In to the clouds, for your files

Are you using the cloud?  These days using internet storage for files is called cloud computing.  Basically, you use free or paid space on someone else's server to store files, photos, music or documents.  There are many reasons this type of storage may or may not be good for you.

Access from anywhere.  Files based on another server usually are accessible from any internet connection.  The most basic form of this is internet based email.  It lives on a server independent of a single computer or device.  This is one of my favorite since it does not limit my ability to check and respond to email.  I can use any computer, even my smartphone when I am on the go.

Accessible from multiple types of devices.  Files stored online are usually accessible from multiple type of devices.  You can access online calendars from your desktop and a smartphone or tablet PC.  Play music on your computer or ipod.  The device is your choice.

Go Mobile.  With the advances in mobile technology it is more important than ever to be able to access information from anywhere.  Google is doing a great job with their suite of online services that are all accessible with one login ID and they are all accessible from any internet connection.  They have a calendar, photo sharing, blogs and much, much more.  Their Android operating system makes all of it seamless.

Information is less likely to be lost in the event of a computer crash.  There are many online file storage services like, Carbonite, that allow you to back up your computers for a monthly fee. They can be set up automatically to perform periodic back-ups so that you never have to do it manually.

Files can be easily shared and edited by a group.  Dropbox and Box.net are just a few of the services that allow you to store files online and elect whether you share them.  Most of these services allow you to invite others to see and/or edit the files.  This is a great way for  a group to work on shared files and keep track of the newest version.

The downside of all this online accessibility is security.  You may want to limit the types of information that you store on the internet.  Would you want someone else to be able to look at your family photos?  Do the files you want to secure have sensitive financial or confidential information in the?  Depending on the type of information you are storing a good old fashioned external hard drive may be your best bet but for all the fun stuff, explore the cloud.