What is the cloud?

The term ‘cloud’ comes up often, but it may sound a bit vague. Yet it is not very complicated. It stands for working and saving over the internet. The information is therefore not on the computer, but online. Think of files, but also of programs. An internet connection is required to access it. Various applications are possible in the cloud. The most commonly used is file storage. These can not only be saved on the computer or a USB stick, but also online. This is called storing in the cloud. In this article we focus further on online storage.

Several companies offer the option to store in the cloud. Such a company makes space available, possibly for a fee, in a so-called data center to store data. In order to work in the cloud, users of such a cloud service need an account with a password. The services often offer limited amount of free storage. If you store a lot of videos and photos, you should switch to paid space. To use the cloud, people also need an internet connection.

There are several advantages to storing in the cloud:

• In the event of a fire or burglary, the files are safe because they are stored outside the home.
• The files are accessible from any device with internet.
• Multiple devices can be synchronized with each other.
• Online storage can be used as an (automatic) backup option.

Below we will discuss the online backup and synchronization in more detail.

There are many valuable files on devices, such as the computer, smartphone and tablet. It is recommended that you create a backup to avoid losing these files. A backup is nothing more and nothing less than a copy of the information elsewhere. That place can be an external hard drive or USB stick, but it can also be online. With an online backup of files, you run no risk of loss, theft or damage to, for example, the external hard drive.

People can also sync the files stored in the cloud. Simply put, the latest version of a file is then available on multiple devices. A photo is then on the smartphone, but also on, for example, the computer. Very useful for people who have more than one digital device.

Some people are concerned that files are not safe in the cloud or that others will be able to access the data. In general this is not the case. It is of course wise to choose a strong password and to keep your login details safe.

The following points of the cloud can be experienced as disadvantageous:

• The free storage space is limited and more storage space can be rented for a fee.
• An internet connection is required to access, update and/or synchronize the files.
• Most cloud services work with a special folder on the computer. Everything in it is saved. That means anything you want to secure should be moved to that folder.
• Some services carry a risk of ransomware.

Read more about ransomware in combination with the cloud in the article ‘Dangers of the cloud’.

Several companies offer the option to store files online. The best-known cloud services are iCloud, OneDrive, Google and Dropbox. Which cloud service is best for you depends on your device(s) and preferences. It is of course possible to use multiple services (for different applications or devices). Read the article ‘Which cloud service should I use?’ to make an informed choice for one or more of the cloud services.