Best Cloud Storage, Security, Encryption, Access, Login, etc

Hi guys, I have been looking around for a good cloud storage solution. I know the golden rule of back up is local + outside machine + in another country. I am interested in backing up my data outside of my house thus the reason. However, I don't trust any of them... I most certainly will not choose Google, MS or Amazon. And I know there are tons of other services out there and have done some research. But all of them have some advantages and disadvantages. Some are slow to upload and download, etc.

I do not need sharing capabilities either and think it is best not to use a service that does have that for security issues. I would like to have access to my files from different computers, however, as I do sometimes travel and sometimes forget to bring a file with me on a USB pen.

Encryption on my machine might be better than doing it in the cloud, but still not sure how safe that is. I know the best solution is not to use the service, but... I need one.

I need to back up photos, documents and emails. I have a lot of each.

I did do as search on the site, and found one thread that someone listed this company: https://spideroak.com/ but not sure how good they are. And this one also: https://www.crashplan.com/en-us/

Are they any better than your standard Carbonite type services?

What do you guys use and trust?

Thanks!

https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup.html

IMO, the best option out there if you want cloud backup.

Mpegger said:

https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup.html

IMO, the best option out there if you want cloud backup.

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And why is that? What makes them more unique or better than any of the other ones?

One issue I see is that we cannot easily access it, we have to zip it back.. I assume we can break down the data into smaller bits and have folders? Or it seems that would have to be done locally first as everything is encrypted locally.

bump

I am currently using Crash Plan myself and like it quite a bit. You can see their different security methods here, it looks like custom would fit your security needs.

My only issue with Crash Plan is slow restoral speeds. I currently have a 100/100 connection and I am restoring ~2.5 TBs of data from Crash Plan (changed my file server from OMV to FreeNAS, as most of these backup files are media I wasn't concerned if the backup failed, figured this would be a good test). My speeds are about 12 Mbps download. To get around this, I brought up 4 Ubuntu VMs with Crash Plan installed all restoring different folders to my network drive. This has brought the speeds up to about 60 Mbps.

I personally only use Crash Plan Single Computer plan which is set to backup a network drive. Then I have all of my PCs and Servers backup to the drive.

Why do you like crash plan?

The slowness might be a problem because I will not be using it within the US. Although I have an FTTH system, overseas the speeds would be terrible.

I honestly don't like to upload any of my files to another company, but the fact that it is becoming necessary to do so with threats from some governments about having to upload your phone and laptop data, etc. as well as risk of fire and theft, I think I have no choice but to back up to a cloud in another country to make sure I have a backup.

So tell me why do you like Crash plan? Why not Spider oak or another? Just trying to get a feel. Thanks.

I'm currently using crashplan to upload all of my data off site. I too have relatively slow upload speeds to them (about 8Mb/s) when I have a 500/50 plan. But it's going, and the data is unlimited, encrypted, deduped, and compressed.

Hey Janus, do you trust them? And what sort of data are you uploading to them? Emails? Documents? Photos? This is what I need it for. Trustworthy? For photos compression is not optimal because it will mess with the resolution...

And one more issue here, is that if I buy the $5 a month plan, if I need files while on vacation or a business trip for my laptop, but that I used my pc to backup, I won't be able to download those files to the laptop right? I would need to buy the bigger package?

bump

Is there not one person you know you trust who has good internet? There are a myriad of file transfer progs that do backup to remote machines such as winscp which seems to be very popular. Other than having the required storage space and the computer running that would be all you'd need I'd think. Or just pony up and go with one of the above suggestions. Doesn't really matter who you choose as long as you believe the data will not vanish nor the company go oob if it's encrypted to begin with.

Oh I'm not looking for free services, I don't mind paying, I am just looking for the better one that can really make sure it is secure and my files are safe and is not going cost me an arm and a leg. I don't trust MS, Amazon or Google. But I think all of them could have potential issues, but figured some people here must use the services and be able to tell me why the like them.

Anyone use idrive?

I want something out of Taiwan, Taiwan has a log of typhoons and earthquakes, I need someplace other than here.

Of course I worry the company goes OOB and doesn't do a good job with encryption..

