Online storage services

Mohan Raju

As one of the leading voices in the advocacy of online storage for personal and business  use, Raju has been successful in communicating what should (and shouldn’t) be thought of as quality products in the cloud. His site covers everything from the main features of the  biggest clouds, to the details necessary to master and get the most value out of your cloud.

What are the benefits of cloud computing for personal use? Business?

Cloud computing is considerably one of the biggest things to happen to the world of computing, on a personal as well as a professional front, and it has a lot of benefits on both fronts. Personally, you no longer have to select a server to download from – which you  haven’t been doing for years anyway – and there is a very good chance that cloud  computing may completely do away with the very concept of an hard disk.

The best case of cloud computing being beneficial for both the person as well as the  organization is the educational field. With cloud computing, students can now logon to the cloud from wherever they are, and can learn whatever they want, giving the child the freedom to learn, and the educational institute saves a lot of investment money, because it no longer has to look at setting up classrooms and other infrastructure for students – it is all in the cloud now.

What is the biggest risk of cloud computing?

The biggest risk of cloud computing is of course, security. With even the strongest  networks being broken into nowadays, one cannot be actually hundred percent sure that the data that they are transmitting or storing in the Cloud would be perfectly safe. Another big risk is privacy. If a company is giving cloud computing storage, there is every chance that they would want something in return. If the company’s core business is advertising, there would be nothing to stop them from harnessing the data that the users upload, and use it to promote products and broadcast advertisements.

Are all services adaptable to all platforms, or should users be aware of compatibility  issues?

To speak about a cliché, just like there are different clouds in the sky, there will be  different clouds in the IT industry. The big behemoths like Google and Microsoft have already launched their clouds, and though the IT companies today understand that they have to as cross platform as cross platforming can be, there will of course be some issues that will be sorted out as time goes by. For example, when Open Office was first launched, it was a big hassle to have it save files in the .doc format, and Open Office documents wouldn’t retain their formatting in the MS Office program, so on and so forth. However, in the end the consumer won, and we no longer have any compatibility issues. In the same way, there are some compatibility issues with the clouds of different companies, but that should be sorted out pretty soon.

How secure is online storage? Will there be an increase in thefts to coincide with the increase in users and monetary gain?

There’s only one answer to this question – there is no network and storage device that is
completely safe and the same rings true for cloud computing too. Cloud computing will have some issues with security, because this will be the always on network that should be able to be accessed from any device that one can think of. As for the increase of thefts, the scammers, online thieves and spammers have always been there, and this will only act as the proverbial honey to the bees. But with so much riding on the system, it is a given that the companies that have launched the cloud will be able to solve these issues almost immediately.

How will cloud computing effect the companies that produce computers?

Though it sounds like divine justice to people who have had to upgrade their machines every six months for the latest technology in hardware, cloud computing will not actually close down any computing companies. Think about it, even if it’s a cloud, it needs some type of hardware to run it – it is not actually running in the sky. Therefore, the only thing that will happen is that smaller computing companies will shift their direction to the bigger hardware clients, those who are setting up the clouds.

How will the fast progress of cloud computing affect the online storage industry?

The online storage industry is going to have to change their entire thought process with the bigger behemoths coming into the online storage industry. These companies will have to run toe to toe with the bigger companies, and whether it will affect the storage industry or not, it will definitely spell good news for the end consumer. In such a crucial war, it is always the consumer who wins, with newer features, better options, and of course, a better user experience.

What areas is cloud computing still need to be developed?

Things like security need to be developed, as soon as possible. Another thing that should be done is to try to decrease the dependency of the cloud computing concept from the Internet connectivity. There are several countries that do not have access to the Internet in a way that the first world countries have.

Photo via getinet

Rich Mackey

When it comes to utilizing your online storage nobody better at giving you hints than Rich  Mackey. He’s been all over the map both for business and within the online storage  community. His advice comes from years of trial and error and success!

What brought you into investigating and utilizing online storage? I’d always dabbled with Google Docs and Zoho, and played around with DropBox a little, but I had to get serious a few years ago when I was traveling a ridiculous amount for work. Often on five planes in one week. At the time, I was carrying a work laptop, personal laptop and iPad. All that
weight led to severe lower back problems.

I worked with the IT department and ditched both the work laptop and my personal laptop and got a MacBook Air that I used for both. While my aching back improved greatly, the downside was I went from a combined 1.5TB of laptop storage to a 256GB SSD in the MacBook Air. It was traumatic.

