The Cloud For Non Technical People in About 90 Seconds (Audio)

The Cloud For Non Technical People – Episode 1

First in our series of micro-podcasts explaining cloud computing and the cloud for non technical people.

What is the cloud?  Its the question we get asked more than any other.  If you’re a non-technical person and you just want to understand cloud computing a bit more, here are the highlights.

• “The cloud” is just what we call clusters and networks of computer servers – outside your direct control – that perform computing and data storage tasks for us.
• These tasks have been traditionally performed right on your desktop (using your Mac or PC).  Sometimes these tasks were handled by a server parked in a closet somewhere in your office.
• Today most people are already using cloud computing services.  These cloud services are provided by companies like Apple, Google and Microsoft.
• Nobody knows why we call it “the cloud”, but its probably because for most people it seems like a shapeless, impossible to touch idea. You know its there, but you’re not exactly sure what’s going on with it.
• In the end, the cloud is really just other people’s computers.  Lots and lots of them, all work together to process your email, or back up your family photos, or provide you with music or video entertaining (among other things).
• If you wanted to touch the cloud, you could!   In a Google datacenter, for example, you’d find the cloud in the form of rows upon rows of servers, all networked together working 24×7 on different specific tasks and functions.  Very touchable indeed!

In future installments we’ll look at how you’re probably already using the cloud without ever really knowing it!

By the way, this post was started as a micro-podcast on Anchor, which we think is a pretty cool emerging platform. You might want to check it out.