We have often heard terms like cloud computing and the Internet of Things without quite understanding them until and unless you have a solid computer software background. Yet, these terms are changing our daily lives. Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. In layman’s terms, in cloud computing, the word “cloud” is used as a metaphor for “the Internet,” so the phrase cloud computing means a type of internet-based computing, where different services —including servers, storage, and applications — are delivered to an organisation’s computers and devices through the Internet. In short, cloud computing is the miracle through which you can upload the media on your device on Google drive and access it from anywhere in the world at any point in time until and unless you don’t forget the password to your Google account. All your photos and videos are saved in a virtual world called the cloud!
Some of you might wonder how this feat was possible to the human race. The answer to the question is the Internet of Things. The Internet of Things is simply a network of internet-connected objects able to collect and exchange data. It is commonly abbreviated as IoT. To put it in a simple way, you have “things” that sense and collect data and send it to the internet. This data can be accessible by other “things” too. Examples of objects that can fall into the scope of the Internet of Things include connected security systems, thermostats, cars, electronic appliances, and lights in household and commercial environments, alarm clocks, speaker systems, vending machines, and more.
The IoT is a milestone that has and will change the lives of millions as it progresses. Recently, a discussion regarding cloud computing and internet of things was organised by Northeastern University in which President Joseph E. Aoun in his conversation with tech sector giants said,
“It’s going to transform the world. When it comes to security, lest you entrepreneurs in the audience feel like there isn’t any opportunity in the security world, we’ve just started to scratch the surface of the challenges we’re going to see in the next five years.”
Shraddha Patil
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