You’ve surely heard the term “cloud computing” by now. Even parents and grandparents know they can use their iPhone to backup their family photos in the cloud, although they may not know exactly what that means.
In basic terms, cloud computing is the act of storing and accessing your data and programs over the internet, as opposed to a stand-alone desktop computer’s hard drive. While the term “cloud computing” is fairly new, the concept is not. People have been using cloud computing since the 1960s, even prior to the internet as we know it today.
With Salesforce.com making its debut in 1999, they delivered the first enterprise application over a basic website. It wasn’t long before other companies would follow suit, and in 2002, Amazon Web Services was launched.
Why it’s called the cloud
Referring to this technology as “the cloud” is a genius marketing strategy that paints a picture in the user’s mind of an all-powerful network where data is accessible at all times, from all devices. It’s much like a puffy, white cloud that hovers overhead and follows you wherever you go.
Cloud computing is important because it allows people to collaborate in real time from opposite ends of the world. It’s also …
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