ONLINE DATA STORAGE

Online data storage uses Internet channels to store information on remote servers kept
secure by service providers. Explore the benefits and challenges of using online data storage, 

It can cost a company a lot of money to store data on-site, and every day someone loses
their entire family photo album. Online data storage is a virtual storage model that lets users and
businesses upload their data across Internet channels to a remote data network. Data is stored
in the cloud, or stored on servers that are not owned by the person using them. Other users can
also access the same infrastructure. It's like a cloud in that we can all see the same cloud in the
sky but no single individual owns it, yet we can each access it

Unlike a USB drive, external hard drive, or flash drive, users do not need to carry around a
physical device to store their data. They just have to remember a password and trust the
security of the service provider

Online storage is a viable option for data backup: it provides both security and convenience
to the end user. Small businesses and individuals may not have the network bandwidth or the
resources to maintain a strong on-site storage and retrieval system. Further, online storage
may alleviate the need to have physical backups of the data: the storage solution provider may
already do this at their data centers.

BENEFITS

Cost

Backing up data is not cheap, given the cost of equipment and human resource needed to
maintain servers, hard drives, or backup tapes. Online storage providers offer very large storage
space for low monthly fees that lifts the burden from the small business or individual.

Data Integrity/Data Transfer

With online data storage, data is easy to move and transfer. If an organization moves offices,
the data loss is minimal - as long as everyone has saved their information to the online service
provider! Additionally, the onus of physical data protection falls to the storage provider.
Organizations need not worry about natural disasters wiping out their physical location and the
data stored there.

Automation and Syncing

For the individual user or the small business, backup procedures don't always get completed on
a routine basis (if at all). Some individuals back up data to an external hard drive located in the
same room as the main computer. In the event of a fire or other disaster, that data backup does
no good.

Online storage providers can set up an automated solution that will back up data on any
schedule. The business owner or individual no longer has the headache of remembering to
run a task or scramble to find backup tapes. Everything is saved to the online storage site. For
individuals on-the-go who have multiple devices, online storage can provide syncing, where data
can be downloaded or updated across multiple devices, thus ensuring the latest version is in
use.

Security

Cyber-crime threatens everyone, from the sole user to the largest organization. Business and
end users alike feel confidence in online data storage solutions, since there are whole teams
of security experts working for these organizations ensuring data security. After all, if the
organization experienced a breach, it is their organization that can suffer greatly.

DATA PROFESSING

Data processing is the task of synchronizing data from various sources. For a company
or a business, this task is extremely crucial as it helps to generate organized information that is
easy to understand. Manual processing is very time consuming, hence companies prefer to use
electronic methods of data processing, which improves accuracy as well. Data processing holds
great importance in various sectors like banking, transportation and education etc where the
amount of data handled daily is huge.

ONLINE DATA PROFESSING

Online processing is an automated way to enter and process data or reports continuously
as use as the source documents are available. A good example of online processing is bar code
scanning. When you buy a shirt at Target, the bar code gets scanned at the register. This shirt
(source document) is immediately updated in Target’s inventory system as being sold. It is also
updated in cost and sales reports. The online processing system continuously updates the
entire accounting system.

RELEVAMCE OF ONLINE DATA PROCESSING

Ease of making reports — Since data is already processed, it can be obtained and used directly.
These processed facts and figures can be arranged appropriately such that it that helps
executives in making quick analysis. Pre-defined reports help professionals in making reports
speedily.

Accuracy and speed – Digitization helps to process the information quickly. Thousands of files
can be processed in a minute, storing required information from each. During business data
processing, the system itself checks for and takes care of invalid data or errors. Such processes
thus help companies ensure a high accuracy in information management.

Cost reduction – The cost of digitized processing is much lesser than that of managing and
maintaining paper documents. It decreases expenditure on stationery such as photo copies
and mailing by using digital information and email system. Companies can thus save millions of
dollars every year by improving their data management systems.

Easy storage – Data processing helps to increase the storage space for adding, managing and
modifying information. By eliminating unnecessary paperwork, it minimizes clutter and also
improves search efficiency by elimination the need to go through data manually.
CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially

IMPORTANCE OF CLOUD COMPUTING

1. Cost Savings
If you are worried about the price tag that would come with making the switch to cloud
computing, you aren't alone 20% of organisations are concerned about the initial cost of
implementing a cloud-based server. But those who are attempting to weigh the advantages and
disadvantages of using the cloud need to consider more factors than just initial price they need
to consider ROI.

