Cloud Computing Explained
Cloud Computing Explained
If you take an interest at all in computer or technology related matters, then you’ve probably heard the phrase “cloud computing” used in a positive light. In fact, it is something it’s hard to stop hearing about these day, as everyone’s buzzing about it constantly. It’s often stated to be the future of computing, the version 2.0 of the digital world, and so on. But what exactly is it? For us novices, what does it mean?
What Is It?
This type of computing takes a completely different approach to computing than how we do it now. It means that computing is done on an online platform rather than on a piece of hardware or a device. It’s when you can store all your music, videos, games, documents, and other media in a “cloud” (usually a server or a company’s virtual storage area), rather than having to store it on your actual computer.
Computing in this way is considered a good option for a few reasons:
1. It means that you can access all your digital files anywhere that you have internet access.
2. It means that you don’t have to have one computer as your set device for your work, but rather your cloud can be accessed from other places.
3. Your personal costs are decreased, as you don’t have to spend a great deal of money on hardware, storage devices, and PCs for accessing your cloud.
4. Sharing of information and resources becomes much easier.
5. You can easily increase the amount of storage space you have available to you.
6. Computer maintenance and repair is no longer your problem.
These are just some of the pros of this method of computing as we know it today, and how it is projected for the future.
The Future of Computing
As mentioned above, cloud computing is often cited as the future of computing. Judging by trends, this seems to be true. People are getting on board with this kind of computing every day, and it’s hard to look at anything besides the obvious benefits of the system. All the reasons that make it a good option are appealing to people and making companies start to get on board with the whole thing.
If it is to really take off, though, there are a few kinks that will have to be worked out with it. Security, accessibility, and maintenance of such big operations are all major concerns of critics of the system. With time, if these problems are worked out, we could be seeing a huge increase in users and the system becoming the norm all over the world.
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Reliability Of Hard Drives vs Flash Drives
Various types of storage devices have been developed and are now widely sold in the market; two of the most popularly used include the hard drives and flash drives. But which is the best when it comes to reliability? Other people prefer using hard drives, but there are also those you have already turn to the more portable flash drives. Let’s have a closer look on the reliability offered by both the flash and hard drives to help you choose the one that will best satisfy your computer storage needs.
Let’s begin with the HDD. Compared to hard disk drives produced 25 years ago, the ones created today are far more reliable. However, they remain as the weakest component of the computer system. Even though HDDs these days are now capable of storing more data, their bigger storage capacity does not automatically translates to enhanced reliability. Good news is that, there are now plenty of ways to prevent the unexpected loss of precious data from your hard disk drive, this can be done by regularly backing up your computer. There are basically three factors that directly affect a hard drive’s reliability — vibration, overclocking and temperature.
Temperature plays a very big role in boosting the reliability of your hard disk drive. Knowing that, it is very important that you keep your computer well-ventilated and dust-free. You should also ensure that the computer fan is working properly to avoid heat from building up inside the CPU casing like you learned in phlebotomy training classes. Periodically dust off the insides of your CPU to encourage proper airflow. Vibration can also affect an HDD’s reliability. This is especially true in laptops. As much as possible, you should not subject your laptop from too much external vibration. This can add more stress on the hard drive’s protection system and might eventually cause it to crash. Those who like overclocking their processor, meanwhile, should know that they are generating more heat than ever inside their CPU enclosure when they do so. Therefore, proper ventilation must be maintained when you overclock your computer’s processor. Knowing that you have to make sure that computer fans and vents are always clear of dust.
Flash drives, on the other hand, are the preferred storage device of those who are always on the go. Instead of bringing the entire laptop, you can just save the file or document you need on the flash drive and just plug it on any available USB hub.
Flash drives are made to be rewritable and removable. They weigh less than an ounce so they are very light to carry. Last September, 256 GB flash drives have been introduced. Plans of 2 TB flash drives are currently on the works. This storage device is known to have longer shelf-life and can allow up to 100,000 write and erase cycles depending on the memory chip used. In terms of reliability, cases of faulty flash drives have been increasing as of late. Reasons for flash drive malfunction vary from misuse to poorly manufactured units. Moreover, flash drives can only sustain limited write and erase cycles compared to hard disk drives. They are also a common tool used to spread computer viruses, mainly because most flashdrives do not come with a write-protect mechanism.
In conclusion, both storage devices – the hard disk drives and flash drives – have their own strengths and weaknesses. In terms of reliability, they both have their high and low points. Whatever type of storage device you choose to use, it is critical that you pick one that will be able to fully satisfy your computer storage needs.
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