The Cloud is not a cloud

It may be one of the most unfortunate names ever given to a form of technology. The Cloud. On one hand, it seems wonderfully ethereal. On the other, how can you trust all your data and applications to something so flimsy and unstable as a cloud? So here’s the thing:

The Cloud is not a “Cloud”.

It is a network of highly secure data centers that provide a level of cyber security that few small to mid-sized businesses could afford on their own. The cloud got its name back in the 60s when software engineers would draw diagrams of the components on which they were working, then enclose them with a hand drawn bumpy circle that came to be known as the “cloud.” The name stuck.

It is unfortunate because one of the most important advances in cyber availability, security and mobility is all too often looked upon as something as flimsy as…a cloud! Today let’s look at some myths that surround the cloud and hopefully by dispelling them, you may decide to take a closer look the next time your IT service provider asks you to..

1: My data can’t really be safe if it’s out there floating around in a cloud. That must be what they call “cyber-space.” No. Your data isn’t floating around. It’s in one of those incredibly secure facilities mentioned above. And cyber-space isn’t a real thing. It’s just a euphemism used when someone can’t figure out what they did with their email.

2: If we move to the cloud, we won’t have control over our technology. Actually, you will still have total control. The data center is just a storage facility and you control what goes on. You will also find that your headaches and time spent maintaining and upgrading hardware and software will be significantly reduced. Plus, you will no longer have to spend larger and larger sums of money on email and document storage.

3: It’s all or nothing. I if start with the cloud, I have to move everything. Not so. Many IT service providers will suggest that implementations actually start in hybrid fashion, moving just one application, like email. Then many companies decide to move their productivity software to the cloud. In fact, every company’s migration can be different.

More next week