Recommend Cloud Storage?
 

What do you all recommend for cloud storage?

My daughter wants to get a service that lets her store large files in the cloud, and allows them to be easily retrieved to work on, because her MacBook Air has very limited storage (128 GB). Her MacBook Pro has more (512 GB) but she carries the lighter MBA to class etc.

We have tried iCloud Drive but it doesn't do what she needs. It is a sync'ing service, so storing 50GB in iCloud means the same 50GB gets duplicated on the local SSD. We don't have 50GB of room locally.

She uses BackBlaze for backup.

Is DropBox the default choice? Any others?

P.S. It would be good if the cloud storage also worked with her iPad.

I used DropBox for my entire college coursework (and since then, i use it for everything else). Works great..

You know why they call it “the cloud”? Because if they tried to get you to store your stuff on “some other dudes computer”, you wouldn’t do it.

As we have MS Office on all devices we use OneDrive a lot

Google Drive allows everything to be stored in the cloud and edited there.

On your iCloud Drive choose optimized storage. This will keep only the files you are using locally, well, locally and everything else on the iCloud Drive. Otherwise iCloud drive is a backup and not remote storage.

Moshe and I are on the same page.

Personally I'd set up my own storage using a old computer, Linux, software RAID and multiple hard drives. Then install synchthing or owncloud on it.

If you are using s Mac you can just setup Apple Server and use it for a file server aka NAS.

Better to use iCloud as Optimized so it will be a remote file server that keeps local copies of only the files you are actively using. You have immediate access to the files you are working on, but still have the rest of your files stored in iCloud instead of locally. Apple is just making it so network speed doesn't effect the files you are actively working on. It may be a bit confusing because it really starts working when you run low on local disk space.

I use google drive for files I expect to be working on on multiple devices. I have a pair of 1T passport drives that I use for cold storage. One is a backup for the other. I also use a Passport to back up my computer using Time Machine. I just don't trust the cloud to keep the only copy of anything valuable.

I also use Google Drive. I use Open Office for documents and spread sheets and have had issues particularly with editing open office spread sheets on Drive. Might not be an issue if using MSOffice?

Also, can't password protect individual files.

Google drive works great for me. I pay the $1.99 per month for extra storage.

I use Hillary's drive, very secure and free!SmileWavy

Personally, I only store zeros on someone else's storage device unless I can help it....the other ones I keep to myself...a bit of geek humor...arrrr

Mick (and Moses) was right :)

Cloud storage is fine for sharing and warm or cold backup but less than ideal for hot files.

And you always need an Internet connection which is not always available or robust.

She's a student, 1 TB Onedrive plus access to Office suite, ~$1.50 a month.
https://products.office.com/en-us/university

Alternately, and likely more convenient, expand her storage.

IIRC you got her a 2015 15' Retina MacBook Pro.

It has an SDXC slot.

You can get an all in one solution like a JetDrive

https://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=Transcend%20jetdrive%20lite&linkCode=ur2& tag=9to503-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=2GC6JD6EO7PLJKQR

or use a Micro SD adaptor plus micro SD card.

https://www.amazon.com/aluminum-microSD-Adapter-MacBook-onwards/dp/B012F8ALBC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1515676900&sr=8-9&keywords=Nifty+minidrive

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-microSDXC-Adapter-MB-MC256GA-EU/dp/B06XFS5657/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1515677341&sr=1-4&keywords=micro+sd+card&refinements=p_n_feature_t wo_browse-bin%3A13203835011

Micro SD vs JetDrive cost is basically a wash but with an adapter you can just pick up more cards for additional capacity or use what you already have even swap files with others by swapping cards.

Were it me, I'd take advantage of the student discount on Office 365 and in addition do the micro SD adapter.

NOTE: When buying SD cards only buy name brands. If 256GB averages $125 and you see one for $50 stay away.

There is no shortage of retailers who take cheap and slow low capacity cards and slap a label on indicating multiples of the capacity they are actually capable of.

EDIT: Had some coffee. Those SDXC adaptors also work on Air's although depending on the model it may or may not be interchangeable with the MacBook. The iPad requirement is even more reason to consider Office 365, gives you access to the mobile versions of Office apps.

At $1.50 a month it's practically free.

The micro SDXC card + adapter is genius, thank you. I thought about getting her an SD card to expand memory, but didn't like the way it sticks out. Never thought about the micro route. Thanks!

On Office, I have a family Office 365 and she gets her Office that way. I need to check if I can put Office on her new MBP or if I am maxed out on instances.

A while ago before I fully retired from Oracle DBA work and evening teaching I was worried about loosing files. I looked at remote or cloud sites and I was not happy with any of them. I went to see the little old Vietnamese lady who runs the small computer store locally and she recommended I do what they did. So I bought a Western Digital 10TB drive and plugged it into a docking station that has place for 2 drives and 3 additional USB connectors. Software came with the dock station and I do a nightly backup. Last year I added a second 10TB drive so now I am set pretty much for even.

At midnight I turn off the LAN connection so there is no chance of intruders and it comes back on at 6:00AM. So far it has been pretty much fail safe and very little chance of stolen files.

It's the 1 TB of OneDrive Cloud storage at $1.50 a month that makes it attractive.

Plus the student package gets her 2 installs per product, desktop and mobile apps.

Both of my computers have a built in RAID, just two drives that are mirrored. When a drive fails it is easy to swap and it rebuilds the raid. The biggest problem with that is the need for off site storage. In case of a fire, burglar, or tornado or some other event off site is necessary.

I don't worry at all about mudslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, race riots, or forest fires. A grass fire is a very remote possibility. The zombie apocalypse is right up there with bigfoot attacks or extraterrestrials.

I do back up the critical files at my business partner's house on a RAID 5 device.

And I also use an APP on my cell phone called AirDisk Pro. It makes a connection that works just like a virtual USB drive. I can use WI-FI and copy any file from my Win10 pro computer to the phone. I can easily copy them back off and delete or change them. Since I have my phone with me all the time I have access to critical files at any time. If the FBI can't get into a iPhone I guess it is hacker proof if someone steals my phone. The phone has a code and AirDisk Pro has a password as well.

Amazon Glacier is good, just not sure of the sync capability