
In contrast, cloud services run on massive clusters of computer resources spread across many computers and even multiple data centers. You might also have used a network server you use the apps on the server over the network, but they’re running on that particular server.
Chronosync definition mac#
These days, many things that can be done directly on a computer can be done in a Web browser: word processing, spreadsheets, image editing, video streaming, video chat, and more.Īpps on your Mac use its processor and memory. Apps: An app like TextEdit runs on your Mac, but cloud-based apps like Google Docs provide app-like functionality while running in a Web browser.They often provide a Web-based interface as well so you can access your data from someone else’s computer. Cloud-based services for such bits of data-including Apple’s iCloud syncing for Calendar and Contacts and Google Calendar-make it so the same information is available on all your devices all the time.
Chronosync definition software#
Data syncing: Before the cloud was a thing, syncing your contacts, calendar, and email between two Macs generally required either special software (like ChronoSync) or going through the export/import dance.Plus, just as you probably use Time Machine to back up to an external drive, you can use Backblaze to back up to the cloud. Of course, they also go further, providing syncing between your devices and sharing with other people. Cloud-based services like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, and OneDrive all provide the same basic function-more space to store data. Storage and backup: To add storage directly to your Mac, you’d connect an external hard drive or SSD.These services largely fall into three broad categories: storage and backup, data syncing, and apps.

It’s more useful to think of the cloud as a way of referring to services made available over the Internet as a replacement for hardware or software on your Mac. Cloud Services Replace Local Hardware and Software That’s not incorrect, since everything in the cloud does take place online and is on the Internet, but it’s also not helpful. We can’t pretend to have the final answer-if there will ever be such a thing-but here’s how we think of “the cloud.” (And now we’ll stop quoting it.)Īt a basic level, many people seem to equate the cloud with anything that’s online or with the Internet as a whole. People talk about “the cloud” all the time these days, but what do they really mean? There’s no agreed-on definition, which can render some conversations nearly inscrutable.
