Cloud Computing

To successfully complete Cloud Computing

READ this blog post.
DO and THINK about the information in the "Learn More About" activities.
LEARN by completing the Hands-On Activities..

Your total time commitment is about 45 minutes.

Introduction to Cloud Computing.
Do you shop or bank online? Do you post to a social media site like Facebook? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you're using cloud computing. These are all services hosted on cloud computing platforms. Introduced in the 1960s, the cloud is a metaphor for the Internet. You'll see it graphically represented as a white cumulonimbus cloud.

How's cloud computing different? Your data and applications are stored on a remote host that can be accessed at any time - from any location - using the Internet and a web browser. You are no longer limited to the storage capacity and applications on your hard drive or your home / office network. Not since the emergence of the World Wide Web has a single technology caused such a significant shift in how businesses operate. At the simplest level, cloud computing changes the way that you interact with your data and applications.

Learning More about Cloud Computing

1. Watch Cloud Computing in Plain English (2:50 minutes)
2. Read Cloud Computing at the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (10 minutes)
3. Read 8 Things You didn't know you Could do with Google Drive at Mashable. (10 minutes)

Hands-on Activities (5 - 10 minutes)

1. Set-up a Google Drive Account at https://www.google.com/drive/index.html. With your free Google Drive account, you'll have 15 GB of Google storage and can back up and access your files from any phone, tablet, or computer. NOTE: If you do not have a Google Account, you'll be asked to make one. To use Google Drive, you do not need to install it on your computer. If you have a Google account, select the "Not now, maybe later" link to go directly to Google Drive.
2. Create a document in Google Drive. Select "Create" then "Document" from the menu options. You are basically using MS Word in the cloud. NOTE: Older versions of Internet Explorer are not supported by Google Drive. Try using Google Chrome instead.
3. Share it with a couple of co-workers. (Click on "Share" on the top right. Enter some co-workers' email addresses under "Invite people.") Ask them to edit your document and explore real-time editing.

Get credit!

After you have completed the activities in this post, please fill out this form (created on Google Drive!).