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The Internet Is Your Next Hard Drive

technologyreview.com — New Web-based services don't just store your data online -- they keep it synchronized across your laptop, desktop, and mobile phone.

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  • Thorpe, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Thanks to services such as Streamload.
    • sych0, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6But do any of these services let you SHIP content to them? I've got a minidv cam, and as such have many dvds I've burned from the movies. I'm currently using 200gb of a 250gb hd to back these up. It would take months to upload 200gb over my lowly 50k/s cable modem.

      What I wouldnt give to just send in the hard drive and have the content offloaded onto the server
    • ibjhb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@sych0:

      I don't know about the companies listed in the article, but I know the services I've dealt with before will let you...
    • cremate, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2whats the point of that? if you can't upload them, then you wont be able to download and view them? They'll just be sitting on an idle webserver somewhere.
    • sych0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1ibjhb: Yea? Gimme a few names and i'll check them out. Thanks!

      cremate: but thats just it. I want a company that I can ship the hd to and download the content over a website.
  • jballa, on 10/12/2007, -1/+18What a great idea! Who would of thought uploading all of my music and videos to somone else's computer...These sites are extremely unrealistic for most people. I don't see whats so convient about using a service that will take you days to upload all your files. Then when you want them back it's gonna be a hassle as well. With all the torrents out mind you, then who will be hosting the files? -jb
  • FuzzyLumpkins76, on 10/12/2007, -8/+28Come on... don't you guys know? The Internet is not just a big truck that you can dump stuff on... its a series of tubes!
    • anonatron, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9damn poker chips, get a lottery ball in this tube so I can get my ebay purchases and porn!
    • caliform, on 10/12/2007, -7/+11I am wondering when someone decides this isn't funny in every post with the word 'internet' in it. Yeah, we have had a laugh, now it's a bit redundant to post it about 50.000 times on digg because it is so hilarious. It's not funny anymore. Get over it, and start making useful comments again.
    • flash200, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11@caliform

      I sympathize, but at the same time, the more that people repeat these phrases, the more they'll serve as a reminder of the issues behind Net Neutrality and of the technological and ethical incompetence of many of the elected leaders.

      I'd like to see some of these phrases become a permanent part of our culture, both for humor value, a la "more cowbell", and as a rallying cry for protecting the internet.

      And I like the thought of Sen. Ted Stevens' idiodicy continuing to haunt the telcos years into the future. It would be an added bonus if the buzz from this was sufficient to cause him to lose the next election.
    • somerandomnerd, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3It's not really a mainstream joke though, is it? When people who don't know the different between the internet and the web are mocking a senator for not knowing the difference between pipes and tubes, who are we supposed to be laughing at?
    • cremate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@ flash
      Good in idea, but we are too lazy here in the US to do anything about it, we'll just leave it up to the big companies like google who are only just protecting their own ass(ets). And the voting thing? Not enough people know the issues and are just going to vote for their "party" anyway.
    • greedonever, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@somerandomnerd

      We ALL know the difference between pipes and tubes. If Senator Stevens had said "pipes" he would STILL be wrong. The internet is often described using "pipes" to illustrate how the flow of information works. (Volts and Amps are often described the same way) But there are no pipes, no tubes and yes... no trucks. Got it? There are no pipes. And those of us who might be vague on some of the details of what the internet is can rest easy knowing WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF REGULATING IT.
    • flash200, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@cremate
      good example of a self-fullfilling prophecy there

      Some of the options each person has: They can help to cause change, by doing their own part and setting a positive example for others; they can quietly accept the status quo; they can try to prevent change.

      One way or the other, change will happen. It's a historical inevitability. The future won't necessarily be better, but it will not bear much resemblance to the present. Generally, the side that's the most pro-active, that has the strongest incentive to effect change, has the greatest effect on shaping the future.
    • caliform, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I like the idea too, flash, but I don't find it likely. Alas. You are right about the 'cowbell' - I am sure it will continue to be a good phrase to quote, but posting it on literally every post which contains the word 'internet' is a bit too much. Digg isn't YTMND.
  • anonatron, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Also, you can use the internet as an operating system with the help of thinstation and a few others like it.
  • dmurray14, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12No it's not. Has no one heard of external hard drives, jump drives, DVDs, etc? There would be zero reason for me to store all my data online.
    • anonatron, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Don't you want everyone else in the world to have access to it?
    • mattmac24, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12no

      my porn is for my personal viewing pleaseure, not anybody elses
    • sych0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3except when they all fail
    • electromagnetic, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16I think the bigger question is do you want it in a place where the government can access it as easily or easier than your phone line? I will *never* give my data to someone else to store where they can just subpoena someone and have access it without even needing to tell me.

      I'm not going to say it's a technologically bad idea I think it's a technologically great idea; I'm saying it's the most absurd idea to give government access to our data. I don't particularly want to give them another opportunity to abuse human rights at free will, especially the freedom to privacy one - I like that one.

