Introduction to Computers: Module 6

Introduction to Computers
Module 6

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Introduction to Computers Student Guide Module 6

Module 6: Cloud Storage

Review
 Open vs secure websites.
 Computer security issues: passwords and pop-ups.
 Phishing and open Wi-Fi.
 Viruses and security software.
 Dos and Don’ts of computer safety.

Topics
 What is cloud computing?
 Using cloud-based file storage.
 Sharing files from cloud storage.

Exercises
 Exercise 1: Access personal cloud storage account.
 Exercise 2: Create a cloud file folder.
 Exercise 3: Upload a file on cloud storage.
 Exercise 4: Download a file from cloud storage.
 Exercise 5: Share a file on cloud storage.

Instructor Note:
Instructors will need to use their Google account during this module. Follow Exercise 3,
Module 5 using your volunteer number to create a Google account in advance of the
class.

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1. What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is using the internet to store and access data and programs instead
of your computer. Cloud storage is an easy way to store and share data files between
computers, smartphones, and tablets. It’s inexpensive and available to everyone.

Your computer can be damaged by an equipment failure, a virus, or theft. We

recommend important files be backed up and stored using cloud storage.

You must sign in to a cloud storage service from your computer, smartphone, or tablet.
You can copy or upload your important files. You can then sign in from another
computer, smartphone, or tablet and get or download the files.

Figure 1 - Cloud Storage

Who are the cloud storage providers?

Company Maximum Free Other Comments

IBM Cloud 60 MB Web hosting Business support
Microsoft Azure No limit Applications and PRC Training Server
Office 365
Google Cloud 15 GB Applications Used in class
Oracle Cloud 1 GB Applications Not widely used
Dropbox 2 GB Storage only Data storage only

To use cloud storage, you must first have a secure, medium speed internet connection.
You must also register with the service provider with a username and password.

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There are some other limitations:

 If you use more than the basic amount of storage space, you will be charged for
the additional space.
 The stored files are not public, but they can be viewed by the cloud storage
provider for illegal content.
 Access to the stored files depends on the speed and availability of your internet
connection.
.

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2. Access Cloud storage

Last week you completed an exercise where you created a Google account. The
remainder of this discussion assumes you have a Google account.

Note: if you do not have a Google Account, you will not be able to complete the
exercises in this module.

Exercise 1: Access personal cloud storage account.

In this exercise, you will login to your Google account created last week.

1. Open the Chrome browser.

2. Click on the “Images” link in the upper right corner of the window. The Sign in
button appears in place of the “Images” link.

Click Sign in
button

3. Click on the “Sign in” button and the Google Sign in page appear.

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Your Google
Account name

4. Enter your username created last week. The format is “prcXXXXX” where
“XXXXX” is your Training Server login ID without the “S”

5. Click the “Next” button. The Password input screen appears.

Your Google
Password

If you can’t remember your password, Google will send you an e-mail with
instructions on how to change your password. We cannot do this during class.

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6. After the password is accepted, the Google Page appears with a small set of
icons in the upper right corner. The window must be maximized!

Google Menu
selection

7. Click on the Google Menu selection link and a full set of Google application icons
appear.

Google Drive
Icon

8. Click on the Drive icon and the Google cloud file storage page appears.

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File storage
folders

Total free
storage

Figure 2 - Google Drive Menu

Note: Your screen may look different than your Instructor’s if your Instructor has
previously used Google Drive

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Working with files

Cloud storage services do not have a file system like your computer. To save a file, you
have to find the file in your computer. Then you have to find a location in the cloud
storage service to place the file. Finally, you have to upload the file from your computer
to the cloud storage service. The file will then be in two locations: your computer and
the cloud storage service.

When you want to get the file from your cloud storage service:

1. You have to find the file in the cloud storage service.

2. Then you have to download the file into your computer.
3. Downloaded files are placed in your computer’s Downloads folder.
4. You should copy the file from the computer’s Downloads folder to another
location in your computer.

Google File System

Once you have successfully logged onto the Google cloud service, you will see the
Google File System Menu. A “getting started” document that describes the Google
services is already placed on your cloud storage drive.

You are allowed to use up to 15 GB of storage at no cost. 15 GB can hold 10,000

photos or three HD movies. If you exceed that space limit, you will be charged $1.99 per
month. Most computer users never exceed that limit.

Google Folders

The best way to organize your files on the cloud storage service is to create folders. At
minimum you should have three folders: Documents and Pictures. Google offers a
separate storage service for Photos.

