Chapter 1. Introducing Cloud-Based Computing and Collaborating
This chapter introduces you to cloud-based computing and covers the following topics:
What “the cloud” is and which cloud services and tools are discussed within this book
What the differences are between cloud file sharing and online collaboration tools and services
What equipment you need to begin using cloud-based computing tools and services
What you should know before you start working in the cloud
Anyone who uses computers has probably heard the terms “cloud computing,” “cloud-based file sharing,” and “online collaboration.” Perhaps you’ve even used your PC or Mac computer (or your Internet-connected smartphone or tablet) to take advantage of some of the cloud-based tools currently available to you.
After all, manufacturers certainly are making it convenient for their users to use cloud services. Microsoft has integrated the Microsoft OneDrive service into its Windows 10 operating system, Apple has incorporated functionality for the Apple iCloud service into its macOS and iOS operating systems, and Google has integrated Google Drive functionality into the Android operating system.
Each of these popular cloud-based services is designed to handle a wide range of functions, many of which are fully automated. Here are just a few examples of what you can do in the cloud:
Online file sharing
Syncing data, documents, photos, music, videos, and files between computers and mobile devices that are linked to the same account
Backing up and archiving important information
In addition to OneDrive, iCloud, and Google Drive, there are many cloud-based services designed specifically for business professionals and teams. Some of these services offer specialized functionality; others combine a collection of online-based tools and services that make it easy for people to collaborate and share information (data, documents, photos, files, and multimedia content), as well as store and easily access information online, regardless of what type of computer or mobile device is being used.
The goals of any cloud-based computing or online collaboration service are to improve organization, enhance productivity, increase employee or collaborator engagement, improve communication, save time, and help to ensure data security. In addition, these tools can decrease the carbon footprint of a company, group, or individual by replacing paper-based content with digital files and reducing the need for people to travel in order to work together.
Working in the Cloud: Using Web-Based Applications and Tools to Collaborate Online is all about using the latest cloud-based services and tools for file sharing, storing content online, and collaborating with other people. From this book, you will find out what you can do using cloud-based computing tools and services and acquire the knowledge you need to make intelligent decisions when it comes to choosing the most suitable tools and services for your work habits and budget.
Before I get into all the ways cloud-based tools can be used in the workplace and explain what’s possible when it comes to online-based collaboration, I’m going to introduce the core concepts associated with working within cloud-based environments.
What Is the Cloud?
In a nutshell, cloud computing refers to storing and accessing data, documents, files, photos, and other content online on remote servers rather than in local storage on your computer’s hard drive, storage that’s physically connected to your computer, or the internal storage within your smartphone or tablet. The remote and secure server is accessible to you via the Internet. So “the cloud” is just another way to refer to Internet-based or online storage. When you’re storing, accessing or syncing data online, running online-based applications from your computer or mobile device, or collaborating with other people via the Internet, you’re engaging in what we call cloud computing.
Individuals, teams, and companies in all types of industries have discovered many ways to use cloud-based computing. The main reason for the widespread use is that when content is securely stored in the cloud, it becomes accessible to authorized users anywhere, anytime, and from any computer or mobile device they’re using.
One of the drawbacks to working the cloud is that there are now many different cloud-based services available, and many people and companies wind up using several different services. This can result in some confusion: Whereas you once knew that all of your data was stored locally on the hard drive of your primary computer, now you might need to remember in which service your data is stored.
For example, you might store your photos within your personal iCloud Photo Library account but keep your Microsoft Word documents in your Microsoft OneDrive account. To add to the problem, you might store and sync your work-related files with a Dropbox account and upload your Adobe Photoshop files in your online-based Adobe Creative Cloud account. That’s four different accounts to keep track of!
The Mechanics of Cloud Storage
You might be wondering how information is stored in the cloud and when it gets stored there. When you use a cloud-based service, one of several things can happen:
You use software or a mobile app installed on the equipment you’re using to create, edit, or review data, a document, or a file. After you’ve created the content, you save locally and also sync it to the cloud via the cloud-based integration that’s built into the software or app you’re using. That content is then available to all of your other computers and mobile devices that are connected to the Internet and linked to the same cloud-based account.
You create content on your computer or mobile device that is stored in the cloud and then share it with specific other people who are invited to access that content via a cloud-based service (using their own accounts for that service). This is an example of cloud-based file sharing.
You use your computer or mobile device’s web browser to access an online service that offers web-based applications. These applications store your created or edited content online. You can access that content from any computer or mobile device, and you can also share the content with specific other people.
You use a cloud-based collaboration service to work with other people in real time. This can include sharing a computer screen (or a collaborative virtual workspace), simultaneously working with the same content files, and communicating via text messages, voice calls, or video calls. This is what’s referred to as real-time online collaboration.
