Let’s take a minute to discuss the disadvantages of cloud computing.
While there are certainly a plethora of reasons why the world is hyped up on cloud computing, we can’t deny the negative aspects of this technological trend.
The first of the major disadvantages of cloud computing is that it takes information away from the direct control of individuals and companies. When files, logs and emails are stored “in the cloud”– they really are out of your hands. However, if you use any kind of web-based email (i.e. Gmail, Hotmail, etc.) you’ve already relinquished that control to some degree…
A second item in the disadvantages of the cloud computing is that in most cases, it costs money! If you’re using a cloud hosting service like Quorum, lets say- you’ll be paying for all your computers, printers and networking hardware, as usual, with the additional expense of paying a service to store the information you once kept for free on a hard drive.
There’s another disadvantage that has also been considered an ADvantage (double edged sword!)– and that’s accessibility. This was originally the main driver for storing things in “the cloud”– full and easy access from any computer in the world with an internet connection. Sounds great right?
But what if your hosting provider goes down?
A few weeks ago, many sites hosted by GoDaddy, were down for an extended period of time and site managers (including yours truly) were powerless to do anything about it. Thankfully, they were able to get everything working shortly thereafter, but the experience highlighted a huge flaw in the supposed convenience of computing in the cloud.
To wrap up this exposition on the disadvantages of cloud computing, here’s one final point…
We don’t know what road this will take us down…
Once all the information we know and need is uploaded into the ether, we become very susceptible to losing it. If there was a long term power outage, or if we’re hit by a massive solar flare, what chance would we have of recovering the data stored in the cloud?
Maybe that sounds too far fetched to you (though many respectable scientists insist that it isn’t) and you’re happy with odds. Quite frankly I understand that– Why live in fear?!
But if you do choose to look beyond the disadvantages of cloud computing to the wonderful possibilities that abound, can I at least motivate you to do an occasional backup that you keep stored onsite? 