You encrypt on your machine with the software that sends it on the fly, not the remote server. My god. I wouldn't use amazon simply because they have absolutely unfair practices regarding their user base wherein they will duplicate your product and then undercut you, the amazon 'member', essentially putting you out of business while they reap your hard work. If they were the last online retailer in the universe I would simply rob them, but I will never do business with them knowingly. Google and MS are the 2 biggest server entities on the planet and to say they will be in business tomorrow is a given. All you need to do is pick one that has standing and tenure and go with it. On the fly encryption before it even leaves your pc.

habbajabba said:

You encrypt on your machine with the software that sends it on the fly, not the remote server. My god. I wouldn't use amazon simply because they have absolutely unfair practices regarding their user base wherein they will duplicate your product and then undercut you, the amazon 'member', essentially putting you out of business while they reap your hard work. If they were the last online retailer in the universe I would simply rob them, but I will never do business with them knowingly. Google and MS are the 2 biggest server entities on the planet and to say they will be in business tomorrow is a given. All you need to do is pick one that has standing and tenure and go with it. On the fly encryption before it even leaves your pc.

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I see. So any of these companies are going to provide encryption software with the subscription? or I need to buy one before I start uploading?

Yes, I wouldn't use Amazon either. I worry they will steal my files. Google and MS also have some reputation for doing that, so that is why I worry.

From my experience the companies have gui software that uses onthefly encryption just for the users piece of mind. You don't know personally who runs the servers holding your data so if the data you send is encrypted first, that is your only piece of mind as far as security is concerned. No one could argue with that. You pay for the server space and the software takes care of the security portion as it leaves your end. Regardless, you yourself must always make sure the data is encrypted first no matter what.
Funny how security in this sense is so important yet all the billions of people who use android if not apple devices have none at all when they use them to 'connect'. Too funny for words really.

As of today I still have not chosen a company for backup, and the reason is that they all seem to have negatives that are quite negative indeed. I am sort of lost on this... And I am sure after 26 months maybe now we have some better alternatives or some company has improved?

1. I need a lot of storage, for photos, I have TBs.
2. I need something that I can actually scroll through and download files that were deleted rather than like backblaze that require a HDD to be sent to you.
3. I am on the fence if I want something hooked up to my internet that does like a RAID or not with how much hacking is going on recently I worry. Just today Garmin got nailed.
4. I hope that the company has servers and backups in different countries, with the threat of a war looming it would be nice to know if an EMP goes off that my data is still safe. Of course there will be bigger issues if that happens, but this is why I want multiple sites.
5. Something encrypted, I think it will encrypt on my side on upload.

What do you all use and why do you like it or not like it, etc?

Thanks!!!

I think crashplan (small business now) does all of that minus maybe the multi-country, unsure.

It's what I use to backup 15+TB at a flat monthly rate

Janus67 said:

I think crashplan (small business now) does all of that minus maybe the multi-country, unsure.

It's what I use to backup 15+TB at a flat monthly rate

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I was looking at idrive, but not sure they are good or not either, but ratings seem good, and price is attractive.

Does Crashplan allow you to view what you have backed up? And if you need to pull one file down can you? Or can you pull the file down on another device, sort of like an online HDD, so if you travel you still can access all the files from your main machine?

Secure?

techiemon said:

I was looking at idrive, but not sure they are good or not either, but ratings seem good, and price is attractive.

Does Crashplan allow you to view what you have backed up? And if you need to pull one file down can you? Or can you pull the file down on another device, sort of like an online HDD, so if you travel you still can access all the files from your main machine?

Secure?

Click to expand...

Yes, I can pull back individual files from their web interface. I run the crashplan client on an Ubuntu VM at my house and backup my NAS as a mapped drive to their system.

Encryption is an option to choose for backups.

There's also version control and recovering deleted files etc as well.

Janus67 said:

Yes, I can pull back individual files from their web interface. I run the crashplan client on an Ubuntu VM at my house and backup my NAS as a mapped drive to their system.

Encryption is an option to choose for backups.

There's also version control and recovering deleted files etc as well.

Click to expand...

So, let me make sure I get this right.... I can back up my whole system, and then if I want, I can go in and grab individual files I need rather than having to download everything? But... The kicker here is because they only support one machine for their price, so..... What if I am on vacation? My PC is the one being backed up, but I bring a laptop with me, and I need to grab a file that is on my desktop, but there is a backup copy of it on the crashplan drives, can I grab it? I think I cannot back it up once used or changed but at least I can grab it?

I feel crashplan is a bit less flexible than Idrive, and Idrive seems to have better encryption also, but that means probably longer upload times.

With crashplan you can log in to the web gui from any machine and grab your backed up data. I dont think you can upload a file through the web gui for backup though. We use crashplan at work. Does well. Easy to use. Unlimited data. Difference between it and iDrive are small aside from the pricing structures. Go with whichever makes more sense economically for you.