Security Concerns in the Cloud
With so many individuals and companies continuously uploading and storing information in the cloud, security concerns with cloud-based tools are very real. According to research published in 2016 by Skyhigh Networks (www.skyhighnetworks.com/cloud-computing-trends-2016), “18.1 percent of all documents uploaded to cloud-based file sharing and collaboration services contain sensitive information. Of that, 4.4 percent is confidential data (e.g. financial records, business plans, source code, etc.), and 3.9 percent contains personally identifiable information (Social Security numbers, tax ID numbers, etc.). Another 2.3 percent contains payment information (e.g. credit card or debit card numbers), and 1.6 percent contains personal health information (e.g. medical record IDs, patient diagnoses, etc.).”
If you’ll be using cloud-based file sharing or online file storage to handle these types of important data, security should definitely be a concern that you should not take lightly. After all, you want to make sure the appropriate people have access only to data, documents, and files they should be privy to. You don’t want to accidently grant the wrong person access to confidential content that they shouldn’t see.
All of the services and tools discussed throughout this book have their own cutting-edge security measures in place, but there are some additional steps you can take to protect your privacy and data when working in the cloud.
It’s important to understand that even when using the latest online security tools, some hackers and tech-savvy, unscrupulous people can find ways to gain access to private content that’s stored in the cloud.
The following are some of the most common security-related concerns:
Insider threats: When “authorized” employees access and use information for unauthorized purposes or accidently access information to which they should not be privy.
Compromised accounts: When account usernames and passwords are stolen and used by unauthorized people to access content stored in the cloud.
Privileged user threats: When senior company employees use their privileged access or social engineering to obtain access to content that is beyond their role of responsibility within their organization. This access can be for the sake of personal curiosity or for more malicious purposes.
Data exfiltration: The unauthorized copying or transferring of data from the cloud (that is, stealing data), typically done by hackers and cybercriminals.
CAUTION
How to Deal with Security Threats
Chapter 4, “Understanding Cloud-Based Security Concerns,” covers more about the security issues related to cloud-based computing. However, throughout this book, services like Box, Cisco’s WebEx, Dropbox, Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft SharePoint, Salesforce, and Skype for Business, which are among the most trusted services being embraced by corporate IT departments around the world, are discussed.
Considerations When Selecting Services
In the early days of cloud computing, it was necessary to use different tools and services to handle specific tasks because there weren’t many tools that integrated multiple functions. These days, however, many of the cloud-based computing services offer a collection of tools, features, and functions that allow most or all of your cloud-based computing needs to be handled by one service. When you do have to use more than one service, some are designed to work seamlessly together to create a more cohesive user experience and virtual work environment.
With so many cloud-based services and tools to choose from, which are the best ones for your specific needs? There are literally hundreds of cloud-based file sharing and collaboration tools available. All these tools allow people to share content and exchange information, and they enable businesses to enhance productivity and communication while maintaining security and keeping IT-related costs down. How do you choose which service is best for you?
As you investigate services and tools and make your decision about which to use, you need to
Understand and keep tabs on where online your data, documents, files, and content are stored
Know how to find and access what you need, when you need it
Be able to share specific files, with specific other people, in a secure way
Easily collaborate and communicate with others in real time using cloud-based tools, use text messaging, voice calling, video calling, computer screen sharing, webinars, software demos, interactive training tools, and digital slide presentations as needed
Ensure you can access your content from any computer or mobile device you’ll be using, whether it’s a Windows PC, Mac, iOS mobile device, and/or an Android-based mobile device.
Cloud-based services and tools aren’t without their problems, though. Some problems hindering success with cloud-based services and tools include the following:
There are many cloud-based computing services and tools to choose from, many of which offer overlapping functionality but not necessarily the same functionality. Thus, you might need to use more than one cloud-based service to get all the features you need; in that case, you’ll have to switch between services as you work because they might not integrate with one another.
You need to keep track of which cloud-based services and platforms you’re using for specific tasks and then keep track of where your related data, documents, files, and content are stored.
Cloud-based computing technologies are changing and evolving very rapidly. As a result, users need to stay proficient using the latest functionality available in order to avoid errors related to storing, managing, or sharing content.
Not all of the cloud-based computing platforms are easy to use or designed to work seamlessly across all computer hardware and mobile device platforms.
Not all of the cloud-based computing options offer comprehensive solutions that are cost effective to implement.
Some cloud-based computing solutions require a significant change in your everyday work habits, whereas others integrate almost seamlessly into the software, mobile apps, tools, and resources you already use.
A learning curve is typically required for all users to become proficient with using the online-based tools adopted by a company or team.
Users have concerns about security issues related to storing important, classified, or sensitive information in the cloud.
Users worry that productivity could be seriously impeded if the cloud service goes offline—even if the outage lasts only a few minutes.
