Cloud/Sky drive and all that jazz (1 Viewer)

MikeandCarolyn

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Seems I'm missing out on summat here.
I don't have Mac or i-paddy things.I have 2 pc's, 2 laptops, 2 android phones-whats this cloud technology ? I see i-cloud and Sky drive-are they the same ? which could I use ?
What are the features and benefits of each ?

Mike.
 

Popeye

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Seems I'm missing out on summat here.
I don't have Mac or i-paddy things.I have 2 pc's, 2 laptops, 2 android phones-whats this cloud technology ? I see i-cloud and Sky drive-are they the same ? which could I use ?
What are the features and benefits of each ?

Mike.

Hi Mike, look up Dropbox and all will be explained. Very useful tool.

When I'm at work if I need a file at home I simply drop it into the Dropbox onscreen and hey presto it is already in my Dropbox at home.

I then make the necessary amendments and simply drop it back in or save to Dropbox.

No need to email myself files any-more or carry them on a stick.

If you pm me your email address I will send you an invite to Dropbox....Griff

ps you can also use it much like photobucket and upload files straight onto 'M-H-Fun'

pps Nice Van........:thumb:
 

GJH

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Cloud technology is where you entrust your files to the safe keeping of a company that could easily go bust at any time and lose your data or have Ts&Cs which you don't realise gives them rights over usage of your data.

Don't let me put anyone off though :roflmto:

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Mags52

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I bought 1tb of cloud storage on special offer for ÂŁ25 for a year. It is with one of the big suppliers. I backed up all my music, films, non-personal data onto it and can access it anywhere where there is wifi. I think it's pretty clever, especially as we have all our music stored digitally. My only concern is if they want to quadruple their charge for a second year. Bit like insurance - you maybe have to shop around.
 
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MikeandCarolyn

MikeandCarolyn

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I bought 1tb of cloud storage on special offer for ÂŁ25 for a year. It is with one of the big suppliers. I backed up all my music, films, non-personal data onto it and can access it anywhere where there is wifi. I think it's pretty clever, especially as we have all our music stored digitally. My only concern is if they want to quadruple their charge for a second year. Bit like insurance - you maybe have to shop around.

Hmm-I obviously know much less than I thought about this !! Praps I was a little naive in not considering a possible departure of money from my account for this technology.The ads make it sound free.::bigsmile:
I already have a 350gb passport drive and a 1tb desktop drive-praps I should be satisfied with what I've got ::bigsmile:

Mike.
 

hilldweller

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Cloud technology is where you entrust your files to the safe keeping of a company that could easily go bust at any time and lose your data or have Ts&Cs which you don't realise gives them rights over usage of your data.

Don't let me put anyone off though :roflmto:

You've got to wonder about the marketing here.

Clouds. They appear, they vanish, they piss on you.

If you are a dumb cluck you have your head in the clouds.

I trust one person with MY data, ME.

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Feb 27, 2011
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Dropbox is great if you use it for small files that you need everywhere.

Not so good for backing up huge data stores such as music, video and mountains of images.

I used dropbox when I had a ADSL connection. But now I am fulltiming I have all my dvd's, photos, books and music in digital format. I have many TB of data so dropbox is no longer useful to me. Plus I always have my home/office with me so never away from my data :Doh:

However if you work from home and travel to clients or office. Then dropbox is handy as you keep the clients work in drop box and it is automatically synced to your laptop. Then if you make any changes at the clients on your laptop it is automatically synced to your desktop.

It does have it's uses but don't use it just because you can...

Remember data in the cloud is less secure than data held on your computer "generally"....

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Bryan

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As Karl says, it is only really useful in certain circumstances...Think about WHY you are using it and how you would manage if there was NO cloud storage...and then think again about whether cloud storage is that advantageous...

Please don't see it as a backup solution...it really isn't meant for that.

Also, if you need to get ALL your data back from the cloud (if for example your supplier hike their prices :winky:) then you'll need the storage space locally anyway...
 

GJH

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(snip)However if you work from home and travel to clients or office. Then dropbox is handy as you keep the clients work in drop box and it is automatically synced to your laptop. Then if you make any changes at the clients on your laptop it is automatically synced to your desktop.(snip)

I've never used dropbox so have no idea of the security measures employed but this worries me if the "client's work" includes personal data, as the security may not be sufficient to comply with Data Protection requirements.

My first exposure to the idea of cloud storage came when I was working as a DP Officer - basically a proposal to save a private company money. In that case it was knocked on the head straight away because security was sadly lacking.

