How Science Fiction Predicted Cloud Computing
Sci-fi literature and movies, whether animated or not, always leave us wondering over the fact that, maybe one day, this will all be possible. Though a lot of it has not happened yet, there are still a few technological advancements that have been predicted in movies and novels.
From artificial intelligence (AI) taking control of the world to flying cars, to self-tying shoes and hover boards, Sci-Fi movies succeed in providing the audience a new perspective of the possible future, and at times, have proven to be quite accurate.
The same is the case with cloud computing, which has been part of a lot of films and novels related to the science fiction genre. Cloud computing powers many industries today, and is much of a scientific ‘fact’ rather than ‘fiction’.
If you are already aware of the benefits of cloud computing and want to develop expertise in this area, you can opt for cloud computing certifications to gain valuable insights and knowledge to help take your business to new heights.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing, in its essence, is a way to store, retrieve, process and analyze data that is saved over the Internet, instead of an on-premises server or a datacenter that you own. While a majority of people still use physical storage devices, the trend of using cloud for such purposes is prevailing gradually.
Quite simply, cloud computing involves storing data, creating databases, networking, software, analytics, and others over the Internet. Many companies, including Google, offer cloud-computing solutions to businesses and charge a good amount of money for the services.
What We Have Achieved So Far
With the cloud computing technology today , businesses, no matter how big or small, are able to carry out their day-to-day operations with minimum use of physical resources. They have online databases that help minimize the risks of data loss.
In addition, businesses now have access to a huge amount of data that they can use, for instance, to predict marketing trends or to monitor sales of a product and gauge its popularity among a certain age group, and much more. Cloud computing has made business operations today efficient, smart, and precise. Cloud certification is another way an individual can develop the expertise of cloud computing and help the businesses around the world.
Sci-Fi Predicts Cloud Computing – Literature
Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card
Published in 1985, the book revolves around a character saving Earth against an alien attack. The book was later made into a film as well. In the book, the character is shown collaborating and coordinating with several other fellow soldiers as they strategize to fight the enemy.
Cloud computing today allows access to multiple users to documents and other data to plan and strategize about the new budgets and expansion plans, no matter where the team member is located on the globe. The cloud computing has made possible for the expertise around the world to come together and work as a singular unit on projects by removing all the physical barriers and providing a common platform for problem solving and timely completion. However, it is essential for teams to acquire cloud certification to achieve proficiency to seamlessly carry out projects.
Cryptonomicon – Neil Stephenson
This 1999 novel revolves around the idea of cryptocurrency, and a particular group of code breakers and other smart mathematicians that undergo a complex mission.
The novel, however, shows the struggle to make a data center, or a ‘data haven’ where large quantities of data can be stored and easily accessed. This can be considered the simplest form of cloud computing we know today.
Fast forward to the present, cloud computing has removed the need of any physical premises for data storage.
True Names – Vernor Vinge
This sci-fi novel, published back in 1981, is all about a group of code breakers and hackers working on a mission and hiding their identities. However, if you read the novel today, you would be surprised at the striking similarity the system mentioned in the novel has to our cloud computing systems.
One such resemblance is the fact that the space required to store data could be rented on short notices, just as they can be today.
Sci-Fi Predicts Cloud Computing – Movies
Moneyball
Directed by Bennet Miller, Moneyball is based on true events where a coach hires players in an unconventional manner, faces criticism for it, and against all odds wins the championship. However, the movie shows that computer used data from previous games of the players, and pointed out the best players to play as a team.
Similarly, cloud-computing solutions allow companies and marketers to use an individual’s previous medical, criminal, and other such records to predict their needs. Using this information, they develop and promote similar products to cater to their needs.
Minority Report
Directed by Steven Spielberg, and starring Tom Cruise, the movie is set in the future, where the technology is used to stop the crimes. The movie shows surprisingly accurate accounts of data mining, facial recognition, and other techniques to predict the crimes.
Cloud computing features data mining, data segmentation, and information extraction to solve crimes. The movie correctly depicted how this technology could be used when you need to analyze a huge amount of data.
These movies and books written by authors are all works of fiction. The writers used their mere thought processes to bring these ideas on paper, whereas scientific advancement made it possible for us to experience the fiction as reality. The technology is now commonly used by big and small businesses that are investing in training their employees through several cloud computing courses to develop their skill set in this area in a manner that helps them better cater to the growing consumer needs.