Cloud
What is Cloud?
Someone else's computers, rented. Your files and apps live on their servers and reach you over the internet.
Why Cloud Matters
The cloud is great for access-from-anywhere and automatic redundancy — but 'in the cloud' doesn't automatically mean backed up. Ask us what's actually protected.
Related Topics
Related Terms
Backup (the 3-2-1 rule)
A copy of your files stored somewhere else, so a dead computer doesn't mean dead data. The 3-2-1 rule: keep 3 copies of your data, on 2 different types of media, with 1 copy stored off-site — so a single fire, flood, or ransomware attack can't destroy everything.
BackupMicrosoft 365
Microsoft's subscription bundle of cloud productivity apps: Outlook email, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and more — available online in a browser and installed on your desktop. You pay per user per month or year and always have the latest version.
Microsoft 365VPN (Virtual Private Network)
An encrypted tunnel that lets you connect to a network as if you were physically plugged into it — safely from anywhere, even on public Wi-Fi. Your traffic is encrypted between your device and the VPN server, so nobody on the same network can snoop on it.
SecurityOneDrive vs. SharePoint
OneDrive is your personal file storage in Microsoft 365 — files you sync from your own computer and control access to. SharePoint is for company-wide files and team sites that multiple people collaborate on, with shared permissions and version history.
Microsoft 365