      Me personally I'd be going with external hard drives, if I had some important data I'd either get one of those fireproof boxes or just work out a system of swapping ex-HDD's with a fellow geek to ensure my place getting burnt down doesn't mean I loose all my data.
    • mcintyrenator, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I certainly will continue to use external and flash drives to back up my data. Like electromagnetic, I do not want anyone to have access to my data unless I give them access or unless I know the government has a warrant/subpoena for my data.

      I remember years ago reading an article about online storage enthusiastically stating that some day all my data would be on a hard drive on a server in Singapore. Umm, NO. All my data will remain on my computer under my control. Even if I do choose to make some use of online storage, I would still have all of my data on my computer.
    • cremate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@electro
      The government can subpoena my vacation pictures and college essays all they wish. Heck even my mp3's too, as they are only illegal to distribute - not possess (technically they are but no one is going to sue for that... yet).

      Anyway the point is, if your storing phone numbers, addresses, and credit card numbers to your crack-cocaine business online, well then yes its a bad idea. For the average user though, its a good assest. You never know when your backup of your backup might fail.
    • sych0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1electromagnetic: thats why you encrypt it before you upload it.
    • plueken, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0@cremate

      I agree. I keep backups of my files on external hard drives and the like, but if I'm hit by a serious disaster, like my house burning down, all of my backups will die along with my computer. That's why I like the idea of an internet backup. If I lose my computer and backups, I still have the internet backup, and if their own servers die, my computer is still fine. It's as safe as it can possibly get.

      And in the one-in-a-trillion chance that the government does happen to get a hold of my backup and examine it, I'm sure they'll have a party with my old assignments, papers, and random programs I've written. They're important files to me, but all fine and legal. I'm not some creepy CP collector or something.

      Too many people are too paranoid to recognize a good thing when they see it.
  • mattmac24, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11not everybody has unlimted one billion mb/sec internet connection. download AND upload that is.
  • Sidnak, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I like the idea of keeping copies of my data online as long as its secure. Off site backups like xdrive and such are going to be the way to go. We just havent got the internet speed just quite yet that makes the upload tolerable. The time will come.
  • Gotebe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Readers, beware, this article is an infomercial!

    That being said, idea is not new nor bad. The question is more that of the ubiquity: you need internet access everywhere and applications on many gadgets (PC, handhelds, phones, MP3 players). This isn't going to come easy nor cheap.
  • Phil246, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3instantly reminded of that quote of Linus.
    "Only wimps use tape backup: _real_ men just upload their important stuff on ftp, and let the rest of the world mirror it ;)"
  • Marcone, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0I would think that the net is too fragile for such tasks
  • Matieq, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0This is not how it should work. Yesterday I posted a story about a new start-up company: http://www.digg.com/tech_news/The_GravityZoo_Framework
    What they are trying to do is just impressive!
  • Jugalator, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Just use P2P services as your hard drive. Just compress your stuff as exciting archive names, share, and hope it'll stick around. ;-)
  • fixinah, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6The way America is pissing on every-body's personal information these days? Nah I think i will handle my own storage by myself thanks.
  • infonote, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3In 1999, there where a lot of free storage space available. However after the dot com bubble burst, they all failed.
  • gcube9x, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Time is money. Free services will still be a drain until the tubes get bigger. Funny how the man said "tubes" when he could have been more correct with "pipes".
  • cyrusthevirus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Until all of our refrigerators and toasters are web-enabled and are automatically sending out service and grocery requests, until the WWW is literally ubiquitous, I really doubt there'll be enough support for this. That said, I think it's a really bad idea. If you're like me and you do most of your computing from home or work, why not keep the files there? If your internet connection is flaky at best (like mine), it only makes sense to host your files locally. Besides all that, I don't want just anyone to be able to see my porn and illegal downloads.
    • somerandomnerd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Ever find yourself at work wishing that something on your home machine was to hand- maybe a document, image, Mp3- hell, even a link in your browser history? I know I have.

      Google (or your preferred seach engine) and your ISP probably already know all about what you're downloading anyway.
    • xmaxma, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Then use www.logmein.com, a Web-based VNC on steroids ?

  • Neocrazy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1If you think that this service isn't regulated by the governement and they don't have their hands in getting access to these services, you have to be the craziest person on the planet. With the way George bush is trying to get his grubby hands into everything and cause wars of different kinds (not just military), I would be very surprised if he doesn't have anything to do with this.
    • cremate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You honestly think George Bush is making any of these decisions on his own? LOL!
  • somerandomnerd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I've got a cheap web host, and after a bit of grief with working on three (or more) versions of the same file in different places, I've started using it to save files that I work on from more than one location. (Thumb drives are great until you leave them at home. Synchronising with a PDA is great until your battery runs out, or you're working at a computer without Activesync, or Activesync just decides not to work one day.)

    When I'm working under Ubuntu (with it's "places"), I simply don't see any difference in performance between working with a file from my server and from my desktop. I don't know if Windows has an alternative that I've not discovered yet, but I've put together a basic web interface to up/download files when I want to work on them.