Once you're on the cloud, easy access to your company's data will save time and money in
project startups. And, for those who are worried that they'll end up paying for features that they
neither need nor want, most cloud-computing services are pay as you go. This means that if you
don't take advantage of what the cloud has to offer, then at least you won't have to be dropping
money on it.

The pay-as-you-go system also applies to the data storage space needed to service your
stakeholders and clients, which means that you'll get exactly as much space as you need, and
not be charged for any space that you don't. Taken together, these factors result in lower costs
and higher returns. Half of all CIOs and IT leaders surveyed by Bitglass reported cost savings in
2015 as a result of using cloud-based applications.

2. Security
Many organisations have security concerns when it comes to adopting a cloud-computing
solution. After all, when files, programs, and other data aren't kept securely onsite, how can you
know that they are being protected? If you can remotely access your data, then what's stopping
a cybercriminal from doing the same thing? Well, quite a bit, actually.

For one thing, a cloud host's full-time job is to carefully monitor security, which is significantly
more efficient than a conventional in-house system, where an organisation must divide its
efforts between a myriad of IT concerns, with security being only one of them. And while most
businesses don't like to openly consider the possibility of internal data theft, the truth is that a
staggeringly high percentage of data thefts occur internally and are perpetrated by employees.
When this is the case, it can actually be much safer to keep sensitive information offsite. Of
course, this is all very abstract, so let's consider some solid statistics.

RapidScale claims that 94% of businesses saw an improvement in security after switching to the
cloud, and 91% said the cloud makes it easier to meet government compliance requirements.
The key to this amped-up security is the encryption of data being transmitted over networks
and stored in databases. By using encryption, information is less accessible by hackers or
anyone not authorised to view your data. As an added security measure, with most cloud-based
services, different security settings can be set based on the user. While 20% of cloud user claim
disaster recovery in four hours or less, only 9% of cloud users could claim the same.
3. Flexibility
Your business has only a finite amount of focus to divide between all of its responsibilities. If
your current IT solutions are forcing you to commit too much of your attention to computer and
data-storage issues, then you aren't going to be able to concentrate on reaching business goals
and satisfying customers. On the other hand, by relying on an outside organisation to take care
of all IT hosting and infrastructure, you'll have more time to devote toward the aspects of your
business that directly affect your bottom line.

The cloud offers businesses more flexibility overall versus hosting on a local server. And, if
you need extra bandwidth, a cloud-based service can meet that demand instantly, rather than
undergoing a complex (and expensive) update to your IT infrastructure. This improved freedom
and flexibility can make a significant difference to the overall efficiency of your organisation.
A 65% majority of respondents to an InformationWeek survey said “the ability to quickly meet
business demands” was one of the most important reasons a business should move to a cloud
environment.

4. Mobility
Cloud computing allows mobile access to corporate data via smartphones and devices, which,
considering over 2.6 billion smartphones are being used globally today, is a great way to ensure
that no one is ever left out of the loop. Staff with busy schedules, or who live a long way away
from the corporate office, can use this feature to keep instantly up to date with clients and
co-worker.

Through the cloud, you can offer conveniently accessible information to sales staff who travel,
freelance employees, or remote employees, for better work-life balance. Therefore, it's not
surprising to see that organisations with employee satisfaction listed as a priority are up to 24%
more likely to expand cloud usage.

5. Insight
As we move ever further into the digital age, it's becoming clearer and clearer that the old
adage “knowledge is power” has taken on the more modern and accurate form: “Data is
money.” Hidden within the millions of bits of data that surround your customer transactions and
business process are nuggets of invaluable, actionable information just waiting to be identified
and acted upon. Of course, sifting through that data to find these kernels can be very difficult,
unless you have access to the right cloud-computing solution.

Many cloud-based storage solutions offer integrated cloud analytics for a bird's-eye view of your
data. With your information stored in the cloud, you can easily implement tracking mechanisms
and build customised reports to analyse information organisation wide. From those insights,
you can increase efficiencies and build action plans to meet organisational goals. For example,
the beverage company Sunny Delight was able to increase profits by about $2 million a year and
cut $195,000 in staffing costs through cloud-based business insights.

