Cloud storage

[Guy Roberts]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

TIA

Guy

 

[davidwien]

My Documents folder is actually a second internal hard drive and its entire contents are copied to two external hard drives and as much as can be is copied to One Drive and Amazon Photos so I wouldn't actually lose anything.

If the C Drive was to go to lunch, I'd simply instal the OS and programs on its replacement.

The beauty of this method, as opposed to using a back up of your whole machine, is that I don't reinstal any of the accumulated clutter that comes with it.

I agree totally. i dont keep any data on the C: drive at all. I save it on other drives and back them up. Whatever is on the C: drive is disposable as far as I am concerned. I do the same with my laptop, and keep nothing of any value on my phone.

The names “My Documents”, “My Photos”, etc, have always seemed quite childish to me...

David

 

[thinkinginimages]

Unless I missed something Backblaze, CrashPlan, and Carbonite are very different companies.

I use Backblaze because the client is very light, simple, and non-intrusive. You don't notice it running in the background. Backblaze has an interesting system (to me). Their RAID's/servers use common/consumer drives to keep costs down, not server drives. Server drives are meant to be spinning for long periods of time and to have long read/write access. Common/consumer drives not so much. They collect the MTBF (mean time between failures) data for each drive model and publish it. If you're constructing a RAID system it's good info.

 

[Mark B.]

Backblaze (they were fomerly CrashPlan until CrashPlan spun off a section of it's business into Backblaze).

I don't believe this is quite correct - BackBlaze is not a spinoff of CrashPlan. CrashPlan left the consumer market to focus on business/enterprise backup in 2017, and they recommended Carbonite as an alternative. BackBlaze independently sought to capture former CrashPlan customers.

Correct, BackBlaze was started back in 2007.

 

[mujana]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

Why?

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Yes....no cloud storage at all. That' s what I do.

It is important to have a durable off-site backup. If you are relying on external hard drive(s) stored in your house, what happens if you are burglarized or the house burns down?

I consider of-site backup a very good idea. That’s why it’s wise to have also external hardware backup (just keep one or 2 physical external hard drives in another place than your house).

I don’t think cloud storage is safe. Not safe at all.

Like Guy said in another post in this thread:

“…..paying for a safety deposit box which the bank staff have full access to….”

And then we should even be lucky if “bank staff” would stay the only one with access , now and in the future.

No cloud service for me.

--
Jeff DLB
https://www.flickr.com/jeffdlb/

 

[Aberaeron]

I'll follow this thread with interest. I only back up my computer to external hard drives but would like to add an external element to that. My question really is how long it would take to upload all of my photos to the cloud. I have relatively fast downloads but uploads are fairly pokey. I worry that backing up my 2TB photo drive would take forever and wonder if doing so would bog down my computer while the backup was happening.

It took me two weeks to completely upload about 1.5TB of files to the Cloud before I had faster internet. It didn’t matter, because I didn’t have to manually lift tons of physically heavy files up there, it’s done automatically in the background.

 

[davidedric]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

Why?

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Yes....no cloud storage at all. That' s what I do.

It is important to have a durable off-site backup. If you are relying on external hard drive(s) stored in your house, what happens if you are burglarized or the house burns down?

I consider of-site backup a very good idea. That’s why it’s wise to have also external hardware backup (just keep one or 2 physical external hard drives in another place than your house).

I don’t think cloud storage is safe. Not safe at all.

Like Guy said in another post in this thread:

“…..paying for a safety deposit box which the bank staff have full access to….”

And then we should even be lucky if “bank staff” would stay the only one with access , now and in the future.

No cloud service for me.

Nothing is completely safe. Cloud storage and the other strategies are just ways of addressing different possibilities.

Decide what you want to guard against and what you are prepared to pay, and plan accordingly.

If my house were to burn down, my photos would be the least of my worries!

 

[mujana]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

Why?

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Yes....no cloud storage at all. That' s what I do.

It is important to have a durable off-site backup. If you are relying on external hard drive(s) stored in your house, what happens if you are burglarized or the house burns down?

I consider of-site backup a very good idea. That’s why it’s wise to have also external hardware backup (just keep one or 2 physical external hard drives in another place than your house).

I don’t think cloud storage is safe. Not safe at all.

Like Guy said in another post in this thread:

“…..paying for a safety deposit box which the bank staff have full access to….”

And then we should even be lucky if “bank staff” would stay the only one with access , now and in the future.

No cloud service for me.

Nothing is completely safe. Cloud storage and the other strategies are just ways of addressing different possibilities.

Agree

Decide what you want to guard against and what you are prepared to pay, and plan accordingly.

If my house were to burn down, my photos would be the least of my worries!

Agree again

 

[mujana]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

Why?

1. Incase something happens to my external hard drives and I lose the lot.

2. I also travel quite a bit and it would be convenient to be able to access my photographs when I am abroad. I can do that through Flickr but not all of my photographs are there.

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Yes....no cloud storage at all. That' s what I do.

TIA

Guy

If you are a Prime member, it's a no brainer.

I’m not a Prime member and I don’t intend to be. External hard disks. No brainer.

 

[Lucio Cicuto]

Jestertheclown, indeed you and others have other procedures on how to keep your valuable personal data safe. If it works for you, GREAT! I tried decades ago under Windows system to keep documents on another drive (no C. It was confusing and cumbersome to operate in. I used to do that in part to protect against too frequent system drive failures either hardware, blue screens or virus exposures. Some of that drove me to move to Mac OS. About 15 years ago I was basically using your plan with Windows and using NAS storage. I almost lost everything. I was down to 1 last viable copy of all my files. Today I feel 5 copies is just right.

