Integrated Professional Skills in the Digital Age: Virtual Tech, Cloud

This report provides a comprehensive overview of virtual technologies and cloud storage solutions in the context of business and professional practices. It begins by examining recent virtual technologies, including Zoom and Microsoft Teams, detailing their features, applications, suitability, advantages, and disadvantages. The report then delves into the applications, suitability, advantages, and disadvantages of cloud storage and computing, highlighting their role in data management and accessibility. Finally, the report addresses the challenges and security measures associated with using online techniques, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding information in the digital age. Overall, the report offers valuable insights into the effective use of these technologies for enhanced business communication, collaboration, and data management.

Integrated Professional
Skills in the Digital
Age

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Discuss recent virtual technologies along with features, applications, suitability, advantages
and disadvantages...................................................................................................................3
Discuss the applications, suitability, advantages and disadvantages of cloud storage and
computing...............................................................................................................................6
Discuss challenges and security measures while using online techniques.............................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFRENCES.................................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
In current business world, there are ample of techniques are used by managers in order to
manage business in an efficient manner. In COVID 19, people avoid personal interaction thus
virtual meetings have been used by business owners for online meetings and interaction (Brü
Gger, 2018). The current report comprises different online methods, cloud storage that are used
in business practices. It includes virtual techniques such as Zoom, Microsoft team and more in
order to promote virtual interaction among team members. In addition, application, benefits of
cloud storage have also been discussed in the following report. Lastly, it includes several
challenges and security measures need to use by internet users in an efficient manner.
Discuss recent virtual technologies along with features, applications, suitability, advantages and
disadvantages
Now, online techniques have become a crucial part of business. Now, people prefer to have
meetings on virtual platforms rather physical interaction. It is analyzed that current pandemic has
changed the life style of people. Now, social distancing has become a crucial part of life. People
have started to avoid physical interaction with each other(Cull, 2019). Thus, virtual online
techniques of meetings and interaction are gaining popularity nowadays. There are different
techniques such as Zoom, Micro soft meetings, Team viewer and more are used to interact with
other in virtual manner. Different mediums of virtual interaction are given as under:
Zoom video communications:
It is simply termed as Zoom that is a communication technology company based on
America. It was founded in 2011 by Eric Yuan who was an engineer in Cisco. It has headquarter
in California US. Here, it provides a cloud based platform for video chatting, meetings,
interaction and more. During Covid 19, it has become a crucial way for individuals to interact
with each other. In addition, it can be sued for distance education, telecommunication and social
relations.
Features: There are ample of features associated with Zoom application that helped to
enhance its presence across the globe. It has feature of meeting and chat. Users can also chat
with each other while join in the meeting. It has feature of HD audio, video, chat and more that

provide a better experience to users. In addition, video webinars can also organized at this
platform that will help to enhance engagement and collaboration of users.
Application: It is analyzed that there are ample of applications of Zoom as it can used for
various purpose. Here, meetings, seminars can be organized through this. In addition, it also
provides a great opportunity to people to interact with each other with the use of video and audio
platforms (Francisco-Menchavez, 2018). Now, webinars are also organized on Zoom where
several people can join it at same time. Further, it is also used for distance education where
faculty members organized video meetings. Here, both the parties can interact with each other
and students can also clear their doubts through chat. Therefore, it is used for business,
educational and personal meetings at global level
Suitability: It is analyzed that Zoom is highly suitable for business and educational
meetings. It provides feasibility of chatting along with video interaction. Here, it is also
considered suitable for seminars, webinars and more. There are nearly 100 people can join Zoom
meeting at a time. This limit can be extend with paid plans. So, it is highly suitable in current
pandemic time where people avoid personal contact and interaction.
Advantage:
 It is analyzed that Zoom is easy to use as features of the app is really easy to operate that
provide higher feasibility to both host as well as attendees.
 Here, it provides higher flexibility as one can attend the meetings as per their feasibility.
One can host as well as attend the meeting while travelling. Here, participants can join
meeting from anywhere.
 It is analyzed that Zoom provides better and enhanced services even on poor internet
connectivity. Here, data is supported with cloud servers so both the parties can attend
meeting without worrying about their internet connection.
Disadvantages:
 In 2020, there are higher securities concerns have raised by users of Zoom. There were
allegations that the app is not secured and provides disruption in end to end encryption.
So, hackers can easily hack the information & misused it (Langer, 2017).
 Due to higher security concerns, users loss trust in the application. It harmed existing
brand image of company. So, ample of users stopped to use the app even in some
countries it is restricted to use zoom application.