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Exercise 2: Create a cloud file folder.

In this exercise, you will add a “Documents” and “Pictures” folder to your Google Drive
cloud storage.

1. To add a new folder, click on the “New” link.

New file /
folder link

2.

3. The drop-down menu shown below appears.

Folder link

4. Click on the “Folder” link. A “New Folder” pop-up box appears.

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Enter
Documents

Create
button

5. Enter “Documents” in the input field and click on “Create”. The new Documents
folder appears under the My Drive index.

New Documents
folder

6. Click on the Documents folder name and the empty folder panel will appear.

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Documents
folder contents

Empty
Documents
Folder

7. Click on My Drive and the Documents folder disappears. Click the small arrow
next to My Drive under the New button and the Documents folder appears under
My Drive on the left side of the screen.

Click My Drive

Click the arrow View Document folder

8. Repeat steps 2 – 6 and create a “Pictures” folder. The result should look like this.

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Folders

File Upload

Once you have created folders in the cloud storage service you can upload and
download your files.

Upload – copy a file from your computer -> cloud.

Download – copy a file from the cloud -> your computer.

Exercise 3: Upload a file on cloud storage.

In this exercise, you will upload a picture from your computer to the Google drive cloud
storage service used in the previous exercise.

1. Click the Pictures folder created in Exercise 2 above.

Pictures folder
selection

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2. Click on the “+ New “ button and the file option menu will appear

Click to open the

file options menu

3. Click on the “Upload files” button to start the upload process.

Click to
upload a file

4. The File Explorer Window on your computer appears. Click on the Pictures
folder name in the left panel. A set of pictures appears in the right panel.

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Click on
Pictures

5. Click on the picture named Desert and click on the Open button. The picture will
appear in your Pictures folder on the cloud!

File Download

Files on the cloud can be downloaded to your computer using the following instructions.

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Exercise 4 – Download a file from cloud storage

In this exercise, you will download the file you just uploaded from the cloud to your
computer.

1. Return to the cloud Pictures folder shown at the end of the previous exercise.

Right click
on image

2. Right click on the Image (Desert.jpg) and the file menu will appear.

Click on
Download

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3. Look in the bottom left corner of the Google Chrome screen and you will see the
name of the file showing the download occurred.

Bottom left
corner of the
browser screen
Name of the file
downloaded

4. Minimize Google Chrome. You should see the Desktop on your computer. Open
the File Explorer located in Task Bar.

File Explorer
icon

5. Select the Downloads folder in the left panel of the File Explorer.

Click on the
Downloads Folder

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6. View the Desert image in your computer downloads folder.

7. You can move or copy the file to another folder on your computer.

Note: The Windows Fundamentals course will explain how to move and copy
files.

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3. Sharing cloud-based Files or Folders

Files placed in cloud storage can be shared with other Google users. You need to
provide the e-mail address of the person you want to view or change the file. The
person will receive an e-mail containing a link to the file you wish to share.

You can allow the person to view or modify the file when you send the e-mail.

Reasons to share files or folders

There are several reasons you would want to share files with someone else. They
include:

 Sharing a document in an office.

 Working on a project with students or teachers.
 Exchanging files with users in distant locations.
 Sharing pictures with family members.
 Sharing large files that cannot be e-mailed.

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Exercise 5: Share a file on cloud storage.

In this exercise, you will share the picture in your Pictures folder with another student or
the instructor.

1. Return to the Desktop image in the Drive > Pictures folder in Exercise 3.

Picture
Folder

2. Click on the “Picture” folder name. The Google file menu is shown.

Click
Share

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3. Click on Share menu entry. The “Share with others” panel appears. To share the
document with a person, enter the person’s e-mail address.

Enter the e- Access

mail address Options

4. Next, click the Access Options drop down arrow and the share options appear.

5. Select on the access privileges you want to give the person. “Can organize”
allows the person to change the file. View only allows the person to see the
picture or files but not change it.

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6. Click the Send button and the invitation to share. The file is sent to the person’s
e-mail address.

Send the
invitation

7. The person you are sharing the file with will receive an e-mail like this.

Click to see the file or

folder contents.

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8. Once you click blue Open, you will be asked to sign in to Google!

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4. Quiz / Review
1. What are the advantages of using cloud storage?

2. What are some limitations of using cloud storage?

3. When should you use cloud storage?

4. What computer folder receives files downloaded from a cloud service?

5. Why would you want to share files from Cloud storage?

6. What computer storage devices does Cloud storage duplicate?

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