Do you remember those days when file sharing meant the use
of floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, USB drives and hard disks? I remember how I struggled
during my college days when I had to share a single file with many while
working on a project. There was a constant threat of virus attack and data
corruption. In many instances, I have found myself using external hard disks
even today while sharing personal files with family and
friends. For more information on such portable devices, refer to Removable Backup Media.
But at work, you cannot use such devices to share data. When you need to share data with people working
across the globe, you think of emails instantly. If your work involves sharing
documents of huge file size regularly, then it is a nightmare for the receiver.
The inbox will run out of space to accept new mails. 
Cloud computing certainly helps in overcoming all such limitations. Internet connections now allow sharing of files across multiple devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, and help you collaborate with people quickly and easily through cloud. Cloud computing means accessing another computer over the internet even without knowing the physical address of that computer. You just say that computer is in the cloud. This means that you can be located in any part of the world and can continue working on your documents anytime, anywhere, and on any device if you choose to use the cloud. After you have worked on a document, your colleague located in a different location can collaborate with you in developing or reviewing the same document by connecting to the cloud. Does this mean less risk of data corruption? Yes, you are right! Google docs is one of the cloud-based applications that allow you to collaborate, develop and share documents.
The term “cloud” in cloud computing arose from several years of representation of internet as a cloud. The boundary of internet is as fuzzy as the boundary of a real cloud in the sky. Hence, computing over the internet was termed as “Cloud Computing”. Few experts suggest that it was J.C.R Licklider who first gave the idea of “intergalactic computer network” in 1969. He envisioned people across the globe to be interconnected and accessing data and services anywhere, anytime. Other experts mention the computer scientist John McCarthy as the one to propose the idea of computation being delivered as a public utility.
Were you able to recollect how you have been connecting to cloud without realizing it all these days? Let me know what devices or applications you used to connect to the cloud. Leave your comments and feedback.
If you are hungry for more interesting stuff on cloud computing, read my blogs on "Why is Everyone Raving About Cloud Computing?", "How Cloud Computing Works?", "Cloud Computing Deployment Models", and "Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Computing".
References
- Hassan, F. Q. (2011, January/February). Demystifying Cloud Computing. 16-21. http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/702523/10181434/1294788395300/201101-Hassan.pdf?token=XJ9wRHc6loIZQ2X1Dv0oLTJ7hR0%3D
- Viswanathan, B. (2014, September). What is the cloud? Can it be explained in terms that a non-technical person can understand?. Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-cloud-Can-it-be-explained-in-terms-that-a-non-technical-person-can-understand
