Weekly Reflective Journal: Module 4
This week marked a major turning point in my understanding of Cloud Computing. We shifted from the theoretical “What is the Cloud?” to the practical “What can the Cloud actually do for my business?” No matter which “Big Three” provider you look at, AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, the DNA of the cloud remains the same: Compute, Storage, Networking, and Databases.
The Great Translation
One of my biggest takeaways was realizing that I don’t need to memorize every single product name. Instead, I focused on the function. For example, whether it’s called an S3 Bucket or Blob Storage, the job is the same: keeping my data safe and accessible. This realization gave me the confidence to navigate professional documentation without feeling overwhelmed by brand-specific jargon.
Deep Dive: Object Storage Across the “Big Three”
To put this into practice, I explored Object Storage. This is a critical category for my business, CanvasFlow, as we need a reliable place to store student schedule exports and profile data.
| Provider | Service Name | Key Feature |
| AWS | Amazon S3 | Unmatched durability and “Bucket” organization. |
| Azure | Blob Storage | Specifically optimized for massive, unstructured data sets. |
| Google Cloud | Cloud Storage | Exceptional performance and low-latency global access. |
Connecting to CanvasFlow
As I develop CanvasFlow, I have to evaluate these services based on scalability and cost. If our app sees a massive spike in users during university registration weeks, our “Compute” (Virtual Machines) needs to scale instantly so the system doesn’t crash.
I also reflected on my recent technical struggles with screen recording tools like Kaltura and Clipchamp. These local hardware issues reminded me why Cloud Computing is so vital. By moving “Compute” tasks (like video rendering or database management) to the cloud, I am offloading the stress from my local machine to a global infrastructure designed to handle it.
Final Thoughts
My perspective has evolved. I no longer see the cloud as just “someone else’s storage.” I see it as a strategic partner that provides the scalability and security my business needs to grow. By focusing on what a service does rather than just its name, I feel prepared to make informed infrastructure decisions for the future of CanvasFlow.
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