Throughout this book I discuss ways you can navigate around the pitfalls associated with cloud-based computing and help you choose the very best tools for your needs.
How to Use Cloud-Based Computing
Almost every week, cloud computing-related services are introducing new tools and features that enable you to use these technologies in more interesting ways. This book focuses on the three areas:
Using a cloud-based service to back up and sync your data, documents, files, photos, videos, and content between your computers and mobile devices
Sharing data, documents, files, photos, videos, and content that you store in the cloud with specific other people while keeping the rest of your information and content private
Using cloud-based tools to collaborate and communicate with other people in your company or on your team, potentially in real time
What You Need to Get Started
What you need to get started using cloud-based computing and the online collaboration tools that are available to you depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. At the very least, you’ll need the following things:
A PC or Mac computer and/or a smartphone or tablet
Internet access
An account with at least one cloud-based computing service
Specialized software or mobile apps for handling specific tasks that are compatible with the service(s) you opt to use
A basic understanding of how to use your chosen tools and how you want to collaborate with other people via the Internet
If the service you opt to use requires that you install specialized software on your computer, or you have to have a special mobile app on your smartphone or tablet, make sure you download the most current version of the software or mobile app. Cloud computing and online collaboration services continuously update their respective software and apps with new features, functions, and security enhancements, so it’s important that you use the most current version of the required software or mobile app.
However, if you’re using a web-based service that you access via a standard Internet web browser, make sure you’re using the latest version of your favorite web browser, and that it’s compatible with the selected service. For example, you might find that some video-calling or file-sharing tools work better with one specific web browser than with others.
Likewise, some services might be accessible from an iPhone or iPad but not from an Android smartphone or tablet. Each cloud service outlines the minimum hardware requirements and specific types of equipment that are required to use it. This is also covered in later chapters of this book.
Internet Access Is Always Needed
Without Internet access, you can work “locally” on your computer or mobile device, but the content you create or edit isn’t uploaded or synced to your online account—and you aren’t able to collaborate with other people in real time—until an Internet connection is reestablished. Once the computer, smartphone, or tablet you are working with re-connects to the Internet, your files automatically sync to the account and are available to your other computers, mobile devices, and collaborators.
Likewise, if you’re somewhere where an Internet connection is not available, you will not be able to access any data, documents, files, or content that is stored in the cloud until you’re able to acquire an Internet connection. So if you’re about to take a trip on an airplane that doesn’t offer in-flight Wi-Fi, before you leave you need to download the files and content you want to work with to the computer or mobile device you plan to use during the flight.
If you plan to collaborate with others, you’ll maximize productivity and avoid confusion and miscommunication if everyone on your team uses the same cloud-based tools. All content (files, documents, and so on) should be accessible from a common online-based location or service.
Make sure the people you’re working with become familiar with how to use the online collaboration tools you’ve selected to use. You might need to set up training sessions with your collaborators to make sure everyone knows how to access and use the tools at their disposal. By training everyone on the tools, you minimize the chance that someone will accidently delete or alter important data, files, or content.
You should also establish online etiquette and procedures in terms of how the communication and collaboration tools should be utilized. If team members do not follow pre-established collaboration guidelines, you might easily lose important information, have miscommunications become commonplace, and waste a lot of time with irrelevant messages, emails, and calls.
The focus of Chapter 3, “Becoming a More Efficient Collaborator,” focuses on helping you make sure all of your collaborators understand how and when to use the selected tools to accomplish tasks and achieve goals. Keep in mind that starting to work with a new cloud-based tool might require that people adopt new work styles and habits.
What You Should Know Before Getting Started
With cloud-based services and tools, you can accomplish a lot or work in new and innovative ways, especially when it comes to making your content easily accessible. To select appropriate tools, you need to assess your needs and existing work habits. After you start using the new tools, it’s essential that you use them in an appropriate manner. In other words, you have to make sure your content is securely stored and readily available only to the people who need access to it, without compromising security.
CAUTION
Backups Are Still Required
When you use a specific operating system, software package, or mobile app that offers integration with the cloud, your content (data, documents, files, photos, and so on) can automatically sync with your cloud account, which means the most current versions of your content are always accessible to you. However, if you delete or alter a file locally from your computer, for example, in many cases, the synced file that was stored in the cloud is also deleted or updated, often within seconds.
As a result, relying solely on the cloud account might not be a viable backup solution for your important content. Make sure you understand what content is stored online and how local changes affect the files stored in the cloud. You might need to consider using a dedicated backup solution in addition to the cloud services you use for specific tasks.
Starting with Chapter 2, “Determining Your Needs for Cloud-Based Solutions,” I explain more about the specific services and tools that are covered in this book. You’ll begin to develop a better understanding of the types of file syncing, backup, and collaboration tools available to you.