Cloud storage

[TCT]

What are some places people are using for cloud storage?
We back everything up in 2 places, but I am thinking more and more about backing up artwork and our database in "the cloud". I know Dropbox has like 5 gigs free but we would blow through that in no time. So, what are people using and what are you paying?

[ZooCity]

I'm using dropbox for active orders and commonly used files, archiving invoices, mockups and work orders in Google Drive (super affordable storage and it's all tied in to google docs, you can also search very quickly) and then I'm still leaving the actual .ai and .psd files on my workstation which is backed up by time machine. I do need to figure out where to put the art files for off site backup.

[noiseloops]

We're quite comfortable with google drive for storage n collaboration on documents. But we are just starting up. Might get messy after a while.

[TCT]

I looked into a bunch of these over the long weekend, and it looks like google has a pretty good deal going on with their "drive" storage. They even ave a discounted one if you are ok with the possibility of some down time. I assume they just back your stuff up in fewer locations.

[mk162]

I am still not 100% on cloud storage.  I love the idea for backups or for a mirror drive, but to store everything there and not have access to it on your local network is a poor choice I think.

It's the same as having everything on your local machine with no offsite backup.

The reason I say this is because in the past year I've lost internet connection for about 3-4 hours, that I know of.  During that time I could still process existing orders, work in QB or t-quoter and access all of our files...I just couldn't send emails or order product(online).  But we weren't totally dead.

I can access my files from anywhere with backblaze if I need to, but I still prefer having a raid array here for my files as well.

[GraphicDisorder]

I am still not 100% on cloud storage.  I love the idea for backups or for a mirror drive, but to store everything there and not have access to it on your local network is a poor choice I think.

It's the same as having everything on your local machine with no offsite backup.

The reason I say this is because in the past year I've lost internet connection for about 3-4 hours, that I know of.  During that time I could still process existing orders, work in QB or t-quoter and access all of our files...I just couldn't send emails or order product(online).  But we weren't totally dead.

I can access my files from anywhere with backblaze if I need to, but I still prefer having a raid array here for my files as well.

Exactly, plus with slower internet connections and/or super large files, good lord it could take you forever to get back up and going if you had to go fetch all of your files online in the event of a computer failure in your shop. 

A secondary internal or external HD copying the data would be far more useful.  Then just do another external for like monthly back ups and take it home.

[Gilligan]

I assumed no one was talking about abandoning local storage all together.

I know my buddy runs Dropbox at his shop so it's synced across all machines.  He had problems with Mac <-> PC sharing and got tired of fighting it.  I haven't asked him in a long time but last I talked to him he was happy.

We are living on the edge, but need to fix that ASAP!

[ScreenFoo]

I assumed no one was talking about abandoning local storage all together.

I know my buddy runs Dropbox at his shop so it's synced across all machines.  He had problems with Mac <-> PC sharing and got tired of fighting it.  I haven't asked him in a long time but last I talked to him he was happy.

We are living on the edge, but need to fix that ASAP!

The question I'm always asking is, cutting edge or bleeding edge?   

[blue moon]

this is all I have to say about the cloud:
http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/05/how-crackers-make-minced-meat-out-of-your-passwords

pierre

[Gilligan]

I assumed no one was talking about abandoning local storage all together.

I know my buddy runs Dropbox at his shop so it's synced across all machines.  He had problems with Mac <-> PC sharing and got tired of fighting it.  I haven't asked him in a long time but last I talked to him he was happy.

We are living on the edge, but need to fix that ASAP!

The question I'm always asking is, cutting edge or bleeding edge?   

Hmm... edge of reason or sanity is more like it.   Actually the wife just informed me that she did actually make a back up recently.

[Frog]

I have also always wondered about the privacy issues of letting someone else hold your data.

There's bound to be a case eventually over discovered child pornography, or national security threats discovered, or even illegal downloads by electronic snoops in the storage service.

[BorisB]

this is all I have to say about the cloud:
http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/05/how-crackers-make-minced-meat-out-of-your-passwords

pierre

Did I get it correctly: If you passwords has 12+ carefully chosen characters you are most likely safe?

Boris

[blue moon]

this is all I have to say about the cloud:
http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/05/how-crackers-make-minced-meat-out-of-your-passwords

pierre

Did I get it correctly: If you passwords has 12+ carefully chosen characters you are most likely safe?

Boris

my thinking would be yes. that is as long as your "carefully chosen characters" does not include any actual words, even in Slovenian!

pierre

[ZooCity]

Try using symbols in place of letters in words and then using the same symbol to represent two or more different letters.  I think that's basic cryptology right?

More importantly, don't put sensitive info in there, ever.  I personally don't give a rip if someone hacks our press data and archived invoices.  Not sure what they're going to even do with that. 

We actually use cloud accounting too.

[ScreenFoo]

You want to know the easiest way to make a REALLY bad-a$$ password?  (no, it doesn't involve using $ for "S"  )   Pick 12 byte values (i.e. 0-255) at random, use ALT and the keypad to enter each character.

Only proper authentication routines will let you do all the fancy characters though--some password systems will go out of their way to get you to choose poor passwords, i.e. no special characters, 8 character limit, caps are filtered, etc...