While portable hard drives were one option, I also wanted to take just my iPad on short trips (1-2 days) which meant I needed access to files on that device. Syncing files through iTunes (seriously Apple?) wasn’t an option. So after cleaning things out and archiving what I could, I turned to online storage.

You like to save cash on these services while also giving yourself supreme coverage. Any hints?

It’s really pretty easy.

1. Find the deals and jump through the hoops for the extra storage. It’s totally worth it.
•When Amazon launched their cloud service, they ran a promotion to upgrade you to 20 GB of storage (From 5 GB) if you bought 1 album – which was as little as $4.99. That was a no brainer. Also, Amazon is unlimited storage for all music now – so I have my music stored there. Their Android app is great so I can stream all of my music and I don’t pay anything to store it. (And I still have the 20 GB of space for other things, if I want.)
• Dropbox has done 3 or 4 promotions that I can recall. I participated in 2 of them. One was extra space for downloading or logging into their app on Android or iOS. They just recently ran a promotion for up to 5GB free for auto uploading from your camera
(again, for a new feature). I’m a photographer so I maximized that in about 2 days. As I was double checking some things for this response, I noticed they have a social media promotion where you get up to 640 MB for connecting Twitter/Facebook (https://www.dropbox.com/free) so I just did that. I also had to log in on Android since I just switched from an iPhone and I got 250MB for logging in from a new mobile platform.
•SugarSync does some similar promotions to DropBox. They have a few “getting started” tasks that, if you complete, you get several MB free.
• Then there are these once-in-a-lifetime easy promotions. Box did one to give you 50GB (seriously) just for connecting the new mobile app. Done. SkyDrive is running one now where you just have to click a link when you log in to get 25GB of space. Took me all of 2 minutes to click that link and integrate it. You just have to watch for these promos and do them right away. They’re usually mind-numbingly simple and the payoff in space is great.

2. Referrals – and this is a two way street. When I wanted to sign up for SugarSync, I reached out to a friend whom I know has the service and asked for his referral link. He gets a bonus and *I* get a bonus for signing up with a link.I would encourage anyone to seek out a referral link BEFORE they sign up (mine are all on my blog). Even just tweet or post on Facebook you’re looking for a referral. Someone will help out – and you’ll get a bonus. I probably get half of my space through referral since I always share my link whenever anyone asks me. And if I write about storage, I share the link on  Twitter/Facebook/blog/wherever.

3. Don’t be afraid to game the system a bit. I use Google Apps for my business and personal email. That means I get a cloud drive for each of those email addresses (and I can have 10 email addresses for each). So that’s 20 Google Drive accounts x 1GB = 20GB. I can keep different things in each of the 20 but can share them all with 1 main account for my personal and 1 main account for my business. (I don’t currently use it like this as the docs here are so small I barely use 1GB per account, but theoretically, you could). (I also have 5GB from my regular GMail account, which I can integrate as well.) This is all 100% legitimate per Google’s terms. And all 100% free.

4. Sign up for everything, ask questions later. You can always delete an account if a service is terrible, but I generally jump into a new service. Test it out and if I like it, find a way to integrate it. If not, I’ll let it sit and watch for improvements.

Which products do you find the most reliable? Useful? Why?

I use them all for different things – it also helps me keep organized so I don’t have documents in 5 places. Overall, I haven’t had any issues with any of them.

Amazon is solid for music and has a decent interface (the Android app is really the key here for me – I don’t have to keep music on my phone).

Google is the king of reliability with Google Docs, which is now Google Drive. I’ve never lost data – and in fact, have had data saved via autosave after a browser crash. I keep all of my spreadsheets and word docs there.

I use DropBox for photos now – the integration feature was key. I keep a back up portfolio there as well as the last 5 photo shoots I’ve done so I always have access no matter what. It integrates well with Android and my iPad, so I can share samples on the fly without carrying a laptop.

The one I’ve found the least useful, and I hate to say this since I’m a huge Apple fanboy, is iCloud. I’ve tried it from Mac to iPad and it just doesn’t work. So I’ve abandoned it.All it really pointed out for me is how well Google Docs/Drive works.

What’s the most important variable to consider as a consumer? Small business?
Access. Access. Access.

You need to be able to get the right documents in the way that’s right for you. I look at whether I need to edit a file or just view – and that will help dictate which service I use. Also how well the app functions and whether it integrates into other services like Evernote or a mobile office app. If I can’t access my data, there’s no point in me putting it in the cloud. I’d rather keep it on a thumb drive (which usually has more limitations but I can
generally find a computer to make edits.)

