The cloud is the name for online storage and services. It is a little bit like having a computer of your own that you can access via the Internet. Usually, cloud computing involves memory and bandwidth (for uploading and downloading), but it also includes services too. These are tools that you may use online. It is a little like having a computer you can access online and use software on too. Here are a few ways that cloud computing may enhance your productivity.Share your documents more easily
You are able to put them on what is technically a remote server. This means that you may (in many cases) grant access to certain files via certain passwords. For example, if you have files that you want to share with a client then give that client a password and a username and he or she may access the files at will. You may also update and add to the files, at which point your client will receive the updates the second they are loaded.Share your files more efficiently
This is especially true of larger files. The larger ones are harder to share via email because the download and upload speeds are bad, and the connection is often unreliable. This will mean that you or the recipient may have to make repeated attempts to upload or download respectively (which is inefficient). With cloud computing you will find that this is not a problem.Share your files between a larger numbers of people
You do not just have to share files with a client. You may grant access to a whole team of people in the same way that you would grant access to a single person. You may even make it so that the other people can add notes to the files or give their opinions. It is even possible to set up projects where all parties may add to and remove from the files on the cloud.
Create access and permissions for your files
You may have access to every file on you cloud server, but that does not mean that you have to grant all access to all files to all people. You may create accounts and then grant permissions to each account so that only certain people may see certain files.Synchronize your files between devices
You do not need to carry a flash drive around with you, as you may synchronize your files via the cloud. For example, if you save things on the cloud then you may access them from any Internet ready desktop computer or mobile device (if you have the appropriate apps or connection portal).Use cloud services/tools and save directly on your cloud
When you use the tools/services available on the cloud, you need not save them locally. You may save them on the cloud directly. This means there is less downloading, it is quicker, and the data, media or file is then available for anyone you have granted cloud access to.Back up your files on the cloud
You may have important files and documents that you want to back up. You may do this with the cloud, by simply copying your files onto a secure cloud server. You may also synchronize your new files and new updates so that you do not need to keep doing mass updates when you want to backup your files.Back up your entire hard drive on the cloud
It is possible to back up your entire local hard drive on the cloud. This also may be done in a way that synchronizes your most current hard drive updates with the data on the cloud. You may save things such as files, software and settings so that if you have to get rid of your computer or if it is damaged, you may replace the computer or format it and then restore it to how it used to be.A whole team may stay abreast of project developments
It is possible to set up whole projects and then host them on a cloud server. This is going to mean that your entire staff may see the project. This is good for organizing teams, disseminating project information and keeping other people up to date on how the project is coming along.A whole team may add to and update a project
It is possible to set up projects that not only you may access. It is possible to set up team projects on the cloud where other people may even add to the project and update it. You may use it to track their project status by asking them to post daily updates on their projects, or even to post daily updates to the files and content you have loaded onto the cloud service.This post is written by Kate Funk. She is a professional blogger and writer at Speaken. She specializes in topics of interest to techno geeks and networking enthusiasts.