Face Your Fears & Embrace the Cloud

Media & Technology

Ben Hocking is digital editor at YourLifeChoices, yourlifechoices.com.au.

Face Your Fears & Embrace the Cloud

Many of us without sound technological knowledge worry about storing our files and data on the internet, but the truth is we could be more at risk if we don’t.

Unless you are one of the few who regularly back up their files, you are only a computer malfunction away from losing most of your important files.

Storing your information on the cloud allows you to make sure all your important files avert a hardware or file failure.

What is the cloud?

Put simply, the cloud is a storage system that uses an online server, rather than a phone or computer hard drive. This means that your files are stored on a remote database, instead of being kept solely on your device. The biggest benefit of cloud storage is that photos, documents and other files won’t disappear if you lose your phone, or if your computer stops working.

Is it safe?

The level of security depends on which system you’re using, as different companies (Google, Apple, etc.) will have different ways of protecting the privacy of your files. Essentially, as long as your password is unique and secure (as is the case for all things tech-related), then cloud storage is safe. So, don’t be afraid to embrace it as a digital storage option. Certain products, such as Google Drive, allow users to set up mobile login verification, where the user receives a code via SMS, which is entered as an extra security tool, to help ensure the information is not accessed by an unauthorised user.

Another advantage

As well as making sure your files are safe from malfunction and misadventure, storing files in the cloud also comes with one other significant advantage: sharing files with loved ones quickly. If you store all images on Google Photos, for example, you can access these images instantly no matter where we are. You can also share the login details with other family members and friends so they can see all the latest pictures of the grandkids, without trawling through the mess of social media.