Behind the Clouds

It is no secret that over the past several years moving data to “The Cloud” is an industry trend that is gaining a lot of publicity.  But what exactly is “The Cloud?” The answer isn’t as simple as you may think. The Cloud isn’t one set place or thing.

Simply put, “The Cloud” is a term used to describe the place where you move your data and servers so they are no longer in your office. Essentially, you are moving everything somewhere else to be accessed via the internet from your office.

Where is “The Cloud?” This, too, is not an easy answer, because “The Cloud” is almost everywhere. Essentially, you can host your data from a separate office and it can be considered in “The Cloud.”  This is also known as a “Private Cloud.”  Your data is in “The Cloud” anytime it is not located in the same building or on the same network as your computer or anytime you have to use the internet to access it.

However, the more common definition is that “The Cloud” is any datacenter that hosts your information and manages the hardware for you, reducing your workload when it comes to IT management. There are many “Cloud” providers and almost every datacenter offers some form of cloud services, as do many IT providers.

“Should I move my services to “The Cloud?” This question is a very common one that gets asked often, and it truly depends on your unique situation. There are many advantages to moving to “The Cloud,” but also disadvantages in some cases. To truly know if you should move your data to “The Cloud,” you need to consult with your IT provider, who has the knowledge and expertise to break down the pros and cons of moving your data to “The Cloud” and be able to help you make that transition, should you choose to do so.

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