 It has accusation to share data with Face book and also link with Chinese server. These
allegations put huge adverse impact on existing image of organization.
Microsoft team:
It is a platform that is used widely for business communication. It was developed by
Microsoft as a part of Microsoft 365 family of different products (O’Mara and Harris, 2016).
Microsoft launched this service in New York in 2017 that is being used at wide level. Here, it is
a web based desktop app that has gained recognition during pandemic time. Now, this app is
using widely for virtual interaction and meetings at international level.
Features: It has ample of features such as team & channels, chat function, online video
meeting and more. In addition, it also provides feature of screen sharing, audio & video
conferencing and more. There is also a feature of online video calling, online meeting and so on.
So, these all features are helpful to make meeting more interactive and better that is crucial to
facilitate communication among team members.
Application: It is analyzed that Microsoft team can be used for ample of purpose such as
calling, interaction and more. Now, it has become a crucial way for meetings to take effective
business decisions (Pertierra, 2018). It is considered important for team work that provides all
the important feature which a team needs at a single platform. So, in the current pandemic time,
this application is considered as an important way of collaboration and interaction.
Suitability: It is analyzed that Microsoft team is highly suitable to organized video and
audio meetings for team members. During Covid 19, it provides sufficient feasibility and
flexibility to users to be part of effective virtual interaction. Here, people can easily coordinate
and interact with each other without any face to face meeting. In addition, it is considered a
suitable as well as cost effective ways for companies to organize meetings at virtual platform.
Advantages:
 It is monitored that Microsoft team enhanced productivity gains through effcetuve
collaboration, meetings, calls, chats and more. Here, they can also share screen and
interact with other members in an effective manner. These all features are crucial in order
to provide better and enhanced experience to users.
 Here, Microsoft team provides the benefit of transparency as message send by one person
can easily read by all the participants and members. There is no requirement to put

someone in cc and bcc here message is visible to all. So, this higher transparency really
helps to build trust among members.
 In this, new team members can promptly interact with other members regardless of
location and other barriers. So, it is helpful to bring team sprit among members.
Disadvantages:
 It is analyzed that the structure of file storage in Microsoft team is not appropriate.
Sometime, users get confused regarding the storage of file that may create ciaos in virtual
meeting. It also become a reason of conversation break in the middle of meeting.
 Here, the user need to have appropriate knowledge of team development, channels and
more in order to use the platform in an effective manner. The structure of this application
is hard that cannot be easily understood by users.
Therefore, at this time online techniques have become a crucial way to interact for business,
educational as well as personal purposes. Zoom and Microsoft team are essential platforms that
are used widely at global level for virtual meetings. These applications provide effective features
of video and audio calling, webinars, collaboration and more. However, there are some negative
aspects also associated with these applications which restrict their performance. So, users also
need to careful in order to use these platforms in better manner.
Discuss the applications, suitability, advantages and disadvantages of cloud storage and
computing
Cloud storage is a model of cloud computing by which data is stored on internet. It
provides access of data to users at anywhere at any time. Here, organizations have their own
cloud storage infrastructure that is essential to manage data in an efficient manner (Raju, 2017).
It is analyzed that cloud storage is purchased through cloud vendor who deals in data storage
capacity and also charges a particular amount to provide services. Here, these vendors manage
security, capacity as well as durability so that data can be access across the world. It is analyzed
that is one of the best way to deal with data where no hardware is required to manage data and
information. It is monitored that in cloud storage one can easily change in capacity as per
demand. So, it is a cost effective way to manage data. Here, the data that falls under lower
frequency will be automatically transfer to lower cost tier. There are some crucial factors which
need to consider while using cloud storage. These factors are durability, availability and security.