Data security is not always the first thing that people think of, especially some ICT salesmen of my experience, but if you value your files (personal data or no) then it should be first.
 

grumps147

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Always remember, all storage media has a finite life, some CD/DVD disk media very short, memory sticks Ok until they accidentally come into contact with a magnet, hard disk types until they fail. Even solid state has a life, and its feasible some could fail in a very short time.

I try and use two different methods for personal use, on the basis that it is unlikely they will both fail at once.

My company has its own file transfer system it hosts itself, with links to others where needed for individual files by email links, and backup offsite. For personal use this is OTT, but as has been said, ensure you know who has access to your data when using 'cloud' style systems for backup.

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hilldweller

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Yes but you have to remember to carry that with you. I have one of these too but appreciate being able to access stuff when on the move.

It's an attractive argument. Though flawed on the continent unless you have deep pockets and pay out outrageous data charges. Flawed anywhere in fact because right now radio based data is not guaranteed everywhere.

I have on hard drive 400 hours of movies and all out photographs. ( Two in fact, after ripping DVDs for weeks I keep a backup copy in my firesafe ). This data would be completely unworkable on your cloud. At 10MB for ÂŁ1 so every 2 photographs I showed you would cost me ÂŁ1. Quite frankly I don't think you are worth that much.
 

Bryan

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Always remember, all storage media has a finite life, some CD/DVD disk media very short, memory sticks Ok until they accidentally come into contact with a magnet, hard disk types until they fail. Even solid state has a life, and its feasible some could fail in a very short time.

I try and use two different methods for personal use, on the basis that it is unlikely they will both fail at once.

My company has its own file transfer system it hosts itself, with links to others where needed for individual files by email links, and backup offsite. For personal use this is OTT, but as has been said, ensure you know who has access to your data when using 'cloud' style systems for backup.


The issue of failing media is a good one, that's why we all keep backups,,,right? :winky:


Luckily as disc capacity increases rapidly and technology moves on just as quick, most data isn't sitting still for that long...and so I don't think the longevity of media is that problematic.

If you buy a new laptop it has a new hard disc that you move all your stuff to.
If you buy a bigger external hard disc to put even more music/photos etc. onto, again it is now on new equipment.

The only way to protect against device failure is to have a backup.

The cloud isn't meant for backing up, it's meant for sharing.

Of course, if you get a NAS (basically an external hard disk attached to your internet at home) and configure it correctly then you can access all your data anyway, however you wish and from anywhere in the world...
 
Feb 27, 2011
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I've never used dropbox so have no idea of the security measures employed but this worries me if the "client's work" includes personal data, as the security may not be sufficient to comply with Data Protection requirements.

My first exposure to the idea of cloud storage came when I was working as a DP Officer - basically a proposal to save a private company money. In that case it was knocked on the head straight away because security was sadly lacking.

Data security is not always the first thing that people think of, especially some ICT salesmen of my experience, but if you value your files (personal data or no) then it should be first.


Exactly right.... I was thinking of my industry when I made my comments about client data. This data is not sensitive and doesn't come under the DPA. However as most applications these days do have encryption and password protection of files built in even this shouldn't be too much of an issue.

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GJH

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Exactly right.... I was thinking of my industry when I made my comments about client data. This data is not sensitive and doesn't come under the DPA. However as most applications these days do have encryption and password protection of files built in even this shouldn't be too much of an issue.

I agree, Karl, shouldn't be an issue. Still depends on people actually considering security though ::bigsmile:

When you've come across as many instances of people proposing to send personal data in unencrypted/unprotected e-mails or having a wonderfully clever idea of using a badly designed Access database for multiple users over a network (etc, etc) as I have you get to be very wary ::bigsmile:
 
Feb 27, 2011
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I agree, Karl, shouldn't be an issue. Still depends on people actually considering security though ::bigsmile:

When you've come across as many instances of people proposing to send personal data in unencrypted/unprotected e-mails or having a wonderfully clever idea of using a badly designed Access database for multiple users over a network (etc, etc) as I have you get to be very wary ::bigsmile:

I know what you mean. I still have clients who think it is ok to send their credit card details via email because they can't get our SSL payment processing system to accept them...:Doh:

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Bryan

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And why, from time to time, we all diligently make sure that our backup files are readable so could be used for a restore if necessary :thumb:


And of course we have another copy of the data so that if the restore fails and nukes the original data we do have a backup of our, er, backup....or data...:Doh::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

So what with Raid, backups, synchronised external hdd's, cloud storage...my 100mb of data is now taking up 3tb of storage :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 

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