Learn what the education sector can benefit from implementing cloud storage – a noteworthy application of cloud computing.
Cloud computing has grown exponentially in the last decade. The education sector has been noticing its impacts: transforming the delivery of time-critical information, creating effective online learning platforms, storing student information, etc.
One recent use case of cloud computing that stands out is cloud storage. The service, remotely operated by a third-party provider, keeps clients’ files off-site in a secure virtual space. It is also characterized by a high level of scalability, allowing the database and other functions to be expanded or reduced based on the institution’s needs.
This cloud service can provide academic solutions with distinctive qualities, specifically: cost-efficiency, scalability, and accessibility.
Cloud storage is cost-effective
The most notable advantage of shifting to cloud storage is cost reduction. The sheer volume of data generated from various sources, from teachers’ lesson plans, and presentations to students’ study materials, mid-term reports, and exam papers, can easily overwhelm physical storage spaces or local computer networks. This is especially true when curriculum changes and the amount of data that needed to be structured and stored grows at an unprecedented pace.
The traditional methods also usually require a large group of on-site staff to manage and maintain the resources, which calls for extra operation expenses.
By using cloud storage, we can address this problem. The service provider will handle most technical work, so an on-site team of technicians is no longer required.
Another way institutions can cut costs is by using a pay-per-use basis. They will only charge for specific types of service based on the amount of virtual machine space in use. In other words, by migrating to the cloud, users can freely utilize a premium platform without worrying about technical problems. These outcomes lead to an overall decrease in maintenance costs.
To illustrate, a Canadian school division, which consists of 4,800 students and 19 schools, has benefited from moving to cloud storage. This decision saves them $12,000 per year and allows their IT staff to have time for other important tasks.
Cloud storage is scalable
Clour services address another problem usually associated with conventional storing methods: scalability.
Scalability means being able to adjust to changes in the input volume. For a lot of educational institutions, their conventional storage local computer network usually has a fixed capacity that can not stretch.
Therefore, as data increases rapidly in volume, they may struggle to manage the resources. Meanwhile, cloud storage, with its highly innovative infrastructure, can achieve scalability.
It can also easily expand storing capacity by, for example, moving data to larger virtual machines or adding extra units to the system. Consequently, as the institution grows, the storage will continuously adapt to its changing needs and advancements.
Cloud storage is highly accessible and facilitates collaborations.
The technology assists educational stakeholders by promoting ease of access to content and enabling collaborative completion of tasks.
Its services establish a shared, centralized platform that users can access anytime from any device. Students can easily manage terabytes’ worth of course materials or assignments. Meanwhile, teachers can record academic performances or access a student’s profile.
Moreover, most cloud solutions allow multiple users, thus enabling a collaborative working and learning environment.
To illustrate, students can complete group projects from their homes via mobile devices, possibly with virtual help, without requiring a face-to-face meeting with the instructor.
Similarly, administrators can distribute essential information to the target audience on a cloud-based platform and receive constructive feedback.
Cloud storage is progressively replacing physical storage space in educational institutions, thanks to its outstanding qualities. Educators can envision a better, more innovative future for the industry, where all groups of users receive enormous support from the technology.
Hai-Anh majored in International Communications. She has been evolving in the technology industry by working as a tech writer for GEM. She’s tech-savvy and always eager to explore more opportunities.
