ABSTRACT

Save you’re time and work before loosing it with iCloud. Many of us struggles in backing up their files from the devices wither its personal, Student or owned by a small business. Saving files are really important because some devices crash suddenly and we end up loosing our hard work.

Through the presentation I created it will illustrates it recommends to use the iCloud is the best solution to the various types of backup systems and also the cons(drawbacks) of using the iCloud. iCloud is the latest technology that helps in backing up your files through server by installing the application and setting your account, which will do the whole process automatically in daily bases with the help of Wi-Fi connection.

This application will allows to restore all you files with all your apple devices with same info by clicking on one button and it will do the rest for you. Moreover the iCloud presentation includes tutorial that can guide you how to install, manage the app easily and more.

SECTION ONE:INTRODUCTION

Cloud computing is the next natural step in the evolution of on-demand

information technology services and products. To a large extent cloud computing

will be based on virtualized resources. The idea of cloud computing is based on a

very fundamental principal of `reusability of IT capabilities`. The difference that

cloud computing brings compared to traditional concepts of grid computing,

distributed computing, utility computing, or autonomic computing is to broaden

horizons across organizational boundaries. According to the IEEE Computer

Society Cloud Computing is:"A paradigm in which information is permanently

stored in servers on the Internet and cached temporarily on clients that include

desktops, Entertainment centers, table computers, notebooks, wall computers,

handhelds, etc."

Background of iCloud

Apple recently announced their iCloud service, which will disrupt the Web

market, and change the way our PCs, Macs, tablets, and smart phones share data

and interact with the Web. 

iCloud is Apple’s new web-based storage service, which is seamlessly integrated

into both iOS5 (to be released later this year) and a myriad of other applications,

including applications from third-party developers. This service will allow you to

synchronize your entire iTunes music collection, your photo collection from

iPhoto, your documents from iWork, and productivity apps including iCal and

Mail.app withal of your compatible devices. iCloud is a cloud storage and cloud

computing service from Apple Inc. announced on June 6, 2011 at the Apple

Worldwide Developers Conference(WWDC). The service allows users to store

data such as music files on remote computer servers for download to multiple

devices such as iOS-based devices, and personal computers running OS X or

Microsoft Windows. It also replaces Apple's Mobile Me service, acting as data

syncing centre for email, contacts, calendars, bookmarks, notes, to-do lists, and

other data.

            The term “iCloud” comes from the term used by technicians called the

“cloud”. When data is put in the cloud, the data is placed in a server, where it is

made available everywhere. The “i” in front of it is a trademark by Apple,

producing the name iCloud. Streaming photos, storing documents, saving app data,

and syncing music has been made ten times easier due to this service.

SECTION TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW

This source was very useful because it gave me information on what the iCloud actually those and puts it into an example. I got the example for the transfer of iTune songs from the computer and how it is automatically synced to the iPhone of iPad or Mac computer. It includes the step by step procedure on how to achieve this synchronization. It also gave me a tutorial on how to use my Apple product [1].

June 30th, the official death date of MobileMe, is drawing closer. Apple wants

current MobileMe members to transition to iCloud before then, but there will

always be foot draggers with any change.Recently, Apple has been sending out

emails to MobileMe diehards encouraging them to stop dawdling and make the

switch. While iCloud doesn’t have iWeb publishing, photo galleries, or iDisk

support, it does have a lot of great additions. First of all, it’s free. That’s a big deal,

but it also offers iTunes in the cloud, Photo Stream, documents in the cloud,

automatic downloads and purchase history for apps and books, and backup and

restore. iCloud is the future, and no amount of stalling is going to change that. [2].

This is an online article that gave me information about MobileMe. It was the first

attempt to a cloud database Apple came up with even though it had glitches. Apple

then revised it and came out with iCloud.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the impending arrival of the company’s iCloud

technology in June. Apple has now released pricing information for service as well

as the beta version of iCloud.com. For anyone who missed out on the explanation

of what exactly the iCloud service is, here are the basics according to PC World:

 The iCloud is an information storage service that keeps your stored information

synced between all of your Apple devices and any PC. It does not replace local

storage on iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches. For example, if you write a

document on an iPad and then save it, you can then open and edit that document on

your other Apple devices or on your PC without having to transfer the file via e-

mail or USB.  Additionally, iCloud backs up information like device setting, apps,

the layout of your home screen, ring tones, text messages, etc. so that all of your

personal preferences are available if you choose to update or replace your Apple

device[3]. News Max was helpful to my research because it gave me a date to when

the iCloud was released. Also it goes into more detail on what can be store in the

iCloud.

