BENEFITS OF CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud computing offers your business many benefits. It allows you to set up what is essentially a virtual office to give you the flexibility of connecting to your business anywhere, any time. With the growing number of web-enabled devices used in today's business environment, access to your data is even easier. There are many benefits to moving your business to the cloud:

Cloud Computing was built for growth. 
Let’s say you need 10 times the number of computer systems you currently have, what do you do? Cloud computing is one of the best ways to accommodate such growth. By simply providing the required systems over a virtual network, instead of a physical platform, companies can provide the software and tools to an unlimited number of employees, as they need them.

Need more features? 
Just add them on! Another reason cloud computing has gained momentum is because it is minimalizing additional costs by making computers, including servers and desktop machines, become simple features. The only thing a company needs to do to add on new features is login and add them. It’s as simple as that!

Cloud Computing facilitates new ideas.
Due to the immense flexibility and customization that the cloud offers, new ideas and systems can be born. This is especially beneficial when a company has a unique system or company structure to support. Along these same lines, the cloud offers automatic software integration which will make customization even easier.

Want more control over your company’s systems? 
The cloud can offer this, too. With all of your employees data on file and easily accessible, key players can access files and other important data from one central location. This ability has many benefits, including security when an employee goes a-wall.

Why buy when you can rent? 
One of the greatest benefits of cloud computing technology is that companies don’t need to pay for expensive hardware and software. Instead, they can pay only for what they need and will use. This pay as you use platform has attracted many organizations to adopt cloud computing technology.

Want enough storage to last you a life time?
The cloud can deliver! If there is one thing you can get with the cloud it’s a lot of storage. And again, you only pay for what you use. When you’re talking about large scale use, wasted storage space can be a huge expense and the cloud can offer a better way of near endless storage.

Backup and recovery 
While you can store your data on physical machines, the cloud offers another secure method for backup. Additionally, most cloud service providers can also provide you with adequate data recovery to make the entire process much simpler.

BENEFITS OF CLOUD COMPUTING

Reduced IT costs
Moving to cloud computing may reduce the cost of managing and maintaining your IT systems. Rather than purchasing expensive systems and equipment for your business, you can reduce your costs by using the resources of your cloud computing service provider. You may be able to reduce your operating costs because:

• the cost of system upgrades, new hardware and software may be included in your contract
• you no longer need to pay wages for expert staff
• your energy consumption costs may be reduced
• there are fewer time delays.

Scalability
Your business can scale up or scale down your operation and storage needs quickly to suit your situation, allowing flexibility as your needs change. Rather than purchasing and installing expensive upgrades yourself, your cloud computer service provider can handle this for you. Using the cloud frees up your time so you can get on with running your business.

Business continuity
Protecting your data and systems is an important part of business continuity planning. Whether you experience a natural disaster, power failure or other crisis, having your data stored in the cloud ensures it is backed up and protected in a secure and safe location. Being able to access your data again quickly allows you to conduct business as usual, minimising any downtime and loss of productivity.

Collaboration efficiency
Collaboration in a cloud environment gives your business the ability to communicate and share more easily outside of the traditional methods. If you are working on a project across different locations, you could use cloud computing to give employees, contractors and third parties access to the same files. You could also choose a cloud computing model that makes it easy for you to share your records with your advisers (e.g. a quick and secure way to share accounting records with your accountant or financial adviser).

Flexibility of work practices
Cloud computing allows employees to be more flexible in their work practices. For example, you have the ability to access data from home, on holiday, or via the commute to and from work (providing you have an internet connection). If you need access to your data while you are off-site, you can connect to your virtual office, quickly and easily.

Access to automatic updates
Access to automatic updates for your IT requirements may be included in your service fee. Depending on your cloud computing service provider, your system will regularly be updated with the latest technology. This could include up-to-date versions of software, as well as upgrades to servers and computer processing power.

How to make the most of your iCloud subscription

How to Use iCloud

iCloud lets you move all those little details of everyday digital life into one convenient location, making it accessible on all your Mac or PC computers, and iOS devices. This article will show you how to make the most of your iCloud subscription.

Part 1: Setting Up iCloud on your Mac
1. Get the latest OS available for your Mac. iCloud requires at least OS X v 10.7.4. If you need to upgrade, log into the Mac App Store and download it.

2. Turn on iCloud. From the Apple menu, choose "System Preferences," then click on iCloud.
Enter your Apple ID and password, then in the control panel check off the apps you want to use with iCloud.

3. Enable Photo Stream. With iCloud, your photos are instantly available across all your iCloud-enabled devices using Photo Stream.

• In iPhoto and Aperture, click on Photo Stream in the left hand column, and then click "Turn On Photo Stream"

4. Enable automatic downloads from iTunes. With this enabled, any apps, music, and books you purchase on one device will be available on all applicable devices simultaneously.

• Purchase an app on your iPad, and if it's a universal app, it will load on your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch simultaneously. Macintosh apps are not shared on iOS devices.
• Purchase an album or book on iTunes, and it will be available on all devices simultaneously.

Part 2: Setting Up iCloud on your PC
1. Set up your other devices. Before downloading and installing iCloud for your PC, Apple recommends your other iCloud-enabled devices be set up first.

2. Install the iCloud Control Panel. It is available at http://www.icloud.com/icloudcontrolpanel. iCloud requires Windows Vista SP2 or Windows 7 as a minimum OS.

3. Turn on iCloud. Launch iCloud Control Panel from the Windows Start menu. Enter your Apple ID and password, then check off the iCloud services you want to enable.

• Mail, Contacts, Calendars, & Tasks can be used with either iCloud.com or with Outlook 2007 and later.

