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What (and where) is the cloud?

With the explosion of smart phones, apps and Internet-based everything, “the cloud” is gaining in popularity, with no signs of slowing down.  But despite a majority of the U.S. population using such technology daily, most people don't understand what “the cloud” is or how it actually works.

In reality, there is no wireless floating mass high up in the sky that is ever-available to store all of your selfies, posts and emails. Instead, the cloud is a metaphor for an interconnected system of data centers that replicate, store and transfer data to other data centers and computers. As Ron Pepin, director of data center operations at Time Warner Cable recently said, “The cloud is just storage reinvented.” The name might have evolved, but the concept hasn’t.

When you post a status update on Facebook or look up movie show times in your city, you are using the cloud. Depending on your online activity, it’s also likely that the data center enabling your actions was built by Cupertino Electric.

Data centers are giant, warehouse-like structures or modular buildings with thousands of servers, hard-drives and cooling systems. Together, the servers, drives and systems function as a huge computer that communicates with other huge computers to process commands generated by personal computers and web-enabled devices.

The Cloud Gets More Complex

Not only do physical data centers that form the cloud need to be more efficient than ever, they also need to be smarter and more powerful. When building a data center, the design and hardware must anticipate future needs by incorporating a new approach and new technology that meet the increased demands of the average consumer.

Here at Cupertino Electric, we are working with an eye toward the future, building some of the world's most sophisticated data centers that enable users to update a Facebook profile, talk to Siri, search the Internet, access medical records online, buy something on Amazon with a single click, and stream movies. Our electrical solutions help make our customers’ visions a reality and are changing the way we live and work. The cloud is a physical thing—and we are proud to build it.

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