Not all that long from now, Mac, iPhone, and iPad users will be able to store

their contacts, calendars, photos, music, and more in the “cloud”—or rather,

in Apple’s iCloud, to be precise. Slated to go live in the fall, Apple’s new service

promises to keep you personal data and media on a bank of remote servers,

accessible wherever there’s an Internet connection. Very nice, and it’s all free—

well, mostly free. While you’ll be able to store a relatively generous portion of data

and media in iCloud for the low price of zilch, additional space (not to mention a

key music “matching” service) will cost you extra. For starters, you’ll get 5 GB of

storage for your Address Book contacts, iCal calendars, email, and documents

(such as text, presentation, and spreadsheet files from Apple’s iWork software

suite), which you’ll be able to share with your various iDevices—including your

Macs, iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches[4].  Patterson’s work showed me a benefit

to the iCloud and basically how we get it for free (up to 5GB).  This is beneficial

because MobileMe used to cost money to obtain the service.

Apple fans juggling iPads, iPhones and Macbooks, Apple's iCloud, which

launched Wednesday Oct 2011, offers the chance to simplify their digital lives by

linking email, calendars, music and photos from multiple devices. But while

iCloud promises convenience, experts say it raises potential security and privacy

concerns inherent in storing data in the cloud: If one account is hacked or one

device is stolen, others could be compromised because they are linked in the cloud.

And cloud providers control that information, which they could hand over to

marketers or law enforcement. Users of cloud storage "have to be comfortable with

someone else holding all your data," said Jamz Yaneza, a threat research manager

with the security firm Trend Micro. An Apple spokeswoman said Apple has taken

several measures to secure information stored on iCloud, including encrypting data

while it is transported over the Internet and while it is stored on Apple's servers.

In recent months, the risks associated with cloud computing have gained attention.

In June 2011, Dropbox, which provides online storage, admitted that a security

glitch allowed people to log into any Dropbox account for several hours by typing

in any password. In April 2011, Amazon.com's cloud service failed, bringing down

the websites of numerous businesses.Still, cloud computing, which allows users to

store data on the Internet instead of on hard drives, has become an increasingly

popular way of housing information and deploying software, especially among

businesses, because it is cheaper and more efficient. Millions of Gmail, Twitter and

Facebook users access cloud computing every day, perhaps without even realizing

it.But privacy experts say users who store information in the cloud face the risk of

losing control of their data. Consumers should be wary of cloud providers using

their data for marketing purposes, experts say. And cloud providers may also

receive a subpoena compelling them to give user data to authorities[5].Through

Smith’s article I gathered information about safety and ethical concerns that come

along with the iCloud technology.  This is where I looked for main concerns and

wrote about them.

  

SECTION THREE:ABOUT ICLOUD COMPUTING

History of iCloud iCloud is the latest branding of Apple's cloud computing services. It has

previously been branded as iTools in 2000, .Mac in 2002, and MobileMe in 2008.

iCloud was announced on June 6, 2011, at the 2011 Apple Worldwide Developers

Conference (WWDC). Apple announced that MobileMe would be discontinued

after June 30, 2012, with anyone who had an account before the unveiling of

iCloud having their MobileMe service extended to that date, free of charge.

The official website, www.icloud.com, went live in early August for Apple

Developers. On October 12, 2011, iCloud became available to use via an iTunes

update. iCloud had 20 million users in less than a week after launch. The

iCloud.com domain and registered trademark were bought from a Swedish

company called Xcerion, who rebranded their service to CloudMe. CloudMe still

controls major domains like iCloud.de, iCloud.fr and iCloud.es.

A class action lawsuit by customers unhappy over the transition from MobileMe to

iCloud was filed in early May 2012.

Original author(s) Apple Inc.

Developer(s) Apple Inc.

Initial Release Developers release

June 6, 2011

Public release

October 12, 2011

Development Status Active

Operating System OS X(10.7 Lion and Later)

Microsoft Windows

iOS5 or later

Available In Multilingual

Type Online backup service

License Freeware

Website www.icloud.com

ARCHITECHTURE

Apple has built iCloud functionality directly into many of their apps and iOS5.