I use a Mac Mini. I keep all the files/data I need (not talking archived data) on my system drive under documents folder. I replicate documents to iCloud which are instantly available to my MacBook, iPhone and iPad. To me that is a very important aspect. I do not want files with different versions floating around which becomes very time consuming to sort out.

I also use 2 portable USB external TimeMachine dedicated drives. I rotate backup between the two every week. Recently added/edit files are on the cloud or the trash can should I need them. NOTE: I also archive current and old files on other external drives using files sync app. Basically I have 3 copies of archived files and at least 5 copies of critical to me current files.

If something catastrophic happens ie house fire, I grab one of the drives before I leave. In case of theft, iCloud protects my photos, home videos, music and documents. That’s all I really care for.

I recently replaced the SSD drive on my MacBook. I fully restored the drive of all system file, applications, setting and all data within a couple of hours. Unless you are extremely organized, you will probably find apps and settings you forgot to address 6 months ago when you replaced your drive.

As you can see I’m a Mac user. I am sure there are good TimeMachine equivalent apps available in Windows environment.

Cheers

 

[Jestertheclown]

Jestertheclown, indeed you and others have other procedures on how to keep your valuable personal data safe. If it works for you, GREAT!

Each to their own, I guess although I can't see why you'd be so confused by keeping documents etc. on a second drive. It's certainly not cumbersome or remotely difficult.

You don't explain how you "lost almost everything" but I can't see why, outside of user error, that that would be related to using a second drive for storage.

As for "having different versions floating around," again, that sounds like an problem with your organisation. I certainly don't have that issue.


"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

 

[tbcass]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Don't do it. I saw a piece on the news that cloud storage is particularly vulnerable to online attacks and could be the target of Russian Cyber Attacks. Amazon was one that was mentioned.

 

[Aberaeron]

If my house were to burn down, my photos would be the least of my worries!

It needn’t even enter your mind if they were all safe and sound, riding a Cloud.

 

[mujana]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Don't do it. I saw a piece on the news that cloud storage is particularly vulnerable to online attacks and could be the target of Russian Cyber Attacks. Amazon was one that was mentioned.

+1

 

[Jestertheclown]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Don't do it. I saw a piece on the news that cloud storage is particularly vulnerable to online attacks and could be the target of Russian Cyber Attacks. Amazon was one that was mentioned.

I'm sure the Russians could do immense damage with the photographs of the birds in my garden . . .


"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

 

[Aberaeron]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Don't do it. I saw a piece on the news that cloud storage is particularly vulnerable to online attacks and could be the target of Russian Cyber Attacks. Amazon was one that was mentioned.

They have your data on multiple servers so should be fine. However, as long as it is one of several backups you have, there is redundancy for at least one system to fail at any one time.

 

[tbcass]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Don't do it. I saw a piece on the news that cloud storage is particularly vulnerable to online attacks and could be the target of Russian Cyber Attacks. Amazon was one that was mentioned.

They have your data on multiple servers so should be fine. However, as long as it is one of several backups you have, there is redundancy for at least one system to fail at any one time.

I don't share your optimism.

 

[riveredger]

Jestertheclown, indeed you and others have other procedures on how to keep your valuable personal data safe. If it works for you, GREAT!

Each to their own, I guess although I can't see why you'd be so confused by keeping documents etc. on a second drive. It's certainly not cumbersome or remotely difficult.

You don't explain how you "lost almost everything" but I can't see why, outside of user error, that that would be related to using a second drive for storage.

As for "having different versions floating around," again, that sounds like an problem with your organisation. I certainly don't have that issue.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

You know, try is not a "this it that" discussion. Both local backups and cloud-based backups can be used for the same data (photos) which ensures all bases are covered.

 

[Kokopelli_Rocks]

I use Amazon Prime photo storage - Free unlimited storage for prime members. I can upload jpg and raw and they upload fast. I like Amazon viewing, searching and sorting tools. Years ago I tried another service, I could upload fast, but retrieval was a nightmare.

I also like the Amazon Photos mobile app. I can get to any of my pictures very quickly.

I do have 1 TB of MS OneDrive from my M365 subscription and 1 TB of Google Drive, being a Google Fiber customer. Way too small for my general backup and I don't want to pay extra for additional storage.

I don't know if Amazon photos is affordable for non Amazon Prime customers, but if you are a Prime customer it is a great benefit.

BTW, I also have three physical local active backups and several disconnected local backups including off site backups.

 

[Jestertheclown]

Jestertheclown, indeed you and others have other procedures on how to keep your valuable personal data safe. If it works for you, GREAT!

Each to their own, I guess although I can't see why you'd be so confused by keeping documents etc. on a second drive. It's certainly not cumbersome or remotely difficult.

You don't explain how you "lost almost everything" but I can't see why, outside of user error, that that would be related to using a second drive for storage.

As for "having different versions floating around," again, that sounds like an problem with your organisation. I certainly don't have that issue.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

You know, try is not a "this it that" discussion

I think I know what you mean.

Both local backups and cloud-based backups can be used for the same data (photos) which ensures all bases are covered.

I'm fully aware of that.

However, it is, after all, a public forum and I'm simply asking a question.


"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

 

[riveredger]

Currently I back up my photographs on 2 external hard drives, but I have been thinking that cloud storage would be a good addition.

Why?

1. Incase something happens to my external hard drives and I lose the lot.

2. I also travel quite a bit and it would be convenient to be able to access my photographs when I am abroad. I can do that through Flickr but not all of my photographs are there.

I was thinking of Amazon Prime.

Any views or recommendations?

Yes....no cloud storage at all. That' s what I do.

TIA

Guy

If you are a Prime member, it's a no brainer.

I’m not a Prime member and I don’t intend to be. External hard disks. No brainer.

Ok ..not sure how that's relevant, but thanks