Coming Down to Earth From the Cloud
MAY YOU NEVER KNOW the agony of losing vital data files. Some people have been driven nearly to suicide when their only working copy of an unpublished novel, dissertation, business plan, or photo archive has been lost.
It may have been corrupted by a failing hard drive, maliciously encrypted by ransomware, or destroyed by a fire or natural disaster. For some victims, hard-drive recovery services are the last resort, no matter the high cost.
With so many cloud-storage providers these days, it’s tempting to think we’ve entered a heavenly age in which we no longer need to maintain local backups. Just upload the stuff to a remote server and rely on the data-center angels to keep it safe. Unfortunately, the cloud’s lining isn’t always silver.
One problem is that cloud providers occasionally evaporate. A few years ago, some professional photographers lost their life’s work when a cloud service went bankrupt so suddenly that there wasn’t time to save the thousands of high-resolution files. That danger can be avoided by using the cloud storage now offered by large, stable companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
Another strategy is to store your files in multiple clouds. It’s more trouble, but most providers offer a few gigabytes for free, so it’s cost effective if your archive is relatively small. Nevertheless, local backups are still desirable. Some archives are so large that the initial upload would monopolize even a fast Internet connection for weeks. My largest archive contains thousands of scanned family photos and documents dating to the 1830s, and my personal photo archive is nearly as large and it’s growing fast. Even the incremental updates can get unwieldy, especially after a busy day of scanning or photographing.
Another problem is that many cloud services automatically synchronize all your files across all your connected devices. It’s supposed to be a trendy feature, but it’s a drag. I use different computers for my work and personal pursuits, and I don’t want my business files and personal files shared on both. Nor do I want everything shared with a notebook, tablet, or smartphone that has less local storage and is more prone to loss or theft. Then too, automatic file sharing can clog a home Internet connection. Usually there are workarounds—Google Drive won’t replicate files in subfolders—but some services are mysterious about defeating such features.
For these reasons, cloud storage is no substitute for local backups. The catch is you’ve got to be smart. Remember, it’s not really a backup unless it’s stored offsite. If your backup is a second hard drive in your PC, it’s susceptible to all the same hazards that endanger the main drive, including power surges, spilled coffee, and ransomware. A disconnected portable hard drive stored in a desk drawer is slightly safer but is still subject to fires, floods, burglaries, or anything else that endangers your home.
My strategy is to rotate portable hard drives between my home office and safe-deposit box. Even this precaution may not save you from a major disaster like a flood, earthquake, hurricane, or whatever act of God afflicts your region. Periodically stashing a drive at a relative’s or friend’s house will preserve most of your valuable files. Of course, cloud storage is the ideal insurance against big calamities, but it shouldn’t be your only backup.
Cloud storage is no substitute for local backups, but remember, it’s not really a backup unless it’s stored offsite, not just a second hard drive in your PC.