Free Online Storage With SkyDrive

I’ve just started using MS Live Skydrive.  It’s integrated with the other Live services so you use your passport to sign in.  Irish users just got access to it.  With it you get 5GB of free storage.  You can store documents privately, you can share just with friends or you can share with the Internet.  And you can create nested folders.

3 thoughts on “Free Online Storage With SkyDrive”

  1. On the subject of file backup, sharing and storage …

    Online backup is becoming common these days. It is estimated that 70-75% of all PC’s will be connected to online backup services with in the next decade.

    Thousands of online backup companies exist, from one guy operating in his apartment to fortune 500 companies.

    Choosing the best online backup company will be very confusing and difficult. One website I find very helpful in making a decision to pick an online backup company is:

    http://www.BackupReview.info

    This site lists more than 400 online backup companies in its directory and ranks the top 25 on a monthly basis.

    Reply
  2. Online backup is becoming very common.  Many business operating in regulated markets/industries are using it and the product of choise tends to be one of Iron Mountains products – LiveVault (for serves) or Connected (for PC’s).  If you’re in Ireland then check out  C Infinity who operate both of those products.
     
    Iron Mountains products provide source-source encryption of data.  They’re compliant with all sorts of regulations such as SOX, HIPAA and IFSRA.  It’s pretty clever too:
     
    – It uses MS VSS and VSS Writers for quietly and efficiently backing up files (including locked files such as SQL or Exchange) in a MS supported manner.
    – It backs up files at a block level.  This allows for block level incrementals instead of inefficent full backups.  This saves on bandwidth.
    – This allows for frequent incremental backs without impacting Internet bandwidth utilisation, e.g. every 15 minutes.  This minimises data loss to 15 minutes in the case of a disaster!
    – It has something like a 99.999% recoverability metric.
    – It’s easy to use via a web GUI.
    – Data is securely stored offsite and only the owner of the data can access it.  Can other software publishers claim that?
     
    Of course, I am biased in this case 😉
    Reply
  3. Other questions to ask:
    – What sorts of storage are the backup vendors offering?  Based on some of the pricing you see around, you’d wonder if they’re using real SAN’s or cheap storage built at home or something like a Lacie BigDisk.  You need to know that your disaster recovery plans are built on a reliable foundation, i.e. something that will be supported years down the road.  Pricing is often a give-away clue as to what is going on.
    – What about physical security?  Physical access is key to protecting data.
    – Is it a Mom’n’Pop shop?  If so, are they going to be around in 3 years?  what about 7?
    Reply

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