Sorry
No worries - no need.
Not exactly. They're packages That you run on your own hrdwqare and provide functionality similar to the cloud providers. If you prefer to buy once vs. pay monthly and retain full ownership of your data, these would be something to look at. They are generally configurable via a web interface (web server on the device itself, not in the cloud) so you don't need to know the underlying technology. I'm not suggesting these for local storage, though many use them for that. It would be a useful solution to host at a friends house.
Those are good for local backups. I have local and remote file servers for automated backups. I also have a Seagate External HDD that I use for ad-hoc backups.
Try not to drop them.
Ohhh, but that would mean that the hardware is on site, not off site. It is a personal cloud, is that right? That doesn't really solve the problem, because if my house catches fire or an earthquake takes down the building, I still lose everything. It is a great idea, but... Or am I not thinking right about this... Is that that I am buying the hardware and it is housed somewhere else? I am interested to know more, perhaps I should F******* google it eh. ha.
As for dropping them... Ok.. Please enlighten me here... If these external drives are so dang delicate to use, what the heck is the difference then that I just don't go buy a raw internal HDD, use the VANTEC HDD external unit I have already, plug that HDD in backup my files, take that disk out, put it in a plastic box that I already have and store the HDD raw drive somewhere on a shelf? I don't get the point of owning an external drive if they are so bloody fragile. My internal HDDs in the Vantec device can use E-SATA also which is much faster than 3.0 USB! I am really interested in knowing opinions here because to me the externals sound useless now. I can drop an internal and it will still work. Drop an external and it dies, WTF gives? Enlighten me please. Aren't externals supposed to be more hardy?
Vantec makes an external unit to plug in internal HDDs, it is like an external but can do multiple drives, can even be set up to do RAIDS, but I am not interested in that as I want to store the drives used for backups away from the computer and not plugged in. I only use the Vantec for downloading stuff and extra storage, but it acts just like an external drive, anyway.. enlighten me please.
Good choices. I just use one NTFS partition, works fine with Linux or in case there's a Windows machine I would need to share with.
It was already formatted, no idea what they used. It had some files already on the drive also. At least the Seagate did, have not opened the WD, am considering to return it actually based on what you guys comment on my above questions about externals vs internals...