Therefore, it is used at wide level in order to bring flexibility in data and storage management
that is essential to access & utilize data in more effective manner.
Application: Cloud storage have ample of uses that help in storage and managing data.
Now, there are ample of companies that are using this practice in order to manage large amount
of data. It provides access of data to users at all the time and any place. In addition, it also
provides higher flexibility to get required information. It is easy to get back up of data that is
stored in cloud. It is not possible to collect and maintain huge amount of data manually so
companies use cloud based services to manage and store data. It make an individual enable to
store, retrieve file at any time. With this, they have higher availability, accessibility as well as
security and more. Therefore, cloud storage is used widely by companies as well as individuals
in order to get access of data at any time.
Suitability: As per current scenario, people are more friendly with online techniques.
They do not want to get in the ciaos of manual data management (Savin-Baden and Tombs,
2017). So, cloud storage is considered as one of the suitable way to store necessary files. It is
based on the model of on a pay as you go as per which user need to make the payment according
to uses. Now, not only big and multinational companies but small companies are also using
cloud based services. So, it is highly suitable for individuals as well as organizations in order to
manage to files in an efficient manner.
Advantages:
 It is monitored that there is no requirement to use hardwares for data storage. So, cloud
storage is cheaper in comparison of other external devices.
 Here, with the help of cloud storage one can access data from anywhere and place with
an internet connection. So, it is the best and most suitable way to store, retrieve necessary
data and files.
 In case of any break down in hardware companies can access data from cloud so it can be
used as a backup solution for recovery of data and information. In addition, cloud storage
provides higher security as there are ample of users so vendors make sure that files of an
user cannot be access by others.
Disadvantages: Here, it is completely depended on internet connection. In case of poor internet
connectivity it is quiet difficult to get access of data and information. So, cloud storage is

highly depended on availability and speed of internet in to provide timely services to
users.
 It is analyzed that companies need to pay extra cost for downloading and uploading files.
So, it might increase overall cost while user are trying to access ample of files at a time.
 However, it is a better way to manage data but while using cloud storage users do not use
their own personal storage. It might increase the threat of cyber attacks by providing
access of data to unauthorized users.
Discuss challenges and security measures while using online techniques
Now, organizations have higher dependency over online methods for business that also
creates threat of security. Here, internet sources are used by companies for meetings, interaction
and more (Selwyn, Nemorin and Johnson, 2017). This information can easily hacked by
unauthorised users who may further misuse it. It is also harming confidentiality of data and
information of companies. Competitors can misuse data against organization. Challenges during
the use of online techniques are given as under:
Lack of expertise: There is higher expertise required to make use of online techniques for
business. Now, several virtual techniques such as Zoom, Microsoft team and more are used by
companies in order to interact with each other in better manner. There are ample of features
associated with these platforms. So, it is essential to have higher expertise, competencies and
knowledge to use these techniques in an efficient manner. But, all the employees do not have
necessary skills and competencies in order to use virtual meeting platforms in an efficient
manner. For this purpose, they need to appoint qualified staff members who are able to deal with
online tools. It increases overall operating cost of business.
Lack of personal interaction: It is another constraint of online business where people are
not able to interact with each other by personal meeting. Sometimes, it lead towards higher
ambiguity a& confusion that may harm existing relationships at work place. However, online
techniques are effective but it has reduced down face to face interaction that is essential to
maintain better relationship among individuals.
Privacy and security Concerns: Here, privacy and security is the major concern for
internet users. There are several unauthorized users, hackers who may harm data and
information. They can take personal credentials of users and can use it inappropriately. Here,
hackers can get personal information of business owners such as name, email, bank account