    I think this "personal servers" idea is the future, to be honest. When I can do the same sort of thing with bigger files and my iPod/PDA/phone/laptop can synchronise with my media on my computer remotely over wifi, I'll be a very happy nerd.
  • techbum, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I think that if they allow you to map the LUN to a drive name (iSCSI protocol maybe?), then you can use something like TrueCrypt to encrypt the entire logical drive.
  • kc0re, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"New Web-based services don't just store your data online -- they keep it synchronized across your laptop, desktop, and mobile phone."

    Already done with .mac, been doing it for a couple years. Whats the news?
  • pairanoyd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4There is no amount of money on earth you could pay me to engage in such foolish practices.

    Thanks but no thanks..
  • streamx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Internet is for P0RN!
  • yttrx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Security aside (horrors), my current setup of local physical hard drives is quite nice for the simple reason that I don't lose access to all of my data every time Level3 remembers that it doesn't know what the hell it's doing and blows up half the internet.
  • Twango, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Why, oh why would I want to put all of my applications and personal data out on the net? Even if I could? Security concerns? Speed of access? Server failures? Security concerns?

    No, I think in a few years I'll just drop $50 on a 1000GB solid-state drive instead.

    Anti-digg
    • somerandomnerd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1You clearly wouldn't.

      But why, oh why would I want to leave all my documents and information at home when I'm working elsewhere?
    • flash200, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1thumb drive, anyone?

      How about thumb computers, plugging the thumb drive into an arbitrary computer or mobile device and accessing your data using your own operating system and familiar environment? Combine it with SSH tunneling, and it may be reasonable to support online collaboration as well.
    • dodoporridge, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Where can I find a 1000GB drive for $50??
  • flash200, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Security-wise, authentication isn't enough. In most cases, the data would need to be heavily encrypted, for protection against both the hosting company and the goverment, and for additional protection against crackers.

    I think this concept would work best if the data is mirrored by other hosting companies, allowing you to choose which one to use to access your data. The companies could compete on quality of service. There'd be no migration needed to switch to a different company. And the mirroring of the data would keep each company somewhat honest, as they'd have no leverage to prevent you from switching to another company, or to make it impractically difficult for you to do so.
  • vypergts, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I feel that I must point out that even by putting all your data on the internet, it is still sitting on a hard drive in a server somewhere.

    If you need your data in multiple places, might as well make your own server.
    • oreo2123, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1with RAID fail over....and that's all you need.
  • zydeco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I've been trying out Amazon S3 with JungleDisk. JungleDisk mounts the S3 data in any OS you choose. Amazon also publishes the API so you can write your own apps to move data in and out of the system.
  • BobTurbo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Yea I would love to upload all of my personal information to some site and then take 3 hours to conveniently retrieve it after every employee and employees friend and every person that has hacked the server has viewed it. The internet is NOT the computer!
  • stephenphillips, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I agree with the poster there who spoke about logmein backup; if you're going to back up your information via the internet, at least back it up to a system that you own. I'm not a distrusting person in general but when it comes to very very personal files or anything related to your finances, you'd do well to keep others out of the loop
  • somerandomnerd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1There's a lot of odd paranoia around this story. Is it really so much more secure for the average user to have their files on their desktop machine than a server?

    If there's one thing I learnt from MySpace, it's that when you make your intimate personal details available to anyone on the internet, they suddenly become a lot less interesting.
  • thegrim, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0"If you edit a photo or a document and save it on your work PC, for example, these new services will automatically update the online copy.."

    "new" are you kidding me?

    3 yrs and running http://www.apple.com/dotmac/

    no problems at all
  • yahoofrom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1oh i feel mozy.
  • epheterson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I would really love this, but upload speeds don't seem up to the challenge yet. Sure, I can keep my e-mail, contacts, and calendar in sync, but the files that I really need to be backed up are too much of an inconvenience to back up online.
  • mojaam, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1External hard drives are probably the best way to go when it comes to data back-up especially if you have that "novel you're working on, those old love letters..." But as far as synchronization, I just care about my book marks and I don't mind using the export function in firefox with my USB drive.
  • Yage2006, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It sure wont be my next HD .And with certain gov's asking for access to everything it will never be.
    • bernardd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Some of those services allow you to encrypt your data before it leaves your computer. Mozy.com for instance can't read your files once you've encrypted them with a strong certificate. It just stores them.
  • bernardd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The article is interesting but it misses most of the other players in this field. Services like www.mozy.com, www.xdrive.com, www.carbonite.com, www.box.net, and up an comers like www.omnidrive.com. Some services are targetting sharing (eg: photos), others are targetting data (eg: strong encryption, diff backups).
    Google the above services together to get a full list of services.
  • billday, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Very interesting, thanks for the link BloodJunkie.

    I blogged my thoughts about network storage and file sharing, and specifically this article, A3, and FolderShare, earlier this evening. See: http://billday.com/2006/07/24/network-storage-and-file-sharing/

    Maybe what we really need is a combination of Internet based storage APIs and P2P? %u201CA3 BitTorrent%u201D?
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