Dropbox Cloud Storage
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As mobile technology continues to expand and evolve it seems that cloud computing will become even more necessary in the near future. Computer users today seek instant gratification and constant access to their web lives. In this way, it has become evident that cloud computing will be completely paramount in the not so distant future. While many welcome this evolution with open arms, there are many that are reluctant about the safety implications of cloud computing. Looking to Dropbox cloud storage to explore this issue, we can see both the reason for concern and the reason for embrace.
Dropbox cloud storage is one of the most successful and useful tools available online today and is in many ways the first step in cloud computing. True could computing implies that a computer consists of only a mouse, keyboard, screen, and internet connection. All information that would normally be held on a computer’s hard drive is kept within the internet. Cloud computing involves very little software or data on the actual computer. Everything is performed on through the web browser on a network of computers that are “in the cloud”. This macro level cloud computing is a relatively new concept. However, small-scale “micro” cloud computing has existed for several years.
Dropbox cloud storage is an example of micro cloud computing that illustrates well the challenges and advantages of this computing approach.
Dropbox Cloud Storage – The Pros
Cloud computing offers several advantages in the data based society that we live in today. Dropbox is one of the most popular online file saving services available. Users can store data in an online system and then access that data from any location with internet access. Dropbox allows users to store up to 2 gigs of any sort of data, such as documents or music files, for free in an online storage system. Through your Dropbox account, users can access these files from any device with internet. In this way, Dropbox is a micro look at cloud computing. While computers and outside software are still used to create the data, that data itself is stored and accessed through a web browser. So, Dropbox cloud storage is essentially an external hard drive that is accessible from your smartphone (or any other computer). Dropbox and similar services were one of the first steps toward full-scale cloud computing. Dropbox offers its users an extremely useful service and one that will become even more essential as cloud computing continues to grow.
Dropbox Cloud Storage – The Cons
The current controversy surrounding Dropbox cloud storage reflects the controversy surrounding cloud computing as a whole. Dropbox users recently discovered that the information they have stored within the Dropbox system is unencrypted to Dropbox employees. This means that, while the information is encrypted to the general web, it is at risk of being infiltrated by Dropbox employees. Encryption converts data that is on the internet into code that is unreadable to malicious users. So, with Dropbox files unencrypted on Dropbox’s end that means that users’ files could potentially be at risk. Cloud computing at any scale evokes security and privacy concerns. If all data is stored within “the cloud,” how easily can it be tampered with? This concern is legitimate to a degree. For Dropbox users, there is little real need for worry. If the data that you are storing is not incriminating (i.e. illegally downloaded music or movies) then you have little to worry about. In the larger view, cloud computing is young. Stronger security and privacy techniques will arise. The question really isn’t “how will cloud computing work,” but rather “when will cloud computing take over.”