Access was what pushed me to Crashplan over Mozy for online backup. I lost a hard drive – and 3 months of photos 2 years ago. I hadn’t done a back up in a while so it was just lost. Crashplan’s app allows you to access ANY file on a mobile device or your computer – without restoring the entire database. That just works for me. They had some issues with speed as they became more popular, but I stuck with them. And haven’t had a bad experience.

Do you ever worry about security?
All the time. I use 6 or 7 online storage services regularly and none of them have the same password. And all of the passwords are fairly complex. I keep up on alerts and if anyone has a security breach they’ll fall to the bottom of my list. I try to take necessary steps to protect my data though.

These days, I’m more worried about losing my data than someone hacking into it. Though thankfully, that hasn’t happened yet.

The Internet is filled with options for online storage most at a low cost, what’s the dividing line between these services?
For me, it’s accessibility, interface and how fast I can maximize storage. If I can’t get at my data and interact with it easily, I’m not going to use your service. Or, more likely, you’ll fall down a tier.

Otixo has made that a little less important since I can use their service to integrate ALL of these into a WebDAV drive with folders for each service, but even there, the throughput is fairly low. I could eat that up fast. So I have to access most items via their native apps. If there was one service I would pay for right now, it’s probably Otixo. The price is low and it
integrates multiple other free services seamlessly.

The Next 3 Years for the Online Storage Industry

This month has brought some interesting news in the online storage industry. One major topic is the year 2015, a year targeted by experts in online storage to be a peak time for online storage market domination. The year is thought to bring over one trillion dollars in profit and investments.

While the number sounds huge, increasing reliance in cloud storage indicates that the market could even exceed this figure. Online storage is creating new jobs worldwide, and new companies are reaching for cloud daily.

One such company is Google. Google Drive, with its April 2012 release date, will hit the market with a simple, easy-to-use interface. Google Drive will be introduced first via a beta, invitation only launching; and is widely expected to give Dropbox, Amazon, and Apple’s iCloud a run for their money.

In the EU, changes are slated to allow cloud computing growth in the European market. Resistance to the new technology in government agencies has back-burnered cloud projects in the past. EU laws have effectively slowed cloud computing due to laws unclear on the ownership of cloud stored data. Reportedly some ninety percent of cloud users in the UK are unsure of liability in regard to data ownership. Laws and regulations concerning cloud computing need coordination and assessment. Once these laws are hammered out, cloud computing should save money, time, and improve efficiency throughout the EU.

Small to mid-size businesses are reaping time saving benefits from the new KineticCloud Backup from KineticD, which offers a free data seeding service, reducing time to upload files in the cloud. The service provides unlimited servers with a 448 bank grade encryption, and once data is uploaded, KineticD sends incremental backup blocks to keep business networks unclogged, and eliminating the need to transmit entire file databases over the web. With new or modified files sent to the cloud continuously, backups occur effortlessly, and work with all major servers.

Popular cloud storage system SugarSync, has had a face-life to its web site, making icons and layout easier to navigate and less cluttered.

World Back Up Day March 31st brought lots of free offers and new users into the cloud computing fold. New business and individual users took the cue to review options and services and get on the cloud. Reviews of popular and ‘best’ cloud computing programs circulated on this date and are still available for savvy consumers waiting to compare and contrast cloud services.

Not only were users encouraged to sign up for cloud services, they were encouraged to start using them. Research has shown that individual users and even some business cloud users tend to have the service but not use it regularly.

Another message for World Back Up Day was to check back up configuration. Again, cloud computing users may not be aware of file size limitations, or have taken the time to perform a test restore to make certain cloud storage and retrieval are working smoothly. With mobile apps for cloud storage growing more common and easy to use, another key message for World Back Up Day was to down load and use one via smart phone.

And lastly, the MegaUpload debacle and demise earlier this year has led cloud users to rely on multiple services for file back up and storage. While the trend may be unnecessary overall, having your data stored with two cloud services or both in the cloud and locally, means double the security and access.

And lastly, a new research study undertaken in February shows a major up tick in companies utilizing cloud storage systems, up to forty percent, with extensive growth in cloud data storage predicted for non-users.

Photo credit to DonkeyHotey

Interview with Backup.com

Originally started as a company to undertake the creation of database system software, Symantec has made much progress in the last 25 years to become a Fortune 500 company and the largest maker of security software for computers. Symantec is most famous for its brand-name products such as Norton Antivirus, the acquisition of security assets from Verisign, and now with their most recent expansion into the field of online backup with their Norton Online Backup software. We had the opportunity of having Claire Dean, Director of Global Marketing at Symantec, and Brian Berliner, Sr. Technical Director and Chief Architect for Norton Data Services, field some questions on Symantec’s movement into the online storage realm.

