What you think of Dropbox, Gladinet etc. (cloud storage)

[Ivo]

I recently started using Gladinet (the free version) as a way to leverage Skydrive's 25 GB of free storage (thanks, Microsoft) more easily.

For reference:
http://www.gladinet.com/

I'm wondering what others here in the forums think about this sort of stuff. What do you use (if anything)? Why or why not?

Ivo.

[CRTGAMER]

I like my data kept with my own drives, not on line for some server controller to snoop in. Plus what if that site goes down, you lose all your data. Same for Flicker and Photo Bucket. Too bloated, just want to access my stuff without all the extra java loads. Besides Hard drives and CDR's are so cheap and a lot faster for backup data storage.

[DerekG52]

Those are fair concerns about cloud storage, but to be considered truly "backed up", the data must exist offsite in case of fire / meteor, you name it. One stipulation if you use it, be sure to encrypt whatever you have so big brother can't snoop, because they certainly can, especially when subpoenaed. Enjoy the free space

[Frag Mortuus]

Those are fair concerns about cloud storage, but to be considered truly "backed up", the data must exist offsite in case of fire / meteor, you name it. One stipulation if you use it, be sure to encrypt whatever you have so big brother can't snoop, because they certainly can, especially when subpoenaed. Enjoy the free space

I agree. Plus with websites like photobucket etc. They have created such a redundant network that if their server crashes they have another with a mirror of the original data that start immediately. So the security of your data shouldnt be an issue.

Lastly, sites that are popular storage sites like the ones mentioned above are usually part of a company that has multiple sites or parts of that same company so the likelihood of the company closing that site, when it costs little to nothing for site hosting and maintenance, is pretty slim. They may just change the site or merge it with another, like Geocities.

[masteroftheclaw]

Personally I've always been a big fan of just keeping my data on-site whether it be by external backup drives or cds/dvds. However the data I want to keep continues expanding beyond multiple terabytes (damn you recording high def videos and fancy new video games!) and I've started to look into having some of my data hosted remotely for backup.

However, many of the sites that offer these services that make you pay for an "unlimited" plan are kind of lying. Those unlimited plans often cap off at somewhere between 70-300 GBs. Now, that would be enough for a more typical user, I suppose, but it sure pisses me off. I am assuming I might need to get something other than a home user account.

Does anyone have experience with this and how do they handle it?

[CRTGAMER]

About the only "Data" I have that is not replaceable are family/friend photo JPG's. I backup JPGs to D Drive creating a new folder every year. Also place JPGS on external removable Drive for viewing on big screen. Burn that years worth on CDR's and send copies of archives to relatives once a year as part of Christmas present. Better than a Christmas Photo greeting card. They get the full 4 meg JPG files not some reduced size from bloated java Facebook or Photo Bucket.

CDR's and Extra Hard drives are so cheap. Why pay rent to an on-line site.

[fastbilly1]

I think it is a great step in computing, just not useful to me. Itll be useful when I can access it as a drive at home and through a webbased ftp link at work or on the road. Then itll be really useful.

[Ivo]

A couple of comments:

1. About bloatiness, I fully agree, but that is why "Gladinet" was the first part of the thread title. The free version of Gladinet lets you "mount" the cloud storage as a virtual drive, and does all the unpleasant stuff for you, you just drag and drop or whatever.

2. About paying for the service, Microsoft gives 25 GB free per account on their Skydrive (with limitations on size of files and so on - you could "chunk it", and I think the paid version of Gladinet does that automatically, but the free version doesn't).

For example, Fastbilly, isn't this what you want? With Gladinet and Skydrive I have a virtual 25 GB hard drive (with some limitations) that is off-site and safe from fires, theft and so on. It isn't fast as real drives due to upload speed etc., but I don't need to deal with the java mess that these cloud storage sites typically force upon you.

3. I don't advocate only having the data on (say) Skydrive, but honestly even in that situation I think it is safer to have data only on reputable cloud providers than only on your own side. They probably have industrial grade backup measures put in place.

4. As for privacy, you can always encrypt sensitive stuff and better not upload the most sensitive files. You don't need to put everything up.

Ivo.

[CRTGAMER]

4. As for privacy, you can always encrypt sensitive stuff and better not upload the most sensitive files. You don't need to put everything up.

Ivo.

Agree, leave sensitive stuff only local. Any encryption can be hacked, eventually somebody will finds a way.

[fastbilly1]

Skydrive might give me what I want Gladinet did not (or I just did not see the options).

I want it so I can mount it as a harddrive on some computers, and access it as a webbased ftp site on all computers. ie On my home desktop I have it as Drive Z, at my parents house I can just log into it, and while I am on vacation I can access it as Drive Z on my laptop.

Did that make more sense?