The Cloud

Log Out | Topics | Search Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Author Message Robin E. Snyder Senior Member Username: robin Post Number: 359 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Monday, June 27, 2011 - 12:41 pm:    I know another thread discussed cloud backup, but I am curious if anyone (particularly independants) is using the Cloud for production and daily storage of files. I currently have everything on a server, and if I am travelling I need to log into my computer remotely. Problems are...server is getting old, and if there is any problems with my computer (ie, it locks up), I can't work remotely. I am looking for an financially reasonable alternative to the server and figure the Cloud may be the way to go. It needs to be as easy to use as having files on my local hard drive (ie; to run searches through previous job files etc). Any thoughts or suggestions? Nathan Woods, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: nwoods Post Number: 391 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Monday, June 27, 2011 - 12:50 pm:    Dropbox.com Brillant, easy, fast, reliable, highly accessible in a multitude of device types. You "save" your documents to your "My Documents/Dropbox" folder and it goes to the cloud automagically, and syncronizes accross all your devices. Very slick. You get 2 or 3GB free, or more if you refer some others. Melissa J. Aguiar, CSI, CCS, SCIP Senior Member Username: melissaaguiar Post Number: 133 Registered: 12-2003 Posted on Monday, June 27, 2011 - 01:29 pm:    I love dropbox!!! I have it on all my desktops and my iphone and ipad. I used it several times while on trips to coordinate work between design teams while on the phone! It was amazing. "Cloud" is new terminology, but it has always been there. There are several folks that have "cloud" backups. Amazon, Dropbox, Carbonite, etc. etc. I think Kim Komando explains it best... http://www.komando.com/columns/index.aspx?id=10910 Melissa J. Aguiar, CSI, CCS, SCIP Robin E. Snyder Senior Member Username: robin Post Number: 360 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Monday, June 27, 2011 - 01:46 pm:    Thanks Melissa- the backups are great, but I am looking for something that is essentially a cloud-based hard drive, without a decrease in efficiency etc. I need about 15 GB of space. Melissa J. Aguiar, CSI, CCS, SCIP Senior Member Username: melissaaguiar Post Number: 134 Registered: 12-2003 Posted on Monday, June 27, 2011 - 01:51 pm:    Look into Mozy and Carbonite. They might have what you are needing with different packages. I have used both but I prefer Mozy over Carbonite because Mozy would back up my EHDs and Carbonite would not (at that time, they might now, it has been awhile since I used their services.) Site addresses are www.carbonite.com and www.mozy.com Melissa J. Aguiar, CSI, CCS, SCIP Melissa J. Aguiar, CSI, CCS, SCIP Senior Member Username: melissaaguiar Post Number: 135 Registered: 12-2003 Posted on Monday, June 27, 2011 - 01:55 pm:    I have two internet based backup up sites, three EHDs plus I back up to each desktop and then I have one EHD offsite for that extra touch...LOL I have lost all my data before (10 years worth) and was lucky to have found someone for about 700 bucks that could retrieve my data off the desktop. It was a mess but I will never experience that loss again. Melissa J. Aguiar, CSI, CCS, SCIP Chris Grimm, CSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate, LEED-AP, MAI, RLA Senior Member Username: tsugaguy Post Number: 263 Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 - 09:49 am:    Wuala may be what you are looking for. It gives you a W: drive that all synchronizes to the cloud. If you have any sensitive data, it also has the advantage that the encryption is done before they even receive your data. Dropbox has the advantage of integration from many other apps if you use it on an iPhone. I haven't seen this with Wuala yet. Maybe their security makes that impossible. Here is a good comparison matrix for online backup services: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_online_backup_services John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1326 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 - 11:07 am:    How about a service that uses the cloud in a RAID-type design? That is, the cloud is used to mirror the hard drive in the computer, so there's redundancy. Probably would be faster access since the redundant copy can be made in the background. Does anyone know of such a thing? Mark Gilligan SE, Senior Member Username: mark_gilligan Post Number: 397 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 - 12:31 pm:    Two realities regarding the Cloud. First the bandwidth will be smaller than for files on your computer. Thus would expect slower response. Second somebody still has to pay for the physical storage device to store the data and for the labour to manage the system and they will expect to make a profit. This suggests that it will ultimately cost more. In addition if the internet is down you will not have access to the data.