Online Filing

If you have been watching television at all for the past year, you may have heard a few of those computer commercials talking about "The Cloud." This "Cloud" is a type of online filing service that is being offered, and which will allow you to store your files, music, photos, videos, and other items on the internet. Before you begin thinking about getting this type of service though, be sure that you understand what it could entail, and how it works.

• How does it work? You will need an Internet connection such as broadband, as the software you use are completely web-based. This means that you no longer need to buy and often update expensive software as it is already available on the Internet. With cloud computing, you are using information servers on the Internet to store and manage your files. The Internet becomes an extension of your personal or office computer serving as an omnipotent hard disk, you can access your files anywhere as long as you have access to the Internet.
• Why use cloud filing? No need to buy or update software at high costs. Your files are available anywhere, at any time, 24 hours of each day. You can pay for services you use instead of having many unused resources on your computer. You have unlimited storage on the remote server. Your backups are done on the remote computer, which means no more file loss when your hard disk is accidentally damaged. You would normally not be permitted to connect your personal USB pen drive or laptop computer to the company's computer nor would they allow you to use their Internet connection. You can connect using their computers and access your data by accessing them from the cloud.
• Are there any negative experiences with cloud filing? Perhaps one of the most common questions that people have is whether or not their information is well protected. According to the various companies that provide these services, the information (both that you store, and that you use to log in with) are extremely well protected. However, keep in mind that these services will often require a contract, and if you are unable to fulfill that contract, or unable to pay the fees in a timely manner, you may not be able to access the files that you have stored on their system.
• Who Offers These Services? Some large businesses actively involved in cloud computing are Fujitsu, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, IBM, VMware, NetApp and Dell. There are also a few popular personal "Cloud" servers as well, some of which are organizations such as Facebook, Amazon, and Twitter.