Let the cloud help you on rainy days
HYBRID
ACCESS Cloud storage is easy but bandwidth-dependent. Hard disk drives are handy
and safe. Here’s how to get the best of both worlds
OVER THE last
few months, the term “cloud computing” has percolated to common parlance, but
not everyone is still clear about what it means. Will one’s data get wiped out
if there is a storm in these “clouds”? Which cloud up there in the sky has my
data? Don’t laugh, these are real-life questions people ask.
So just to
clarify, a “cloud server” basically means a remote network computer
application, called the server, usually accessed through the Internet. That’s
it. One of the earliest examples of a cloud server is Gmail, which lets you
maintain quite a lot of data in your Gmail account – which is saved on its
servers across the world.
The advantages
are dual: for one, you can share content, be it photos or presentations or even
movie files. Second, you can use a cloud storage space to back up your files,
which you can then access on the move via Internet, and across devices. But the
catch is also two-fold: one, you need a data plan. And the abysmally slow
connectivity speeds make the whole experience extremely forgettable.
Let us look at a
couple of solutions for saving and backing up content, using a mix of the
physical disk and a network.
CRASHPLAN
An external hard
disk drive (HDD) is a great place to start your backup storage. With 500GB HDDs
coming for as little as ` 3,500, the ` 7 per GB cost is so low that one should
not think twice about it. But HDDs have their own problem – you need to
remember to back up in the first place,for even a hard disk drive can crash.
This is where
Crashplan comes in. Go to www.crashplan.com and download their free software
(available both for Windows and Mac). Set up the program, defining what kind of
files are backed up, how often, etc. If you buy the paid version, backup is
done instantly, otherwise the maximum is daily. With the help of the software,
the backup is done to the external HDD connected to your computer. But the
programme also lets you take a backup of the backup on another computer, even a
machine across the world.
Crashplan also
offers you unlimited cloud storage space for an additional $60 per annum
(`3,600).
However, if you
like speed, and can afford it, Seagate has a 4 Terrabyte solution — Backup Plus
Fast (Mac and Windows), which costs ` 25,000, which is the fastest portable
hard disk in the market.
NETWORK ATTACHED HARD DISKS
(Seagate
Central: 2TB @ ` 11,000; WD My Book Live: 1 TB @ ` 8,000)
What if you
don’t want your content on the cloud (remote Internet server), but still want
to access it from anywhere? That too without keeping your computer switched on?
Can you build your own personal cloud?
You can. First,
get a network-attached hard disk, such as Seagate Central or WD My Book Live.
These connect to your home network over Ethernet (local area network
technology). The advantage is that you can back up your computer from wherever
you are in the house, and moreover, you can back up multiple computers to the
same hard disk.
Seagate and WD
both give you a utility to backup; alternately, you can use Crashplan as
discussed earlier. Now for the personal loud. Your drive will need to remain
powered on, but HDDs consume little power anyway. And the Internet connection
needs to be active. You can access the drive via web browser or the respective
app, though it will add to your monthly bandwidth usage. The upside is that
your data is secure within your own control, and not on a third-party site. And
you can access it from anywhere.
Seagate has apps
for Windows phones and Kindle, while WD is limited to Android and iOS users
only.
You can also
allow others to access the content, by sending them a link invite using the
software. They can download files directly from your Network Attached Hard Disk
Drive, just as they would from a remote cloud server.
Network-attached
hard disks come in higher capacities with more features. Evaluate your needs to
choose accordingly.
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