In the world of computing, it seems that most of the terminology you hear is designed to make life harder. The nerdy folks that come up with these terms don’t consider that it will be normal people having to understand them. To help you get a grip, this post will go through some of the common terms that are used in the cloud computing sphere.
- Cloud
In the past, a cloud was used to represent an invisible part of a network. Usually, this would be anything outside of your own network. Of course, as time changes, though, so do words. Nowadays, cloud refers mainly to storage that is held by another company, far away from the computers that you use everyday. On a cloud, you can access data from anywhere, as if it were on your computer.
- Bandwidth/Network Speed
Bandwidth and speed are often confused. The bandwidth of a network is the amount of data that it can transfer at any given time. Bandwidth is usually dictated by the hardware on a network, as they’re the slowest parts. Network speed is almost an add on to bandwidth. The speed of a network is usually dictated by software and is controlled by the supplier. This means that your network speed can be high, but you won’t see the benefits if your bandwidth is low.
- Disaster Recovery
In certain circumstances, data is lost or damaged as the result of what would be considered a disaster. Whether it’s a natural or unnatural disaster, companies like Infrascale can help you with cloud disaster recovery. When it comes to recovering from a disaster, it’s always easier if you’ve prepared beforehand. So, it’s worth making sure how your company is at risk, and what you need to do to protect it.
- Uptime/Downtime
Whenever your network is running and moving data, this is uptime. When a network is down and not operating, this is downtime. It’s very important to a business to maintain uptime, and limit their downtime. If companies don’t have access to data; it can make it very hard to carry out their work. When it comes to preventing downtime, it’s usually best to use professional companies to store data for you. They are less vulnerable to attacks and have the infrastructure in place to account for service outages. Always go for companies that offer compensation for downtime, as these are the most confident in their own systems.
- Host
A host is a person or organization that holds data for you. For example, a website host will run the servers that your website is on. Host may also refer to someone who is holding a network session. This type of host is common when it comes to VOIP calls and video conferencing.
Hopefully, this will give you a good idea of what you need to understand to start using some of the services you see online. Don’t be put off by complex words and terms; you can always look them up to find a clearer meaning.
