[colug-432] Recommendations for inexpensive and secure cloud storage?

[Chris Spackman]

On 2014/08/19 at 06:10pm, Dan Kaiser wrote:

> [tldr: looking for recommendations and/or testimonials for cloud
> storage solutions)

I use three different services, currently. Wuala I have been using the
longest - maybe 5 or 6 years now? Wuala encrypts everything locally
before sending but does also have a web interface for
*sharing*. Sharing is set up through the local GUI.
For sharing, it puts the key into the URL like this:
"https://wuala.com/(blahblahblah)/?key=X1aweron19"

Wuala has the usual features: backup, sync, etc. It also has a couple
of cool features I haven't seen (or found maybe) elsewhere:

Groups - you can create groups to share data and that data is kept
separate from your own or that of other groups you may belong to.

Virtual disk - maybe not the most accurate term, but basically, your
cloud storage can be set up to act as a virtual local disk. On my home
Debian computer, it is mounted under /home/chris/WualaDrive. On the
Win7 laptop I use, I think it shows up as the W: drive. This lets you
access data as if it were local, so no need to download, edit, upload.

You can also store data only in the cloud - so that data doesn't have
to also be on your local computer (unlike regular backup or sync,
where the data is simultaneously on your drive and in the cloud). This
may not be as uncommon today, but I don't recall that anyone else had
this feature back when I started using Wuala.

Wuala uses Java and is slow to start up. Syncing speed is similar to
other software I have tried (including Dropbox). Wuala also has some
command line programs, but you may not be able to do everything from
the command line.

SpiderOak someone else already mentioned. It is more complicated, in
my opinion, but that may just be familiarity. Like Wuala, SpiderOak
also encrypts locally. Also like Wuala, it is great for backing up
data as well as syncing data between computers.

The final software I use is tarsnap. It is (supposedly) secure tar
that backs up to the cloud. Last I checked, you had to download the
source from the site and compile yourself. Then generate keys, create
accounts, etc. I am not a tech guru, but I got it installed and set up
with no issues by following the documents on the site.

Tarsnap is basically tar + automatic encryption and upload. Command
line only, I believe. Great for backing up data "just in case". The
prices are very reasonable, but I cannot say how it compares to Amazon
or similar. Details are on the webpage - tarsnap charges daily storage
fees and network transfer fees.

-- 
Chris and Yoshiko Spackman

Respect is earned. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned.