8.3.3 Cloud Storage

8.3.3 Cloud Storage "The cloud" is an increasingly common way to talk about resources on the Internet. The idea of cloud storage is similar to the idea of renting a storage unit when you have more things than your house can hold. Cloud storage is renting space on another company's computer. Because high speed Internet access has become so common in many places, the cloud has become a very popular storage option for both individuals and businesses. Cloud Storage Benefits Cloud storage offers several compelling benefits. One iselasticity, which means the storage resources can expand or contract based on your workload and business needs. If you find that you need to add storage, that is an easy shift. If you need less storage, you can make that change too, though you should check your contract for the agreed-upon details.Another benefit is that if you need more space, the cloud provider can give it to you right away. This is called scalability. Cloud resources, including storage, can scale up easily and accommodate a business or organization's growth.Beyond automatically saving your files, cloud storage keeps different versions of them, so you can go back to an earlier version if you change your mind about edits. For individual consumers, cloud storage costs are typically low, usually just a few dollars per month for tens of gigabytes of data.Cloud storage also makes collaboration easy. You can easily share a file with someone else. You can choose different ways to share, from letting the person only view the file to giving them full editing rights. Cloud Storage Providers Many companies offer cloud services through their own, and other companies', data centers. A data center is a dedicated location that holds thousands of servers. All the big tech companies have their own online storage. Apple provides iCloud, Google offers Drive, and Microsoft delivers OneDrive. Other companies like Dropbox and Box also compete in this space. The well-known providers focus on security, using encryption and advanced virus protection to keep threat actors away.Ransomware attacks can lock up files on your local computer, but strong firewalls protect files stored in the cloud from these threats. Cloud storage works closely with your operating system, so you can access your files just like they were in File Explorer or Finder. It appears as just another folder, but includes automatic backups and access to your files from any computer with an Internet connection. Simply open a browser and log in to your cloud storage. Remote access and redundancy make it easy to keep your important files safe and secure. Cloud Storage Drawbacks People don't often talk about how much it costs to use the cloud. It's great to have all the remote features and so much storage space, but cloud service providers charge a lot for this convenience. Some IT departments with limited budgets need to decide which files or resources should be in the cloud and which should stay on their own computers (often called "in-house"). The benefit of keeping things in-house is that it saves money.Cloud computing has some environmental downsides too. Data centers, which are the main part of cloud computing, use a lot of electricity to run servers and other equipment. This high energy use can lead to more carbon emissions, especially if the electricity comes from non-renewable sources. Data centers also need a lot of water to stay cool, which can be a problem in places where water is scarce or during droughts. Additionally, big data centers take up a lot of space, which can change how the land is used and disrupt local habitats. Building and running these centers can affect local ecosystems and wildlife.To reduce these environmental problems, many cloud service providers are using renewable energy sources, making their data centers more energy-efficient, and adopting eco-friendly practices. However, the overall impact of cloud computing on the environment is still a big concern.