What is “the cloud”? Most people think of it as a technological mystery, an untouchable place, a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere. No matter how you visualize “the cloud” in your mind, Great Plains Communications wants to share some information on not only what it is, but what you can do with “the cloud”.
For starters, your files are NOT literally being sent up into the sky. “The cloud” refers to a process called cloud computing, which is simply the method in which files are transported from a computer, smartphone or tablet to physical servers, via the Internet. An example would be your e-mail. Web-based e-mail (Gmail & Yahoo) uses a cloud computing program, making it possible for you to check it from any location.
Other than e-mail, cloud computing is a good way to backup your music, photos, and documents. Most companies will even have a backup to your backup, by storing files on more than one server in more than one center. Say goodbye to the hassle of figuring out different ways to get pictures off your phone, cloud computing also makes sharing files as easy as creating a folder and choosing which device you want it to go to or who you want to see it.
“The cloud” isn’t such a scary and mystical thing, but rather a tool to make sorting, storing, and understanding today’s technology a little easier. A couple recommendations would be dropbox.com, a user-friendly site that is what it says, a drag and drop server there to help save and transport your files from different devices. There is also Google Drive, which is a good option if you already have a Gmail account. The Internet provides you with a multitude of options right to your devices, which gives you the opportunity to pick the one that best fits your needs. If you have questions on your Wi-Fi or Internet service, call our Customer Response Center at 1-855-853-1483 and one of our representatives would be happy to help you.