Companies can save on licensing fees and at the same time eliminate overhead charges such as the cost of data storage, software updates, management etc.The cloud is in general available at much cheaper rates than traditional approaches and can significantly lower the overall IT expenses.

If you want to launch a large application, then you have 2 options – use a cloud computing platform or setup your own servers. The 2nd option should be avoided by startup company or a small business as it requires spending 1000s of dollars in purchasing servers, fast internet connection, power backup, firewall systems, etc. As you are billed only for the resources you use, cloud technology is more affordable than investing money in software/hardware. 

Certainly the smaller business will enjoy not having to deal with the daily technical issues and will prefer handing those to an established IT company, however you should keep in mind that all systems might face dysfunctions from time to time. Outage and downtime is possible even to the best cloud service providers, as the past has shown.

Cloud computing services can be accessed via f electronic devices that are able to have access to the internet. These devices include not only the traditional PCs, but also smartphones, tablets etc. With the cloud, the “Bring your own device” (BYOD) policy can be easily adopted, permitting employees to bring personally owned mobile devices to their workplace.

An end-user might decide not only which device to use, but also where to access the service from. There is no limitation of place and medium. We can access our applications and data anywhere in the world, making this method very attractive to people. Cloud computing is in that way especially appealing to international companies as it offers the flexibility for its employees to access company files wherever they are.

The cloud can accommodate and store much more data compared to a personal computer and in a way offers almost unlimited storage capacity. It eliminates worries about running out of storage space and at the same time It spares businesses the need to upgrade their computer hardware.

The cloud is in general more efficient than the typical IT infrastructure and It takes fewer resources to compute, thus saving energy. For example, when servers are not used, the infrastructure normally scales down, freeing up resources and consuming less power. At any moment, only the resources that are truly needed are consumed by the system.

Remote server security makes it harder, but not impossible, for hackers to reach your data. If there is a compromise of the server(s) where your data is stored, your personal information may be exposed to the world. There’s also a good chance that more than just your information may be affected—we're talking possibly millions of other users.

Businesses, no matter what their type or size, exist to earn money while keeping capital and operational expenses to a minimum. With cloud computing, you can save substantial capital costs with zero in-house server storage and application requirements. The lack of on-premises infrastructure also removes their associated operational costs in the form of power, air conditioning and administration costs. You pay for what is used and disengage whenever you like - there is no invested IT capital to worry about. It’s a common misconception that only large businesses can afford to use the cloud, when in fact, cloud services are extremely affordable for smaller businesses. 

Have you ever been unable to access your email due to your provider being down? Now, imagine if you needed a document for an important business meeting or presentation and your storage provider’s site was down. Believe me it happens, and it happens at the most inconvenient times.

The cloud is in general more efficient than the typical IT infrastructure and It takes fewer resources to compute, thus saving energy. For example, when servers are not used, the infrastructure normally scales down, freeing up resources and consuming less power. At any moment, only the resources that are truly needed are consumed by the system.

Imagine your application is being used by 1000s of users per hour and all the servers that have cached the data are down by DDOS or DOS attack. What will you do in such situations? Year 2014 has been year of hackers. Some major incidents are as follows:

Snapchat DB was hacked and 10000’s of usernames and passwords were published online. 1000s of celebrity photo’s stored with Apple iCloud were leaked online, etc.

Cloud computing provides enhanced and simplified IT management and maintenance capabilities through central administration of resources, vendor managed infrastructure and SLA backed agreements. IT infrastructure updates and maintenance are eliminated, as all resources are maintained by the service provider. You enjoy a simple web-based user interface for accessing software, applications and services – without the need for installation - and an SLA ensures the timely and guaranteed delivery, management and maintenance of your IT services.

Public clouds offer services that are available wherever the end user might be located. This approach enables easy access to information and accommodates the needs of users in different time zones and geographic locations. As a side benefit, collaboration booms since it is now easier than ever to access, view and modify shared documents and files.

Moreover, service uptime is in most cases guaranteed, providing in that way continuous availability of resources. The various cloud vendors typically use multiple servers for maximum redundancy. In case of system failure, alternative instances are automatically spawned on other machines.

Crackers try to find a way to copy the latest game or computer program

Every day, millions of children spend time in Internet chat rooms talking to strangers. But what many of them don’t realize is that some of the surfers chatting with them may be sexual predators

A study has revealed that half a million people will automatically open an email they believe to be from their bank and happily send off all their security details

There is a particular danger in Internet commerce and emails. Many people believe they have been offered a special gift only to find out later they have been deceived

This software’s danger is hidden behind an attractive appearance. That’s why it is often wrapped in attractive packages promising photos of celebrities like Anna Kournikova or Jennifer Lopez

‘Nimba’ spreads by sending infected emails and is also able to infect websites, so when a user visits a compromised website, the browser can infect the computer

e) an undesirable program which can replicate (=copy) itself across a network 

b) collects and sends private information from the infected computer to a third party

1) a program which adds itself to an executable file, and can cause considerable damage to the data on the infected computer

d) records characters that are typed into a computer

c) allows a hacker to access private information when s/he wishes