الأسبوع 9 · الدرس ٦ «الحوسبة السحابية»: مفهومها وفوائدها ومجالات استخدامها ومعالجة البيانات وتخزينها · 3 دروس
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The cloud in daily life, and a file’s six-step journey
ICT Prep 1 Term 1, Lesson 6: pp. 56–64
GoalGive examples of the cloud in six fields of daily life and put the six steps of a file’s journey in order.
New words
data centre · a building with many powerful computers that store and process dataserver · a powerful computer that serves other computers and usersdatabase system · a program that keeps data in order and finds it faststreaming · watching or listening to something while it arrives through the internet
Explanation
The cloud is used in many parts of daily life. For communication, we use e-mail and messaging. For storage and backup, we keep files safe in case a device breaks. For producing projects, we use word processors and spreadsheets that run online. For education, we use learning platforms and collaboration tools. For entertainment, we use video streaming, music and even online games. And in other fields there are online shopping, online banking and health records; here we meet them only as words, and we do not give money or health advice. Behind the screen, data makes a journey with six steps. One, data is collected from different sources. Two, it is transferred to data centres. Three, it is processed on powerful servers. Four, it is stored on storage units of high capacity. Five, database systems manage it. Six, users and programs reach it over the internet.
1 collect→2 transfer to data centres→3 process on servers→4 store→5 manage with databases→6 access over the internet
Worked examples
Field
Example of a cloud use
Communication
e-mail with the class
Storage and backup
a spare copy of a project
Producing projects
a word processor online
Education
a learning platform with lessons
Entertainment
streaming a film or music
Other fields
shopping or banking, as words only
This table gives one example for each of the six fields. They are only examples, and you can find more at home and at school.
camera→data centre→processed and stored→database manages→parent opens it
Follow a school photo’s journey. The photo is collected from a class camera, transferred to a data centre, processed so that it can be shown, stored, organised by a database system, and then opened by a parent over the internet. All six steps took only moments.
Wrong order
Right order
store
collect
collect
transfer
access
process
process
store
transfer
manage
manage
access
Hana puts the six steps in the wrong order: store, collect, access, process, transfer, manage. Her teacher moves them one by one: collect, transfer, process, store, manage, access. Process comes before store because the data is made ready first.
Class activity
Write the six steps on six paper strips without numbers. Mix them and put them in order. Then choose a thing you use every week (a lesson video, a message) and tell the six steps of its journey, naming each step, as in the picture. No device is needed.
Practice
1
Name three fields in which we use the cloud.
For example: communication, storage and backup, education, entertainment, producing projects.
2
Put in order: store, collect, access, process, transfer, manage. What is third?
Process. The order is collect, transfer, process, store, manage, access.
3
What is a data centre?
A building with many powerful computers that store and process data.
4
Why is the cloud not “always safe”?
It is only as safe as its password and the habits of its owner.