4. Enable automatic downloads from iTunes. Select iTunes Preferences, and in the Store tab, enable automatic downloads. With this enabled, any apps, music, and books you purchase on one device will be available on all iCloud-enabled devices simultaneously.

Part 3: Setting Up iCloud On Your iOS Devices
1. Install the latest iOS software. iCloud requires iOS 5 at a minimum, and for all current features to function, recommends iOS 6.

2. Turn on iCloud. New or newly updated iOS devices will prompt you to set up iCloud. Enter your Apple ID and password, then select "Use iCloud" in the Set Up screen.

3. Customize iCloud. Access the iCloud control panel by tapping Settings, then tapping iCloud in the Settings control panel.

• Tap the On/Off switches for each service you want to enable through iCloud.
• In the Photo Stream control panel, use the On/Off buttons to use Photo Stream which shares new photos with all your iCloud-enabled devices, and/or Shared Photo Streams which allows you to instantly share photos with other people, or subscribe to photo streams shared by your friends.
• In the Documents & Data control panel, use the On/Off buttons to permit apps to store data in iCloud, and to enable the use of cellular networks to transfer documents to iCloud when not connected to a wireless network.
• Use Storage & Backup to manage your iCloud storage whether the free 5GB storage, or through one of their paid storage plans and enabling iCloud backup on your device.

Part 4: Using iCloud Services
1. Set up your email. iCloud comes with a free iCloud.com email address that instantly updates across all iCloud-enabled devices, and includes web mail at iCloud.com.

2. Open Settings on your iOS device. Tap the Settings icon, then from the Settings control panel, tap the "Mail, Contacts, Calendars" button to review your settings.

3. Add an iCloud account. In the Accounts section at the top of the Mail, Contacts, Calendars control panel, tap Add Account…

4. Select iCloud. There are a number of services you can subscribe to, so that you can get your mail from any of your email addresses. To set up a new iCloud email address, tap the iCloud button at the top of the list.

• Note: to retrieve mail from an existing account, tap that service, then enter you name, email address, password, and a description of the account, then click "Next." After the account has been verified, you can enable various components including mail, contacts, calendars, and more. Click "Save," and you're done.

5. Create a new iCloud account. At the bottom of the iCloud control panel, tap "Get a Free Apple ID." Use the scroll at the bottom to enter your birthday, then tap the Next button at the top right of the screen.

• Enter your first and last name in the Name screen, then tap "Next."
• In the Create Apple ID screen, tap "Get a free iCloud email address" to enable it, then tap "Next."

6. Create your email address. Enter a username. It will use @icloud.com. You will be prompted to confirm this address. It cannot be changed once it's created. Click "Create" to create your new Apple ID/email address.

7. Access your email. Navigate to http://www.icloud.com, and click on the Mail icon. Your account will reflect any changes you made on any of your other iCloud-enabled devices. Whether you have added or delete accounts, created new folders, or read your email on another device, your actions will be reflected on icloud.com

8. Share your contacts. Enable Contacts in the iCloud control panel by setting the On/Off toggle switch to On. Any contacts you add through iCloud-enabled devices will automatically be pushed to all iCloud-enabled devices.

9. Set up your Contacts preferences. In the Mail, Contacts, Calendars control panel you can make the following settings:

• Sort Order: sorts your contacts by their first or last names.
• Display Order: sorts your contacts by first or last names. Use in conjunction with Sort Order so that your contacts are sorted by last name and then first name, so that Zilla Adams will always sort before Aaron Zyzki, and Brian James will sort before Jesse James.
• My Info: Set which contact in your address book is you.
• Default Account: Determines which account to use for your contacts.

10. Share your calendars. Enable Calendars in the iCloud control panel by setting the On/Off toggle switch to On. Any appointments or changes you make through iCloud-enabled devices will automatically be pushed to all iCloud-enabled devices.

11. Set up your Calendar preferences. In the Mail, Contacts, Calendars control panel you can make the following settings:

• New Invitation Alerts: toggle notification of new appointment invitations on or off.
• Time Zone Support: Enabling Time Zone Support means that events set in a time zone other than yours will show as being at the time in the time zone for that calendar. For example, if you have a calendar for your Paris division, and you live in Chicago, events will show in Paris time. When Time Zone Support is toggled off, all events will show in Chicago time (or the time zone of your current location).
• Sync: lets you sync events from 2 weeks back up to all events. The further back you sync, the more memory you will use for things past.
• Default Alert Times: lets you create a preset reminder alert for Birthdays, Events, and All-Day Events. When you create a new event in one of those categories, a reminder alert will be set based on the time of the new event.
• Default Calendar: when you create a new calendar event, it will automatically be assigned this calendar category. Set this for the category you use most.
• Shared Calendar Alerts: this is an on/off toggle. When on, you will be notified when events on shared calendars are created, modified, or deleted.

12. Use Notes and Reminders. As with other iCloud services, Notes and Reminders are automatically in sync on all your iCloud-enabled devices.

13. Use bookmarks. If you're browsing the web on your iPad on your morning commute, and bookmark a site, that site will be waiting in your bookmarks that evening when you sit down in front of your computer. It will actually be available immediately so if you see something you think your significant other might like, bookmark it, send them a quick email, and they can hop on the computer and see it instantly!

• On iOS devices, open tabs will be shared automatically. If you're browsing Facebook on your phone, that tab will be available on your iPad at the same time.

14. Access iWork documents. With iCloud, you can store and access Numbers, Pages, and Keynote documents automatically.

15. Find your iPhone. Or iPad. Or iPod Touch. Or laptop. With iCloud, all your devices are quickly located, and displayed on a map. If only finding your car keys was so easy!