In this era of often crashed storage devices, including Hard-wares and Soft-wares, have you taken note of Cloud Storage Services?
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1rc6txQBJO-a7o3COiGsxJnkhQTUu0OhgzPHMKptre9Y/present#slide=id.g20a61672_0_32

Comedian George Carlin has a routine in which he talks about how humans seem to spend their lives accumulating "stuff." Once they've gathered enough stuff, they have to find places to store all of it. If Carlin were to update that routine today, he could make the same observation about computer information. It seems that everyone with a computer spends a lot of time acquiring data and then trying to find a way to store it.

For some computer owners, finding enough storage space to hold all the data they've acquired is a real challenge. Some people invest in larger hard drives. Others prefer external storage devices like thumb drives or compact discs. Desperate computer owners might delete entire folders worth of old files in order to make space for new information. But some are choosing to rely on a growing trend: cloud storage.

While cloud storage sounds like it has something to do with weather fronts and storm systems, it really refers to saving data to an off-site storage system maintained by a third party. Instead of storing information to your computer's hard drive or other local storage device, you save it to a remote database. The Internet provides the connection between your computer and the database.

On the surface, cloud storage has several advantages over traditional data storage. For example, if you store your data on a cloud storage system, you'll be able to get to that data from any location that has Internet access. You wouldn't need to carry around a physical storage device or use the same computer to save and retrieve your information. With the right storage system, you could even allow other people to access the data, turning a personal project into a collaborative effort.­
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/cloud-storage.htm

Top Ten Advantages of Using Online Storage Services
When it comes to storing data, cloud storage is quickly becoming the method of choice. Storing files remotely rather than locally boasts an array of advantages for both home and professional users. Not sure what cloud storage can do for you? Here are the top 10 reasons to give your external hard drive the boot in favor of online storage services.

1. Cost – Backing up your data isn’t always cheap, especially when you factor in the cost of any equipment needed to do so – think external hard drives or backup tapes. Additionally, there is the cost of the time it takes to manually complete routine backups. Online storage services reduce much of the cost associated with traditional backup methods, providing ample storage space in the cloud for a low monthly fee.
2. Invisibility – For all intents and purposes, cloud storage is invisible; with no physical presence, it doesn’t take up valuable space at home or in the office.
3. Security – Storing confidential or sensitive information in the cloud is often more secure than storing it locally, especially for businesses. With online storage services, data is encrypted both during transmission and while at rest, ensuring no unauthorized users can access the files.
4. Automation – The biggest issue most consumers and businesses have with backing up is follow through; it simply just doesn’t get done. Online storage services make the tedious process of backing up easy to accomplish through automation. You simply select what and when you want to back up, and the service does the rest.
5. Accessibility – From tablets to smartphones, netbooks to desktops, we’re using more devices on a daily basis than ever before, and toggling files between each of these devices can be cumbersome and complex. Not so with online storage services. You can access your account from any internet connection, whether you're on a mobile browser or your work computer.
6. Syncing –Syncing ensures your files are automatically updated across all of your devices. This way, the latest version of a file you saved on your desktop is available on your smartphone.
7. Sharing – Whether you want to share a single photo or an entire folder with hundreds of documents, online storage services allow you to easily share files with just a few clicks.
8. Collaboration – Online storage services are also ideal for collaboration purposes. They allow multiple people to edit and collaborate on a single file or document. You don’t have to worry about tracking the latest version or who has made what changes.
9. Protection – Cloud storage serves as an added layer of data protection for your precious and irreplaceable files. Backups are kept in a secure location that is physically removed from the originals.
10. Recovery – In the event of catastrophic data loss, you’ll have backups of all your original files so you can restore them with zero downtime.

No matter what your storage needs may be, cloud storage through an online backup service provides a myriad of advantages for storing both your home and professional files.

http://online-storage-service-review.toptenreviews.com/top-ten-advantages-of-using-online-storage-services.html

Cloud Storage Pros and Cons
written by: dean0088 • edited by: Wendy Finn • updated: 2/1/2011

We take a look at the new technology of cloud storage, by firstly finding out exactly what it is. We then learn about the pros and cons of cloud storage. If you need some hosting take a look at this new method of doing it!

What is Cloud Storage

So what is cloud storage and how does it work? First we must look at cloud computing.

