NTI Corporation - Forecast: Partly Cloudy

Forecast: Partly Cloudy

By Ray McGoldrick, Senior Product Manager

and Sonia Fernandez, Technical Writer

Users nowadays have often times misinterpreted the computer term cloud because of its numerous forms. For example, what is the difference between a Cloud Storage and Cloud Computing? Cloud Computing is the running and using of programs that are being provided over the Internet, whereas Cloud Storage is an online storage where users can save and access their data anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.

Backing up your data to an online storage is called cloud backup. It allows users to access their data through the Internet and easily share large files with friends and family. Instead of purchasing and using an external hard drive to back up your computer, everything is backed up online without the necessity of purchasing additional hardware. If you have accumulated more files than you expected within a month and you need more space, you can easily upgrade to a larger space online that can accommodate all of your files. Many have found this simple method of backup so convenient that both users and companies have implemented cloud backup. There’s no doubt that cloud backup has many beneficial features, however, there are some limitations that can be more of a disadvantage rather than an advantage.

Dark Clouds

Regardless of how much convenience cloud backup has to offer, not all backups are created equal. One of the major concerns of backing up online is security. How secure is it to transfer and store your data online? You can easily access your files that are stored online, but at the same time you may also be exposing your data to an unwanted party.

Clouds can be infected with spyware, botnets, and other malicious programs. Google had twice suffered from malicious cyber attacks by hackers¹. The first attack known as “Aurora,” dated back in January 2010, targeted Gmail accounts of human rights activists. The second attack that occurred in June 2011 was an attempt to breach hundreds of Gmail accounts including senior U.S. government officials, Chinese political activists, officials in several Asian countries, military personnel, and journalists.

Not only can you question its security but also the reliability of the provider. Aside from hackers accessing your data, what if the provider lost all of your stored data due to corruption? In January 2009, a bookmark storage service known as Ma.gnolia² suffered catastrophic data loss and was taken offline. Users have permanently lost their entire stored data including their backup on their website. Ma.gnolia was later re-launched but members can now only join through invitations. No matter how much the providers assure you of their security and reliability, you are still putting your data in someone else’s care other than your own.

Rainy Days

Backing up to an online storage may be an easy access to your data but it’s only effective if there’s an Internet connection. Even though you are no longer relying on a portable storage device to carry your data, you are however completely relying on the Internet connection, which is something you don’t always have control of. This includes the Internet speed or if there is Internet connection at all. For example, you forgot to bring your PowerPoint file for your presentation but you have it stored online. If you don’t have an Internet connection at the time then perhaps backing up online was rather pointless.

Aside from the Internet connection issue, there is also the backup file size to consider. The best way to protect all your data is to back up your entire hard drive. So why not back it up online? Unfortunately, backing up a hard drive will take not just hours but it can go on for days depending on the data size and speed of your Internet connection. Some transfers can take up to a couple of weeks to upload 100 GB worth of data. Imagine that if it took a monumental time to upload your data, it would also take similar amount of time to restore your computer after a crash. The period that it takes to complete the restore can be problematic when you urgently need your computer working and access to your files.

The Silver Lining

Regardless of the flaws, cloud backup has revolutionized the backup space. Since your data is stored online, there’s no need for you to save your data to a portable storage device. Once you have stored your files to a cloud storage, you can easily retrieve your files on any device from anywhere at any time with an Internet connection. Even after a fire or if your notebook was stolen or even lost, you can still recover your files online.

“A power surge nearly destroyed our in-house e-mail server. Had we not recovered it, a great deal of historical knowledge and valuable information would have been lost forever, not to mention the lost productivity for days or weeks. Now we have a secure, redundant, cloud-e-mail system we can access anywhere, anytime, with a consistent interface, and it’s made our business stronger.” - Kevin Hart, partner and founder of Hart-Boillot³.

Cloud is not just popular among individuals, it is also widely used by companies as well. Aside from simply having your files online, you can also share large files such as video files that often exceed size limitation of email attachments. In a work environment, sharing the same files online ensures everyone will be working with the most up-to-date files. Manager Jannes Aman of Ikazia Hospital⁴ in Rotterdam, Netherlands, found productivity gains with cloud services. Radiologists can work in more than one location to compare the patient’s current images to the patient’s history images. The instant access to needed information speeds up decision making especially in emergency situations.

Backup Strategies

Instead of solely relying on one backup solution, you can use different types of backup solutions that are designed for specific file types. For example, cloud backup is an ideal solution for backing up your work documents that you may want to collaborate on or your special photos that you want to share with friends and family. However, using cloud backup for your entire hard drive can take days to process but you can easily back up your hard drive to an external hard drive. 

Backing up your entire system to an online storage can take up to several days to complete.

Backing up your data becomes less tedious and can be done faster when you know the best backup solution to use for a specific file type. Below are some recommendations:

File Types	Cloud Backup	Ext HDD	Optical Drive	Flash Drive
Music & Videos		X	X
Documents	X	X	X	X
Pictures	X	X	X
Complete System (OS)		X	X

Take Away

Cloud backup may not be the end-all solution, but it does have its place in your backup strategy, thus the forecast is Partly Cloudy. It’s an effective solution for backing up files you constantly work on or share with colleagues. There are however things to consider such as the Internet reliability, monthly fees, unwanted exposure, and the provider’s reliability. So instead of relying on one backup solution, use the right solution that is specifically designed for the file type. It can make protecting your data a simple solution and not a dreary task that is often left undone.

NTI Corporation
NTI Corporation is an industry leading developer of powerful, feature-rich, and easy-to-use software for digital media and storage management. NTI has developed and delivered innovative digital media and data backup solutions since being founded in 1993. As a pioneer in the world of CD burning technologies and software, NTI released the world's first CD copy software in 1994. Today, NTI's CD/DVD burning engine has an installed base of over 150 million users worldwide. NTI also offers volume licensing and OEM products.

References

Gmail Accounts Hacked; Google Suspects Chinese Involvement¹

http://www.dailytech.com/Gmail+Accounts+Hacked+Google+Suspects+Chinese+Involvement+/article21799.htm

Ma.gnolia Suffers Major Data Loss, Site Taken Offline²

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/01/magnolia-suffer/

Should You Move Your Small Business to the Cloud³

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/188173/should_you_move_your_small_business_to_the_cloud.html

Ikazia Hospital in Rotterdam Improves Productivity with CARESTREAM Cloud Services⁴

http://blog.carestreamhealth.com/2011/12/01/ikazia-hospital-in-rotterdam-improves-productivity-with-carestream-cloud-services/