Cloud storage vs external hard disk drive : Which one is better?

[Dean213]

Cloud storage vs external hard disk drive : Which one is better?

Is it time to ditch your external hard drive?

 

Source

 

For years now, the golden rule when it came to getting more storage was to buy an external drive and spend half of your day moving data. This trend has been changing, however, as more and more people have chosen cloud technology. Why? Here are the reasons why cloud storage is better.

 

• Universal access
• Security
• Sync technology
• Cost

You’d be lying if you haven’t seen the “Low disk space” warning on your computer, or haven’t has at least one corrupted file.

 

Having a good backup strategy is important, and everyone should know why. You’d want to make sure that all your photos, music and videos you’ve collected for so long are there for the future. You’d also want to make sure none of your work documents disappears.

 

You’d also want to have the extra space when you actually need it. How to back up your files, however, is the issue. For years now, the rule of thumb was to go online, order an external hard drive and spend half of your day figuring out how to transfer your data. 

 

External drives are fast, there’s no doubt. However, even after so many years, they are just not that reliable. Hard drive failure rates, especially on modern devices, are as high as 27 percent during warranty period. This means that a hard drive’s pretty much good for two or three years, and then you kiss it and your data goodbye. 

 

What about the cloud? Cloud storage maybe not be as fast as external drives but it does take care of a fundamental problem external HDDs can’t fix. Reliability.

 

1. Universal access

We have files on our phone, on our home laptop and office computers. An external drive can do so much as to back up a computer, only. On the other hand, cloud storage gives you the freedom to back up files on any internet-connected device, without plugging anything.  Most cloud storage services have dedicated apps for most major clients. Access is so much easier, because you basically need a web browser and working internet connection to access all your files.

 

2. Security

With external drives, you’re in charge of security. However, a lot of people seem to miss this part – while a hard drive warranty will easily replace your HDD, it won’t bring lost files back. 

 

Security and cloud haven’t always gone together, as well. However, in the recent years, more and more new cloud storage apps have been deploying advanced encryption standards that ensure your data is safe at all times.

 

European cloud services encrypt user files before they transfer to their servers. By the time files are uploaded, they are already unreadable to anyone, other than the user. 

 

• These are the best free cloud storage services of 2018
• And this is our curated list of best cloud storage for photo
• While this is what we consider to be the best cloud hosting providers

3. Sync technology

Sync technology is one feature that’s incredibly handy, but rarely discussed. Selective sync allows you to connect your local folders with the cloud. If you’re working on the go, and don’t have Internet connection, sync helps you get the job done.

 

4. Cost per Quality

Putting aside all other arguments, cost is probably trickiest factor to consider. External drives have relatively linear pricing. The more you pay the more storage you get.

 

Some external drives also come with additional warranty in case of failure. Unfortunately, the warranty does not include file recovery, which can go as far as $1500, and depending on the nature of the failure – may be ineffective.

 

Cloud services may seem more expensive, due to their subscription-based pricing model. However, the price includes advanced file recovery options. In this case, you’re paying for storage, recovery and even more options, which make cloud storage cheaper in regards to the quality you get.

 

In the end, cloud-based solutions are the overall winner for me. Cloud services are becoming cheaper and more accessible every year. They also take care of additional data concerns like file recovery and remote access. With the evolution of the pricing models, including Lifetime options, external hard drives may as well become the next compact discs.

 

[luisam]

Maybe the best solution should be a failsafe individual storing system, not based on traditional hard drives. I understand there are some interesting options on "developer's lab", still not commercially available, with wider possibilities than current "standard" Hard Drives. Somehow I distrust this "cloud" solution: it's depending on a neccesary internet connection. "Cloud" users take for granted internet, like electicity and water but public service can fail, you can have "blackouts" when you never expect one.

Am I pessimistic or maybe I have a Murphy Bible in my nightstand!

[vitorio]

Need both. One of them for backup.

[dcs18]

 

[YURY67]

Both storage facilities have their pros and cons.
However, cloud storage, in my opinion and experience the most convenient method of storage, subject to the reliability of the company (at any time may cease to exist).
An external hard drive has a high probability of failure (mechanical damage, service life, failure of control electronics).
Based on this, we can conclude that important information must be stored simultaneously on the internal, external HDD (SDD) and cloud storage.

[Legacy]

You need both. The cloud is just not enough from a business perspective here is why. 

 

Company i deal with uses encrypted containers and have volume encryption drives. which store data and are backed up to the cloud every night, not in realtime?

 

 A System crash and a days worth of data lost as the backup to the cloud is not in realtime?

 

Now i have external storage added which too is encrypted, syncing the data changes through some decent software in real time and excel and word docs are backed up ever 10 mins to external storage and the cloud and regular incremental images to external storage.

 

I have the best of both worlds now as storing any images in the cloud is a no, no! to slow for recovery.

 

My advice, do not rely to much on the cloud, to be your silver lining and keep you fully protected!!!

 

You need to think out side the box. 

 

 

[debebee]

Depends on 

1. How much data you can save  (If it is on the order of Terabytes and Peabytes, online backup is impractical) and is costly

2. How fast is your internet esp on the upload..

3. Note not all onliine storage lockers are permanent.. 

Example when megaupload went down, users were dissapointed that the Terabytes worth of data never came back...

4. Every storage media can go down. So if you don't make multiple backups , you will have a big headache..