OnlineStorage.org: Online backup is an old technology that is only really gaining popularity as of late. What made Symantec decide to enter the online backup industry?

Backup.com: We don’t believe that online backup is an old technology. It may be an idea that’s been (more…)

The Future Economics of Online Storage

In the book, The Wealth of Nations, the great social philosopher and father of modern economics, Adam Smith, describes a pin factory’s ingenious method of separating each part of the pin-making process into separate functions and assigning those parts to separate master pin-makers. This process was broken down into stretching out wire, cutting it into specific pin-size lengths, straightening it, putting a point on the end, and forming the eye of the pin, and each part had an individual whose sole role was only their process and they specialized at their step so much that this pin factory could generate 48,000 pins in a day whereas if each pin maker undertook the entire process themselves could only manage less than 100 pins per day. Smith was describing what we now know as the assembly line, and more importantly is what is involved in the market-dominating concept made especially famous by JD Rockefeller of Standard Oil known as the economies of scale.

Cloud computing is a relatively new field whose birth in business can be traced back to 1999 when a company by the name of Salesforce.com began offering Software as a Service (SaaS) to customers. At the same time a software design and consulting firm, FilesAnywhere, began offering (more…)

Cloud Computing – An interview with David Linthicum

It has been noted in economics that the gradual progression and evolution of an economy starts with agriculture, then moves to manufacturing, and finally to services. Americans have been fortunate enough to see all three, and those of us who have been alive for more than the last 10 years have seen the transition from manufacturing to higher level services.

This progression has spawned a new generation of service-oriented billionaires from the “Google Guys” Larry Page and Sergey Brin, to the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. Services are becoming the main breadwinner of American economics, and when analyzed deeply enough will leave two words at the end of all our tongues, “What’s next?”
(more…)

Best Online File Transfer Solutions

Given that online interaction is utilized to such a great degree in most professions, it is imperative that you have a method of online storage to back up all of your files. On that same note, those who prefer a more short-term solution could pursue managed file transferring instead, seeing as that approach also offers a solid number of choices to pick from. OnlineStorage.org provides detailed information on the most reliable and affordable online storage services. They take many factors into consideration, including maximum server uptime, storage capacity, best features and professional support. The following is a list of twenty of the best resources for file transferring. There is no specific order; all of these services are equally useful! So take a look through the options and decide which one works best for you! (more…)

Testing and Evaluating Online Storage

A few years ago, data storage in TB was a dream that was only limited to high-end computers. Today, 2 TB hard drives are much cheaper, and 500 GB is considered to be a minimal standard. Data storage has become as abundant as ever, and so have online storage services. With a huge variety of online storage services available, it can get quite confusing to select just one. You need to look into a number of factors, like the features and benefits offered by each service. So here is a look at all the things you need to check when you are evaluating or testing an online storage service:

• The price

The first and most important factor that you have to evaluate in an online storage service is its price. The price of most online storage services depend on the amount of storage space you need. If you only need a couple of gigabytes of storage, then there are some service providers that offer this (more…)

Accidental Data Loss and Online Storage

Data is a very important part of any business, whether it is run by an individual, a group of people, or a conglomerate. However, you can never completely secure all the critical data of the business. There are bound to be accidents- accidental deletion of files, virus attacks, and physical damage to the hard drives are some of the reasons for the accidental loss of data.

However, there is an alternative way of storing data that allows you to reduce the chances of accidental data loss by huge margins- online storage.

• Professional writers and individual business owners generally store all their work and important data on a single hard disk- external or internal. However, hard drives fail or lose their ability to retain data over a period of time.

• Most hard drives tend to fail without any warning whatsoever. Internal hard disks are (more…)

Online Backup and Storage- Advantages:

With an increasing number of people looking at online storage as an option for storing important data, it is time you got to know about the advantages of storing your data online by visiting informative websites like OnlineStorage.org. This technology is still new, but it holds a lot of promise, and small and big businesses are looking at online data backup as a serious option. So, without any further ado, let’s look at the advantages of online backup and data storage:

Cost efficiency:

If you are a large business or if you deal with a lot of data-critical, as well as non-critical, would you like to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars for hardware to store your data? The answer would probably be a resounding ‘no’. Businesses are trying to cut costs in every way possible, so (more…)