Office 365 For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 17Meeting Office 365 Requirements

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding the attraction the cloud offers

Determining the pros and cons of the cloud

Defining the general requirements for Office 365

Exploring the requirements for Office 365 apps

You can think of Office 365 under two broad umbrellas. The first covers consumers, and the second covers businesses, non-profits, schools, governments, and other large organizations.

If you’re part of a large organization, then moving from a nice and cozy on-site data center (or storage closet) to the cloud is a big change. You won’t be able to walk through the server room and see all the computers with the lights flashing, disks whizzing, and screens glowing. You have a connection to the Internet, and the software and data live out there somewhere. To access your software, you begin by using it. You won’t need to go through a lengthy installation and deployment process. It can take some time to get used to, but the change can be well worth the effort.

For consumers, the same process holds true. You only need a device (such as a smart phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer) and a connection to the Internet, and your data lives out there. Of course, you can save your data on your local device, but you run the risk of losing your data if you lose your device or if your device crashes. Also, you can’t pick up another device and keep working. You’ll be stuck using the device where your data lives. In our new world of mobile phones and tablets ...