When youtake a photo from your iPhone, it can automatically synchronize with

iCloud, and be pushed to your iPad and Mac. You can stop worrying about keeping

all of your devices in sync once they are all linked to your iCloud account. Once

you connect your device to the internet via a wired or Wi-Fi connection, all of your

files will be automatically synchronized. The Backup feature allows you to store

your personal data, along with music apps and books purchased from iTunes. You

can restore all of your data directly to your device from iCloud, or move it to any

new devices you buy. Cloud architecture the systems architecture of the software

systems involved in the delivery of cloud computing, comprises hardware and

software designed by a cloud architect who typically works for a cloud integrator.

It typically involves multiple cloud components communicating with each other

over application programming interfaces, usually web services. This closely

resembles the UNIX philosophy of having multiple programs doing one thing well

and working together over universal interfaces. Complexity is controlled and the

resulting systems are more manageable than their monolithic counterparts. Cloud

architecture extends to the client, where web browsers and/or software applications

access cloud applications. Cloud storage architecture is loosely coupled, where

metadata operations are to applications or users centralized enabling the data nodes

to scale into the hundreds, each independently delivering data to applications or

users.

Fig 2. Cloud Architecture

2.3 Features of iCloud

The cloud-based system allows users to store music, photos, applications,

documents, bookmarks, reminders, backups, notes, iBooks, and contacts, and

provides a platform for Apple's email servers and calendars. Third-party iOS and

OS X app developers are able to implement iCloud functionality in their apps

through the iCloud API(Application Programming Interface).

2.3.1 iOS Device Backup and Restore

 iCloud allows users the option to back up iOS devices online (alternatively

users can choose to continue to backup to their computers), thus they can be

restored from online backup without connecting to a computer.

2.3.2 Find My iPhone:

  Find My iPhone, formerly part of Mobile Me, allows users to track the location

of their iOS device, or Mac. A user can see the device's approximate location on a

map (along with a circle showing the radius depicting the margin of error), display

a message or play a sound on the device (even if it is set to silent), change the

password on the device, and remotely erase its contents.

2.3.3 Photo Stream 

Photo Stream is a service supplied with the basic iCloud service which allows

users to store the most recent 1,000 photos on the iCloud servers up to 30 days free

of charge. When a photo is taken on a device with Photo Stream enabled, it is

automatically uploaded to the iCloud servers; from there, it is automatically pushed

to the rest of the user's registered devices. The service is also integrated with TV,

allowing users to wirelessly view their recent photos on their HDTV.

2.3.4 Back to My Mac 

Back to My Mac, also previously part of Mobile Me, is now part of iCloud. As

before, this service allows users to login remotely to other computers configured

with the same Apple ID that have Back to My Mac enabled.5

USA, Australia, United Kingdom, Mexico, Spain, and Canada. Theannual charge

is $24.99.

2.4 Types of iCloud

Public cloud Public cloud or external cloud describes cloud computing in the traditional

mainstream. Public clouds are run by third parties, and applications from different

customers are likely to be mixed together on the cloud’s servers, storage systems,

and networks. A public cloud provides services to multiple customers

Hybrid cloud:

Hybrid clouds combine both public and private cloud models. This is most

often seen with the use of storage clouds to support iPhoto, Safari, Crypto Enlister

applications.

Private cloud:

Private clouds are built for the exclusive use of one client, providing the utmost

control overdata, security, and quality of service (Figure 4). The company owns the

infrastructure and hascontrol over how applications are deployed on it. Private

clouds can be built and managed by

a company’s own IT organization or by a cloud provider 

Fig 4.Types of icloud

5.1 Running the application Cloud Backup automatically and securely backs up your most important

information to iCloud daily over Wi-Fi whenever your iOS device is connected to

a power source. Once you plug it in, everything is backed up quickly and

efficiently. iCloud alreadystores your purchased music, TV shows, apps, books and

Photo Stream; iCloudBackup takes care of everything else, backing up your photos

and video in theCamera Roll, device settings, app data, home screen and app

organization, messagesand ringtones. iCloud Backup can even help you set up a

new iOS device or restorethe information on one you already own.

iCloud Backup your: 

Purchased music, TV shows, apps, and books

Photos and video in the Camera Roll

Device settings

App data

Home screen and app organization

Messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS)Ringtones.

Objectives of iCloud

            With the introduction of iCloud, backup, storage, and sharing will be easier

than ever. One important benefit is the simplicity of backup. The Apple user no

longer has to think about storing files since backup is now as simple as charging

the device. All files and apps are automatically stored once the device is plugged in

and connected to a Wi-Fi connection.

