Cloud Storage & Backup

[yathis]

Which Cloud Storage do you use, if any?

 

I just cleaned up my desktop where all my pictures are, and put it all into the Cloud.

I have it automatically save when anything in a certain desktop file has been changed. I can confirm this by the recent activity tab. Plus I do random tests where I just insert a top file, or change the test file name. It seems to be working flawlessly. What I'd like to do is do the same thing with another cloud service. But I totally forget exactly what I did to set it up on the first Cloud. I just followed some guide online but I cant seem to find it again. When I did do it the first time, it was a real chore because I spent a few hours playing with it.

 

What got me thinking about this again is we just had a power outage that lasted 8 seconds or so. We dont need a UPS, but it got me thinking about desktop folder backup reliability.

 

Which leads to this - When I tried to save the same desktop file onto a USB, I get 500 errors where the name is too long, and cant save all the properties of those folders. This is why I switched to the Cloud in the first place.

 

[KuJoe]

I'm using Google Drive and Amazon Drive but both are pretty pricey above 1TB (as of next month Amazon is getting rid of their "Unlimited Drive" and charging $59/year per 1TB of storage). I'm on the fence about purchasing a 10TB plan from hubiC because it's cheaper and overseas, but the speed is less than half of what I'm getting with Google and Amazon. I used CrashPlan for a while but that speed was even slower than hubiC.

 

I really need to sit down and hammer out my backup scheme, I've got a ton of backups but I need more versioned backups so I can restore older files if I need them.

 

EDIT: I just re-read your post and it looks like you're just backing up pictures. If so, get an Amazon Prime account and there's no limit to image storage on Amazon Drive (if you don't mind them having access to your photos). Google Photos also offers unlimited storage for free if you don't mind them compressing the images but I prefer the uncompressed version of my photos.

[yathis]

How is OneDrive and Dropbox?

[KuJoe]

1 minute ago, yathis said:

How is OneDrive and Dropbox?

My co-worker uses OneDrive and he likes it, I tested out their image storage to compare the facial recognition and sorting features but it wasn't as good as Google or Amazon so I stopped using it. I used to store files on there for school back in the day but other than that I have no experience with using them for backups.

 

I use the free plan for Dropbox for saving and sharing files, no experience with backups. They're they same price as Google Drive for 1TB so I would personally go with Google Drive since I know what kind of speeds to expect (I'm also not sure my NAS's software supports Dropbox).

[DrMacintosh]

I use iCloud Drive

 

I pay for the 50GB/month for $1 plan. 

 

I put all my personal files there. Music, Movies, certain categories of photograph, lyrics for songs, iTunes playlists, and more. In addition iCloud also does backups and email and syncs passwords. 

 

iCloud also keeps my iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, and Windows machine in sync with each other. (not so much the PC but the other devices are a ball to use with iCloud)

 

I like it because it uses the pure file, there is no logging into a website to get them (unless you have to), no downloading zip files, just the files.

 

And I am happy to know that I can trust Apple with my data. 

 

[yathis]

Yeah Apple seems cool, with their holding out on opening someones phone to the feds.

I should look into that.

 

Thanks for the tip!!!!

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, yathis said:

Yeah Apple seems cool, with their holding out on opening someones phone to the feds.

I should look into that.

 

Thanks for the tip!!!!

They have a web client that you can log into to view almost everything on your iCloud Account in addition to an application you can install on your Windows Machine. 

 

 

[KuJoe]

Just now, yathis said:

Yeah Apple seems cool, with their holding out on opening someones phone to the feds.

I should look into that.

 

Thanks for the tip!!!!

I personally wouldn't trust any company with sensitive data (family photos are fine, my tax documents are not). I use the Hyper Backup software on my Synology NAS to encrypt everything before uploading it (I use the CloudStation software to automatically sync everything in a specific folder on my PCs to my NAS and that folder gets backed up every night to the cloud). Just an idea if you want an easy way to backup securely.