605px-Cloud computing.svg

Conventional internet usage has been based around transmitting information between servers and people's computer. So information stored on a web serer (such as a website or email) is downloaded to the users PC. Cloud computing works by having virtual servers, which are in fact multiple servers, or indeed people's PCs. For example, Skype uses cloud computing to run off everyone's computer who is online at a particular moment. Those people's PCs are combined as a virtual server.
Cloud storage uses this method of multiple servers being combined into one virtual server to store data. Companies often use it as an effective storage technique for Intranets, Extranets and company data. Now we'll take a look at the pros and cons of cloud storage.
Advantages

The advantages of using cloud storage are as follows:

Companies only need to pay for the storage they actually use. So instead of paying for an entire server with 500Gb of storage and only using 300Gb. They can use a pay-as-you-go model and only pay for the 300Gb used up. This is a great way for companies to cut down on their IT costs. Cloud storage also makes storage cheaper, and as such more accessible to small start-up businesses.
Companies don't need to install physical storage devices in their buildings. It is cheaper to outsource this to a cloud storage company. Outsourcing hosting operations also immediately equips a company with expertise in the area, in the form of the hosting company.
Other data-management tasks such as backing up, managing of servers and fixing problems are also offloaded to the service provider. With smaller organizations this saves employing someone to do the job instead. The economies of scale dictate, that a large hosting company can run small to medium size hosting operations, for much less than small to medium size organizations.
Cloud Storage is also more eco-friendly, as instead of using an entire server, but running at less than 100% capacity - you only use what you need, and as such make use of 100% of the energy consumed. Energy is also saved during peak operating times, because more server space is used economically as needed - instead of simply purchasing complete new servers, which will only be utilized during peak times.

Disadvantages

While cloud computing is certainly revolutionary and a great way to store data, the disadvantages of the new technology must also be taken into account before making a decision, about who to choose as a cloud company to host, and indeed whether or not to use the technology at all. Here are some disadvantages which should help to inform your decision:

The security of data is not as good as using fixed or local servers. Because there are a lot of transmissions in-between different servers and the user, instead of just the one, security is lessened a little, and it's harder to cover all opportunities for malicious attacks or data theft. This can be combated in the usual senses however - by protecting servers with security software and securing company Intranets.
Performance may not be as good as using a fixed or local server. This problem is particularly highlighted when the cloud (network of interlinked servers and users) becomes busy. However, as the technology advances month on month, year on year, this is becoming less of an issue.
There may be certain laws or policies in your country requiring the use of localized servers if the data is sensitive. This includes financial information and the personal details of citizens or customers. In such a situation, cloud storage doesn't make the grade.

So there you have it. The pros and cons of cloud storage - hopefully you can now make a good decision as to whether it's right for you!

I agree on most posts above but
Cost: cloud storage is much costly that physical storage.You pay in houry basis for cloud,when you multiply the hourly fee by 24 and then by 30, you will then see what you are spending every month.
0 Downtime? Really

naijacampu: I agree on most posts above but
Cost: cloud storage is much costly that physical storage.You pay in houry basis for cloud,when you multiply the hourly fee by 24 and then by 30, you will then see what you are spending every month.
0 Downtime? Really

Hourly? Or monthly/annual. For as cheap as 10-15 dollars a year, you get your files synced & stored in the cloud without any stress or fears of misplacing your flash/disk & you can access your files as well anywhere. Cloud storage is no doubt better and Dropbox/Skydrive the best cloud storage services available. Oh I love dropbox with all my life...

naijacampu: I agree on most posts above but
Cost: cloud storage is much costly that physical storage.You pay in houry basis for cloud,when you multiply the hourly fee by 24 and then by 30, you will then see what you are spending every month.
0 Downtime? Really

I think it is monthly/annual charges, not hourly.
The prices as offered by the link below varies between $3.95 - $9.99 for Cloud Storage, depending on the company you are using. While some are offering Unlimited data storage, others are offering between 25GB - 250GB size. So, it all depends on which company you may want to use.
http://www.thetop10bestonlinebackup.com/cloud-storage

Cx.com offering 50GB free data storage space! It's the big talk in town. Check it out! But if you doubt the security of any of these services and you are handling sensitive files that needs 100% security, SpiderOak is a must use! The most secure so far among the big players

I doubt if these things can work effectively in naija yet. Wia u wan see fast internet connection to upload 25gb worth of files? Even to download sef go be trouble.

I'm for the cloud all the way. At least I can hold someone responsible if my files is lost.

my best bet is that users should set up their own cloud servers using a network storage and a cloud router which users can access remotely but some factors have to be taken into considerations like power and 24hrs internet connectivity

indomitable234: my best bet is that users should set up their own cloud servers using a network storage and a cloud router which users can access remotely but some factors have to be taken into considerations like power and 24hrs internet connectivity

You mean like using the one which MTN just launched? www.nairaland.com/1252073/mtn-launch-cloud-services-nigeria

chinnyonwu: I doubt if these things can work effectively in naija yet. Wia u wan see fast internet connection to upload 25gb worth of files? Even to download sef go be trouble.

You are very correct but, in as much as the files to be uploaded are in bits, you will therefore need to do bit by bit though, it will certainly you very much time and resouces before you will be done, especially when you are using our manageable telecoms networks service providers here. However, when using a reliable WiFi in places where they are available, you need not to worry, as you will be able to get it done in a matter of few minutes. That's my take on matter. Thank you.

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