you are storing information in the cloud. Chances are good that you already do this, especially with photos and video. Many smartphones default to storing information to the online backup service of the manufacturer’s choice. iPhones, for example, will have much of their information stored in the iCloud, Apple’s online storage offering.

Once we move away from the simple definition of the term, things become a bit more interesting. Cloud computing has a number of directions and trends to pursue that could change the way we think about data storage and security.

Digital Transformation

Cloud computing is an actively growing field that promises to only increase in use. Information provided by Cisco shows that the number of cloud computing services available will only increase in 2018, as will their specific usage. That means that not only will there be more storage and computing options, but also that they’ll be utilized in new fields and serve new purposes. The report also asserts that software as a service (SAAS) options will account for as much as 60% of the workloads based in the cloud.

In addition to the growing number of cloud services that will be available in 2018, the available cloud data storage is also expected to increase exponentially. More data will be able to be stored securely in the cloud, in other words, which makes sense since the number of individuals and businesses making use of cloud services is also poised to grow quite a bit.

With the increased demand for cloud services comes higher expectations when it comes to internet quality and speed. No one wants to wait ages for a download to complete or for a piece of software to load, and that is likely to become an increasingly big issue as the dependence on cloud computing grows. This is one of the reasons why 5G, a faster and more stable mobile internet experience, is expected to begin deploying to the general public in 2018.

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