Cloud Computing Accessibility to Digital Content

Question: Discuss the concept of cloud computing? Answer: The concept of cloud computing may be related far back in 1950s and it has been successfully used in generating accessibility to digital content. This approach may be used in a manner which can generate access to agriculture, banking, health as well as educational services particularly by using mobile phones. A benefit of such mobile cloud services is that it may reduce recurring cost of informational technology associated with wired broadband services as well as the important information and communication technological infrastructure(Al-nsour, Alryalat and Alhawari, 2014). This essay critically analyzes the various services which may be generated by means of cloud computing. It evaluates the benefits as well as restrictions upon accessibility to digital content. The essay also focuses upon the benefits that cloud computing imparted to mobile applications in access of digital content. Almost all developed nations have been providing varied services to their citizens like e-health, e-banking, e-education by the application of digital technologies as well as internet that immensely contributed to welfare of population on one hand. On the other hand, it cannot be either denied that increased expense of telecommunications infrastructure, lack of relevant content, dominance of English language, and technological aid act as key barriers to prevent nations to benefit from internet and computers(Blue and Tirotta, 2011). As per reliable source, it has been observed that difference in broadband growth exists amidst that of developed and developing countries. Such distinction amidst information as well as communications technological infrastructure as well as problems people face in access of digital content has been termed as digital divide. The excessive growth of users of mobile phones within developing nations has led to the potential ease in accessing digital information for increased population. This is mainly due to the lower cost of mobile phones as compared to laptops or personal computers(Standl and Burmeister, 2001). Multiple services in relation to education, banking, agriculture and healthcare can be easily hosted upon cloud servers as well as accessed by people even in remote regions by means of mobile networks at low cost. In fact, since the cost of internet is quite low in developing nations, the very alternative is the use of capacities which cloud computing can offer in generating accessibility to several business as well as governmental services (Greenwell, Liu and Chalmers, 2014). The key benefit of cloud computing is that rather than connecting to network server, a mobile device connects to cloud provider. Hence, all services which can be provided to users by mobile applications remain available every where as long net connection exists. It has been argued by Krishnan Subramanian (Sridevi, 2012) that excessive growth took place in various developing countries. Since majority of global mobile users live in developing countries, development of 2G applications in mobile may provide suitable access to various services like education, mobile banking, agriculture, and healthcare can bring adequate benefits to people. A sector that benefits greatly from concept of cloud computing is the healthcare sector in developing nations whereby majority people lived in remote areas. Mobile phone applications may support the healthcare professionals to deliver their best performances by providing numerous services in relation to diagnostic as well as treatment support, data collection, disease surveillance, outbreak tracking, etc (Hochstein, Schott and Graybill, 2011). Companies like FrontlineSMSmedic attempt to bridge the gap within healthcare systems with the aid of effective record systems of patients as well as related mobile services. This way the firm may allocate all its resources in enriching mobile health services and thereby minimizing the demand for in-house tech support since major cloud providers resolve this aspect. On the other hand, it has been argued by researchers that some major challenges exist for providers of cloud computing. One is their services may get affected by low quality of cloud server connection (Thomas, 2009). Experience of SaaS by users like that of mobile applications may get disrupted due to failures in mobile network connectivity. It may prove to be huge loss for firms, disrupts in health care services or problems for students relying upon mobile applications. Often it may not be clear as to whether network providers would offer compensations to firms for interruptions(Lloret Romero, 2012). The services rely upon electricity that is usually provided by the State. Most of the developing nations claim liability from State on failure in providing standard services as well as demanding compensation may be quite unsuccessful approach for both providers as well as users of cloud services. As referred to by Sam Goundar (Pakath, 2015), the key reason mobile applications as well as mobile phones have increased influx in developing nations is due to the fact that they are incapable of using existing infrastructure of radio broadcast as well as emergent architecture of wireless cellular. However, for making really the most of benefits of cloud computing, some of the aspects such as protecting sensitive data, software licensing, data transfer bottlenecks, ignoring vendor lock-ins which may prevent knowledge exchange as well as creativity need to be addressed properly. References Al-nsour, S., Alryalat, H. and Alhawari, S. (2014). 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