Another benefit is the simplicity of syncing information, such as music and

files. It is an extreme hassle to use USB devices and online drop boxes, or even

email. When using iCloud, all data is put into the “cloud”, and can be retrieved by

another device through any iCloud account. iCloud automatically syncs the content

and makes it accessible to devices such as the iPad, iPhone, Mac, iPod touch, or

Apple PC (Baran, 2011). It takes the physical work and thought processes out of

the equation.

            This service is beneficial because of its cost as well—absolutely free. With

the purchase of an Apple product accessible to iCloud, the offer comes at no cost,

relieving the pockets of those using online drop boxes or spending money on USB

devices. This product can also be beneficial to the Google Android or Microsoft

user, pushing the makers to make advancements similar to iCloud.

Security Concerns

            For the most part, the iCloud service is very secure due to the password

protected security, and the fact that the information is only available to Apple

products that the user signs into iCloud on. However, not everything is 100%

secure when it comes to technology. One security concern is about software

attackers. If granted temporary access by implanting malware, an attacker can

access iCloud documents stored locally, causing it to either spread stored personal

information or add files to the iCloud system that could potentially harm the Apple

product (Dhanjani).

Also, Apple workers have the power to access files stored in the iCloud,

lessening security of personal information that has been backed up. Although it is

highly unlikely, “data to the iCloud infrastructure is encrypted during transmit,”

giving Apple access to personal files with the ability to view the (Dhanjani). Also,

if the iCloud service is used on an Apple device that is not that user’s personal

device that data could be backed up automatically to the device once that user’s

personal device is plugged in.

 For these reasons, Apple strongly recommends that personal information

should not be stored on any device. Personal information could include social

security numbers, banking information, occupational information, and other forms

of information such as these.

Social Problems

With all advancements in technology comes the lessening of social engagement

with people and the surrounding community. As if the public is not already into

their iPhones, iPads, and iPods too much, this service causes people to never want

to remove themselves from their devices. Now that data is made available through

multiple devices, there is no need to listen to music or watch movies in groups due

to the easy sharing though the iCloud service.

Although music sharing can be illegal in some aspects, it was essential in

promoting social skills through technology. Sites such as MySpace and YouTube

gave people a way to share music and videos through social networking. The use

of profiles on these websites brought out the social side of technology users.

However, with the introduction of iCloud, file sharing is done with little to none

social interaction, causing people to be more social with their computers than their

neighbors next door.

With future electronic developments, worldwide social life is slowly but

surely becoming obsolete. By the looks of how technology is taking over now, the

future shows zero promise for any kind of social interaction.

Future Scope

With iCloud, iOS devices can back themselves up to the cloud automatically,

so you’ll be able to restore them at any time if things go wrong, without losing any

data. From the Manage Storage interface you can see how many devices you’ve

configured to work with iCloud Backup, see what services and apps are consuming

space (like Mail) and, again, buy more storage. iCloud may not be a big hard disk

in the sky, but Apple knows that there’s no cloud without storage. That’s why

iCloud comes with a free 5 GB plan for all users and additional pricing plans to

purchase more storage. iCloud comes with Photo Stream, a new feature to store

your most recent 1,000 photos in the cloud and have them available all the time on

all your devices.

SECTION THREE:CONCLUSION

            As previously shown, the iCloud has the ability to be the most beneficial

service for the Apple user today. File-sharing and backup has now been made

simple, as it is done for us when a device is plugged in, without the user even

thinking about it.

 Although there are multiple security, ethical, and social concerns, the pros

seem to out-way the cons when using this service. These concerns can easily be

limited by the user by taking precaution when using iCloud, such as limiting the

amount of personal information that is backed up, and by not sharing the iCloud

user account information with others.

  By doing this, the iCloud service becomes more beneficial than harmful, and

once iCloud success begins to grow, the future of Apple will appear to be brighter

than ever.

REFERENCES

[1] Apple(2012).what is iCloud from http://www.apple.com/icloud/what-is.html.[2] pple inc. (2012, February 22). Mobileme is dead. Long live icloud. Mac News, Retrieved from http://www.macgasm.net/2012/02/22/mobileme-is-dead-long-live-icloud/[3] NewsMax. (2011, August 2). Apple icloud information. Retrieved fromhttp://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/apple-icloud-pricing-information/2011/08/02/id/405825.[4]  Patterson, B. (2011, August 2). Apple "icloud": Which features will be free and which won't?. Retrieved from http://heresthethingblog.com/2011/08/02/apples-icloud-features-free-wont/[5]      Smith , G. R. (2011, October 12). Apple icloud: Simplifying digital lives raises new security concern. Retrieved fromhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/12/apple-icloud-security-concenrs_n_1007708.html