I need to know when cloud-centric makes sense for a radio electronics hobbyist and maker on the home network.

Microsoft 365 is focused on Microsoft applications and OneDrive cloud infrastructure. As such, it is cloud and document-centric. Adopting its Backup-and-Sync model means migrating all your documents and data to OneDrive instead of your local PC. When does doing this make the most sense? I have revealed four simple criteria for when cloud-centric makes sense for my uses and home network.

First is when you want to do roughly the same things with the same applications on all your computing devices, any time and any place. With Microsoft 365, this means working with Office documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and so on. You need to adopt the OneDrive structure, but while imperfect and often confusing, you can make that work across devices.

Second is when you want to collaborate with others anywhere using the same cloud infrastructure. This is easily accomplished sharing folders or files from OneDrive, or through Teams. If you have a business subscription, the more sophisticated SharePoint is also available.

Third is when you are willing to store all or many of your data off-site, with the cloud being your primary repository. OneDrive provides security and privacy, in theory, and reliable access over the internet. And you need to be willing to revise your home infrastructure to accommodate this model.

Fourth, and finally, you are trying to save some money. Yes, over time, a Microsoft 365 costs you money each year, but even a cheap guy like me recognizes you get a lot of stuff for your payments. And, most people could spend less on local desktops and laptops by leveraging the cloud.

When Cloud-Centric Makes Sense – Not for all Hobbyists

The problem with adoption is that most radio hobbyists and makers are hardware or device-centric. We use our computer devices to connect to our radio devices for control and decoding. And while many use cloud logging, most of our work is done locally at the desktop. Similarly, makers use local connections to 3D printers, Arduinos, or control and sense things over the local network.

And, Microsoft 365 provides none of the applications we need for our direct hobby use. It can be a helpful tool for the organizational and communication aspects of ham radio, but it doesn’t replace the need for specialized ham radio software and hardware for actually operating the radios and decoding signals.