The Cloud – What it is…. What it does… Should I get it?

Cloud computing, by definition, refers to the on-demand delivery of IT resources and applications via the internet with a pay-as-you-go pricing model.  There are many reasons why businesses are investing in the cloud, some of the reasons are financially motivated, while others address technical concerns. 

With perpetual increased proficiency in cloud services (storage, file sharing, etc) I find it peculiar that, when it comes to backup recovery, some people and businesses alike are still hesitant to exploit one of the cloud’s greatest assets. Remember that ancient method of data backup and recovery, the one involving those rectangular pieces of plastic with that delicate magnetic strip? What were those things called again? Oh right, floppy disks. Do they even still make those? One of the longstanding debates when it comes to backup recovery is whether to use tape or disk backup; but the question I’m asking is, “Why use either?”

People often consider the only threat against their computers to be a virus. This is a common misconception that often leads to detrimental system damage. A virus, in fact, is a specific threat that falls into the broad category of malicious software, or malware. Malware is used to disrupt computer operations, gather privileged information, and gain unauthorized access by hackers and frauds. Here are a few items that you might not know, but should learn to differentiate when it comes to malware.