What Is a Cloud Network and How Does It Work?
What is a cloud network and how does it work? Is the internet a cloud? How does cloud storage work? If you’re looking for answers to these questions, you’re not alone. Although the cloud can seem like some nebulous term you vaguely grasp, it’s actually much simpler than you think. In this blog, we’re going to explain the basics of cloud networks and how cloud services for business can help you.
A Brief History of the Cloud
Whether you’ve noticed it or not, you’ve likely used cloud services before in your personal or professional life. Cloud networks have become integral to how we operate online and, accordingly, how we do business. But before we get into how its current day uses can help to make your company more secure and successful, let’s quickly go over its history.
Cloud computing to most people probably sounds like a very recent development. Hugely popular phrases, like “in the cloud” or “cloud-based” have become commonplace overnight. The truth is the concept of the cloud has existed at least since the 1960s, even before the internet as we know it.
During the 1950s, computing was an incredibly costly and time-consuming effort requiring the use of enormous machines. It was also difficult for smaller businesses to gain access to computers. By the mid-60s, Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET)—the predecessor to the current day internet—was created as a series of interconnected computers, setting the foundation for what the cloud would eventually become.
Research in virtualization, operating systems, storage, and networking advanced quickly over the next few decades. New innovations allowed these technologies to reach a level of maturity by the 1990s and were epitomized by the launch of The World Wide Web. It wasn’t until 2002 and the launch of the first cloud service—Amazon Web Services (AWS)—that the modern day cloud’s inception was realized.
What Is a Cloud Network and How Does It Work?
A cloud is simply a connected network of computers or servers that users can access via the internet. That connection between your device and the servers is known as cloud connectivity, which can be established through the internet or by network architecture. It works by allowing you to remotely access the computing power of those servers from your device.
For example, if you wanted to remotely access an app, like Microsoft Word, the cloud would allow you to use it by going online and connecting to a server. You can then use this app without installing it locally on your device. This also helps save on the amount of computing power your device needs because the server is doing the work.
Cloud storage works in a very similar way. With cloud storage, you are essentially sending the files you want to save to a data server instead of saving it locally on your hard drive. This is often more beneficial as the cloud environments are regularly maintained and backed up by the cloud provider.
Not all clouds are accessible to everyone, however. Some are strictly for use by members of certain organizations, government agencies, schools, or public institutions. The most well-known publicly available solutions include platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.
Some of the most common cloud network services used by businesses include:
- Project management and collaboration
- Data storage and backup
- Content sharing
- Document creation, editing, and sharing
- Reporting and analytics
- Testing and development
- Disaster recovery
Does Your Business Need Cloud Network Services?
You don’t have to take advantage of every technological trend or innovation to be successful. But when you want your business to be more efficient and agile, you need the right tech to accomplish your goals. Cloud networks can help your team achieve those goals, giving you the edge you need against your competitors.
Net3 IT can assist with all your IT needs, no matter how simple or complex. Whether you want to migrate to the cloud or need implementation solutions, we have the experience to help strengthen your IT infrastructure.
Contact us for a consultation today!