6. Increased Collaboration
If your business has two employees or more, then you should be making collaboration a top
priority. After all, there isn't much point to having a team if it is unable to work like a team.
Cloud computing makes collaboration a simple process. Team members can view and share
information easily and securely across a cloud-based platform. Some cloud-based services even
provide collaborative social spaces to connect employees across your organisation, therefore
increasing interest and engagement. Collaboration may be possible without a cloud-computing
solution, but it will never be as easy, nor as effective.
7. Quality Control
There are few things as detrimental to the success of a business as poor quality and
inconsistent reporting. In a cloud-based system, all documents are stored in one place and in
a single format. With everyone accessing the same information, you can maintain consistency
in data, avoid human error, and have a clear record of any revisions or updates. Conversely,
managing information in silos can lead to employees accidentally saving different versions of
documents, which leads to confusion and diluted data.
8. Disaster Recovery
One of the factors that contributes to the success of a business is control. Unfortunately, no
matter how in control your organisation may be when it comes to its own processes, there will
always be things that are completely out of your control, and in today's market, even a small
amount of unproductive downtime can have a resoundingly negative effect. Downtime in your
services leads to lost productivity, revenue, and brand reputation.

But while there may be no way for you to prevent or even anticipate the disasters that could
potentially harm your organisation, there is something you can do to help speed your recovery.
Cloud-based services provide quick data recovery for all kinds of emergency

CLOUD BASED SERVICES OFFERRD BY AMAZON

Amazon Web Services offers a broad set of global cloud-based products including compute,
storage,

databases, analytics, networking, mobile, developer tools, management tools, IoT, security and

enterprise applications. These services help organizations move faster, lower IT costs, and
scale.

AWS is trusted by the largest enterprises and the hottest start-ups to power a wide variety of

workloads including: web and mobile applications, game development, data processing and

warehousing, storage, archive, and many others.

EC2(Elastic Compute Cloud)- EC2 is a virtual machine in the cloud on which you have OS level
control. You can run this cloud server whenever you want.

LightSail- This cloud computing tool automatically deploys and manages the computer, storage,
and networking capabilities required to run your applications.

Elastic Beanstalk- The tool offers automated deployment and provisioning of resources like a
highly scalable production website.

EKS (Elastic Container Service for Kubernetes)- The tool allows you to Kubernetes on Amazon
cloud environment without installation.
AWS Lambda- This AWS service allows you to run functions in the cloud. The tool is a big cost
saver for you as you to pay only when your functions execute.

IBM
The IBM cloud computing platform leverages the company’s deep research in artificial
intelligence.

GOOGLE
Google cloud platform is a part of cloud computing services offered by Google which is a public

domain. It tracks the same frame which Google uses for products that are widely used by the
end-

users such as Google Search and YouTube. A collection of hosted services for compute,
storage, and

application development that run on Google hardware come under this platform. Software

developers, cloud administrators, and other enterprises IT professionals can access Google
Cloud

services through the public web or a dedicated network connection.

APPLICATIONS OF E-COMMERCE:

The applications of E-commerce are used in various business areas such as retail and wholesale
and

manufacturing. The most common E-commerce applications are as follows:

• Online marketing and purchasing

• Retail and wholesale

• Finance

• Manufacturing

• Online Auction

• E-Banking

• Online publishing

• Online booking (ticket, seat.etc)

Data collection about customer behaviour, preferences, needs and buying patterns is possible

through Web and E-commerce. This helps marketing activities such as price fixation, negotiation,

product feature enhancement and relationship with the customer.

• Retail and wholesale:

E-commerce has a number of applications in retail and wholesale. E-retailing or on-line retailing
is

the selling of goods from Business-to-Consumer through electronic stores that are designed
using

the electronic catalogue and shopping cart model. Cybermall is a single Website that offers
different

products and services at one Internet location. It attracts the customer and the seller into one
virtual

space through a Web browser.

• Finance:

Financial companies are using E-commerce to a large extent. Customers can check the balances
of

their savings and loan accounts, transfer money to their other account and pay their bill through
on-

line banking or E-banking. Another application of E-commerce is on-line stock trading. Many

Websites provide access to news, charts, information about company profile and analyst rating
on

the stocks.

• Manufacturing:

E-commerce is also used in the supply chain operations of a company. Some companies form
an
electronic exchange by providing together buy and sell goods, trade market information and run

back office information such as inventory control. This speeds up the flow of raw material and

finished goods among the members of the business community. Various issues related to the

strategic and competitive issues limit the implementation of the business models. Companies
may

not trust their competitors and may fear that they will lose trade secrets if they participate in
mass

electronic exchanges.

• Auctions:

Customer-to-Customer E-commerce is direct selling of goods and services among customers.

includes electronic auctions that involve bidding. Bidding is a special type of auction that allows

prospective buyers to bid for an item. For example, airline companies give the customer an

opportunity to quote the price for a seat on a specific route on the specified date and time.

• E-Banking:

Online banking or E- banking is an electronic payment system that enables customers of a

institution to conduct financial transactions on a website operated by the institution, Online

is also referred as internet banking, e-banking, virtual banking and by other terms.