number and more. So, internet has bring ease in business but managers need to stay careful while
using these techniques for business purpose.
Security measures:
Set and reset password: Here, it is essential to set such a password for the online
softwares that cannot be guessed or hacked by others. There are ample of hackers who use
several ways to hacked personal information of other users. So, individual needs to remain a step
ahead and set a strong password for their accounts. In addition, they need to rest password on
timely basis that is essential to secure account from unauthorized parties.
Payment gateway security: Now, there are ample of payment gateways are used to make
online payments. Here, individuals need to give their personal credentials such as name, address,
bank account and more. So, it is the responsibility of business owners to securely process the
payment of users. It is essential to maintain positive brand image of organization in market place.
There are several gateways such as Paypal, Stripe and more are used for online payment.
Business managers need to obtain a Payment Card industry security standard accreditation (PCI
DSS). It will help to provide higher security to users.
Use Firewalls: It is analyzed that cyber hacking and crimes are increasing rapidly. Now,
hackers easily hacked websites so it is crucial for business owners to use firewall to protect their
websites. It also helps to secure website by protecting it from cyber threats in an efficient
manner.
Back up data: It is monitored that now companies are using cloud storage to store data in
an efficient manner. Sometimes, data at cloud storage may hacked by hackers so it is crucial to
have back up of data over other hardwares. It is essential to secure data and access it as per
requirement. For this, business owners can use ecommerce web hosting services to create back
up automatically.
Therefore, there are ample of challenges faced by internet users. Higher expertise is
required to make use of online techniques. In addition, there are ample of privacy and security
concerns in using online methods. To overcome with these challenges and to avoid any
constraints in using internet it is essential to undertake some security measures. These
precautions are helpful to make effective use of internet.

CONCLUSION
From above discussion, it is concluded that online methods and techniques play a crucial
role in business. Now, there are ample of virtual platforms are being used for meetings and
interaction. It is summarized that after covid 19 virtual platforms have gaining popularity and
sued at wide level for meetings in business practice. There are ample of platforms such as Zoom,
Microsoft team and more are used for meetings in organizations. There are ample of features
such as video calling, video conferencing and more are used in order to organize meetings and
seminars in an effective manner. Further, cloud storage model are used to store files and data in
an efficient way from where necessary information can be accessed at anytime and anyplace. It is
monitored that there are several challenges are faced by users while using internet services. So, it
is essential to adopt appropriate security measures before use of online methods in order to
ensure higher security and protection.

REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Bru ̈ Gger, N., 2018. The archived web: Doing history in the digital age. MIT Press.
Cull, N.J., 2019. Public diplomacy: Foundations for global engagement in the digital age. John
Wiley & Sons.
Francisco-Menchavez, V., 2018. The labor of care: Filipina migrants and transnational families
in the digital age. University of Illinois Press.
Langer, A.M., 2017. Information Technology and Organizational Learning: Managing
Behavioral Change in the Digital Age. CRC Press.
O’Mara, B. and Harris, A., 2016. Intercultural crossings in a digital age: ICT pathways with
migrant and refugee-background youth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 19(3), pp.639-
658.
Pertierra, A.C., 2018. Media anthropology for the digital age. John Wiley & Sons.
Raju, J., 2017. Information professional or IT professional?: The knowledge and skills required
by academic librarians in the digital library environment. portal: Libraries and the
Academy, 17(4), pp.739-757.
Savin-Baden, M. and Tombs, G., 2017. Research methods for education in the digital age.
Bloomsbury Publishing.
Selwyn, N., Nemorin, S. and Johnson, N., 2017. High-tech, hard work: An investigation of
teachers’ work in the digital age. Learning, Media and Technology, 42(4), pp.390-405.
Wynn, J., 2017. Citizen science in the digital age: rhetoric, science, and public engagement.
University of Alabama Press.