The word ‘cloud’ has come to represent something other than the apparently fluffy formations that pass across the skies. In technological terms, it refers to something- and whatever it is, this version of the word has become quite frequently talked about.
In fact, it’s likely that you’re already familiar with the cloud in the latter sense. You send emails and edit documents using an online service; you store, back up and recover data over the internet; or you use software which you have access to on demand. If you do these things, you’re probably already doing things on the cloud.
What the cloud does is to enable you do certain things with your internet enabled device that you probably wouldn’t be able to do without a hard drive. Traditionally, the software we use on our computers is stored in the hard drive; with the cloud, these applications are accessible online- the cloud is actually a metaphor for the internet. So whether it’s hosting websites and blogs, creating new apps and services, or streaming audio and video, the cloud helps us out with a lot. Some well-known cloud services include Google Drive (which works with such cloud apps as Google Sheets, Google Docs and Google Slides), Apple iCloud and Amazon Cloud Drive. If you’re conversant with these services, then you’re in touch with the cloud.
Organizations are increasingly turning to the cloud to meet their database and networking needs. The ever increasing data requirements of the modern world has meant that greater storage capacity and connectivity speeds are needed- and these demands are met by cloud computing. Businesses with huge demands for data rely on cloud computing service providers to take care of their internet connectivity needs, because it’s more cost effective, and allows them to adjust such things as computing power, storage and bandwidth to fit with their running requirements. In essence, the cloud affords its users greater flexibility with planning for their IT resources, and ultimately enables them to be more productive.
There are other advantages for businesses that choose to work with cloud service providers. They don’t have to spend on building a data centre and acquiring the services of experts to take care of their data infrastructure- because it’s all handled by the service providers, who will have their data centers (data centers are facilities used by businesses to organize, process, store and disseminate large amounts of data). The time and monetary costs of maintaining such a centre is eliminated by resorting to service providers. There’s also the great gain of being connected to a worldwide network of data centers, which means access to fast and efficient computing hardware that is constantly being updated.
In Nigeria, as in other parts of the world, the cloud is increasingly being used. The cloud service provision space in these parts is however a thinly populated one. A standout cloud service provider in the country is MainOne, which offers high speed connectivity and data center services to major telecoms operators, ISPs, government agencies, large enterprises, and educational institutions in the West African region. They’re also meeting the internet and voice needs of small and medium scale businesses through their SME-IN-A-BOX enterprise solutions package. MainOne’s Data Centre, the MDX-i, makes the delivery of cloud service provision possible, and raises connectivity service levels for businesses that subscribe to its cloud product.
You can find out more about the many advantages of cloud services and what’s on offer from MainOne by visiting
www.mainone.net.
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This article was first published on 8th March 2017
ikenna-nwachukwu
Ikenna Nwachukwu holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He loves to look at the world through multiple lenses- economic, political, religious and philosophical- and to write about what he observes in a witty, yet reflective style.
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