On this episode of SMACtalk Live we talk Cloud Computing, focusing on how the concept of cloud computing has really changed over the last 4 years for good and bad thanks to pop culture. So many of use apps and tools throughout our day that leverage the cloud but probably don’t even realize it. At the same time the misconceptions and myths that surround the cloud still cause many people to look up at the sky when talking about where the cloud lives.
Show Notes:
We talk about cloud storage apps like Box, Dropbox and Google Drive while also discussing the impact of software like iCloud, Microsoft 365 and Facebook pictures has on cloud becoming a popular term with pop culture.
This conversation focused on cloud computing at the middle ground, not high level in the sky but also we tried to avoid the deep dive discussions that we usually have in on #CloudTalk, our weekly twitter hangout, Thursdays at Noon ET.
We discuss the consumer impact of cloud SaaS solutions like Nimble, Google Docs and other tools and how they’ve changed the way startups are leveraging technology and how these trends are influencing enterprise decisions. Although startups have had some influence on the enterprise adoption of cloud computing, we focus the discussion on accessibility, bring your own device adoption and shadow IT, as the key drivers for many companies having no choice but to at least embrace a plan to leverage the cloud.
Startups today are able to sign up with a credit card on AWS (Amazon Web Services) and can be up and running for eCommerce without having to buy any physical hardware or worry about UPS power or where you will store the servers. We also talk how security has impacted the rumors and myths surrounding the cloud while trying to breakdown what a cloud solution is, what you should think about when looking into the cloud and also remind the listeners that cloud is more than one service or tool and the key is understanding its risks vs rewards and making the best decision for your business.
After breaking down what cloud is, how cloud is being used by pop culture and the risk vs rewards of cloud we focused the discussion on debunking these 4 myths that Daniel wrote about recently.
We Debunk These 4 Myths on the Show:
Myth 1. Putting something in the cloud means anyone on the Internet can have an access to it. There’s a huge difference between storing something in the cloud and publishing it on the Internet.
Myth 2. Storing something, like photos for example, online is not the same thing as storing it in the cloud.
Myth 3. Leading cloud services are the best choices.
Myth 4. The storage and security provided by your cloud vendor is the maximum you can have, right?
Love it or hate it, but don’t ignore it: we’re talking about the cloud. While the business world has known about the technology for quite some time now, it has become familiar in pop culture only recently, and in a somewhat controversial manner. Following the mass notoriety of the iCloud hack last year, cloud technology is stuck in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, perhaps because the iCloud hack was not the only time cloud technology has been blamed for a breach of security. In the world of enterprise, social media, and digital business, the cloud has had its moments of gaffe – from minor hitches like Google going down for a brief period, or Facebook falling flat, to more nefarious acts of data violation like the data theft of nearly 40 million credit and debit card details from nationwide stores of the retail giant, Target. The cloud has definitely had some growing pains. (Read “The Rise of Cloud in Pop Culture” full post here!)
We will talk more about cloud in future episodes as it is truly impacting the future of work and allowing us to discover and create New Ways to Work. As always thanks for joining us and we couldn’t be doing this without the support of our amazing community. If you found this episode valuable we would love for you to leave a review on itunes and don’t forget to use the hashtag #SMACtalk to engage and share feedback as we want to learn from you and include your input in what we discuss in future episodes of SMACtalk Live.