[The_Askinator]

5 minutes ago, yathis said:

Yeah Apple seems cool, with their holding out on opening someones phone to the feds.

I should look into that.

 

Thanks for the tip!!!!

just use Google photos, there is no difference between the compressed and original.. You're just throwing away money for the placebo effect..

[DrMacintosh]

3 minutes ago, KuJoe said:

I personally wouldn't trust any company with sensitive data

well if you were to trust your data with any company, Apple would be the one to do it with. They at least seem to respect your privacy. Its at the forefront of everything they do.  

[DrMacintosh]

1 minute ago, The_Askinator said:

 there is no difference between the compressed and original..

Can I get uhhh

 

[The_Askinator]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

Can I get uhhh

 

PLACEBO EFFECT

[KuJoe]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

well if you were to trust your data with any company, Apple would be the one to do it with. They at least seem to respect your privacy. Its at the forefront of everything they do.  

Didn't they just release an update to iMessage or whatever it's called that let them access content that was originally encrypted by default? Either way, when it comes to sensitive data I can't think of a single company I would ever trust.

[DrMacintosh]

1 minute ago, KuJoe said:

Didn't they just release an update to iMessage or whatever it's called that let them access content that was originally encrypted by default?

iMessages are end to end encrypted. Apple can't read them since every device has its own unique key that Apple does not keep records of. 

[KuJoe]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

iMessages are end to end encrypted. Apple cant read them. 

Until now.

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, KuJoe said:

Until now.

I keep up with Apple news, I have not seen anything that points to changes in iOS security policies. 

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, The_Askinator said:

PLACEBO EFFECT

I'll gladly pay for a service that I love. 

 

iCloud is far more sophisticated than using Google Services individually and it can store whatever version of photos you want. Compressed or original. 

[KuJoe]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

I keep up with Apple news, I have not seen anything that points to changes in iOS security policies. 

By default iMessages is backing up to the cloud and allows the messages to be restored to another device, the only way this is possible without the person entering a decryption key is for Apple to have the ability to decrypt it themselves.

[DrMacintosh]

1 minute ago, KuJoe said:

a decryption key

I think you are thinking of the key as a string of numbers or something that the user knows. 

 

These keys are on your devices logic board and become tied to your iCloud account when you sign in. That is how they are doing it. 

[KuJoe]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

I think you are thinking of the key as a string of numbers or something that the user knows. 

 

These keys are on your devices logic board and become tied to your iCloud account when you sign in. That is how they are doing it. 

So Apple does have access to it. I prefer to be the only one with access to my encryption keys.

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, KuJoe said:

So Apple does have access to it. I prefer to be the only one with access to my encryption keys.

Apple does not have access to it. After is leaves the factory they can never see it again. The chips key never the leaves device. Apple handles so much of their security on device, that is why it is so good. 

 

They cant even get passed your passcode. They just wont do it! They took this all the way to court with the FBI man!

[The_Askinator]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

I'll gladly pay for a service that I love. 

 

iCloud is far more sophisticated than using Google Services individually and it can store whatever version of photos you want. Compressed or original. 

How is it "FAR MORE SOPHISTICATED"?

[KuJoe]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

Apple does not have access to it. After is leaves the factory they can never see it again. The chips key never leaves device. Apple handles so much of their security on device, that is why it is so good. 

 

They cant even get passed your passcode. They just wont do it! They took this all the way to court with the FBI man!

So if you backup your iMessages to iCloud, lose your phone, and buy a new phone then how are the messages restored if the user doesn't have to input a key?

 

If you mean the FBI case where they couldn't unlock an encrypted device then that's completely different than giving the FBI a user's iCloud (which they have done in the past).

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, The_Askinator said:

How is it "FAR MORE SOPHISTICATED"?

Chill with the caps man

 

iCloud doesn't just store photos. 

[The_Askinator]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

Chill with the caps man

 

iCloud doesn't just store photos. 

True true, if you're into the Apple ecosystem, then I guess paying premiums for simplicity is normal.