Using cloud computing and cloud-based systems is now widely seen as the standard for both individual users and businesses. The benefits that this tech has delivered are vast, and the changes that the cloud has brought to every aspect of our lives cannot be underestimated.
We take a look below at some of the most seismic shifts that the cloud has been responsible for over recent years – and take a glimpse at what the future could hold, too.
Everything is Accessible
When files are stored on the cloud, they can be accessed from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection. This means that everything from the information you might need for your job to your favorite playlist is mobile and can come with you, whether that’s to work from home or to play some music on the beach.
This inherent accessibility has the potential to make everyday life easier and run much more smoothly, allowing us to work remotely and be better connected with friends, family, and the things that are important to us.
This has, of course, many upsides but, for some, this constant connection and access to…everything is problematic. It can be hard to ever fully switch off from your job when you can check your emails, join an important conference call, or make a quick few edits to a document at any time and any place.
Business Communication
Cloud-based communication systems – particularly those also incorporating VoIP (voice-over-internet protocol) – have turned the way that businesses make calls and connect with their clients and partners on its head. This tech has negated the need for companies to buy in swathes of expensive equipment to get their basic comms up and running: a VoIP connection can usually be ready to use in minutes and is much cheaper than standard communications processes, meaning that even the smallest of enterprises or start-up businesses have access to this game-changing system.
Have a look here to learn more about the benefits of cloud-based comms, and for an example of a provider offering this service, you’ll find details here of the features that typically come with this option, as well as the price of the package. As these types of systems use the cloud, they are inherently scalable and therefore able to grow and develop with the companies they serve.
Providing Entertainment
Another of the ways that cloud computing has changed our world regards our access to – and how we consume – entertainment. Cloud-based streaming services mean that we now have a world of film, tv, music, and gaming opportunities at our fingertips. With the cloud doing away with the limitation of storage space on our devices, the world really is our oyster when it comes to what we want to watch, listen to, or play.
The cloud is largely responsible for our entertainment on demand, and that’s deliverable wherever we are in the world, culture. Thank you, cloud.
Accessing Healthcare Services
The ability of doctors’ clinics and healthcare teams to offer virtual appointments is largely a result of the cloud, as is the move away from a paper-based system of managing patients’ records. Using the cloud to store and access patients’ health information has proved vital in hospitals and clinics, enabling them to develop a slicker, more join-up approach to health care, which also eradicates the risk of human error.
In the future, the cloud is expected to be at the forefront of advanced medical tech, such as that which will allow a surgeon to operate remotely using robotics.
As a Backup
In the not-so-distant past, a computer crash, device theft, virus, or another such disaster could have meant the permanent loss of your files and important documents. This may well have had devastating consequences, either on a personal or a professional level. For businesses, the ramifications of losing data, large-scale, could be catastrophic (source).
Now, with the infinite storage possibilities provided by cloud-based computing systems, these eventualities need not result in the loss of files and information, as the cloud is the perfect place to back up and store all your data, so it’s safe should the worst happen.
The Internet of Things
And finally, let’s take a look at an example of how the cloud will continue to shape the future! The Internet of Things (IoT) relates to how many of the devices or appliances we now use have an onboard computer that can connect them directly to the internet, says ZDNet. An example of this is the tech embedded in the cars that many of us now own; the system allows the car’s computer to connect to the internet so that a mechanic can access it remotely to determine the fault.
The Internet of Things is in its early stages; in the near future, it’s likely that innovations will mean that, for example, your fridge, when sensing an issue, could connect to an engineer and schedule a visit before it even breaks down.
Looking a little further ahead, it’s likely that the Internet of Things will result in systems in which computers interface directly with each other – leaving us with more time to enjoy all that on-demand entertainment.
Last Updated: March 15, 2022
