So Called Personal Cloud Question

I hope I'm not wearing out a frequently ask question, so here goes anyway. I have need to move files from my PC and Laptop to free up space, I have the file backed up in an external HD, that I keep at work, but its always hard to just delete file off of the computers, so I was thinking why not just get one of those personal cloud things I see advertised. I looked on Amazon last night and quickly get the idea that I need to study this an get some advise. I don't want to spend tons on something a couple hundred is ok but not a grand. Is there a practical solution for this that is wifi enabled ?
Thanks

How much storage space are you looking for? Could something like Dropbox work?

Are you trying to make files accessible from anywhere or are you trying to get more storage space? If you're just out of space, why not just buy a larger hard drive?

What does "personal cloud" even mean? Is it an internet accessible NAS (network attached storage)? Keep in mind that any storage device you expose to the Internet is likely to get hacked at some point. If that contains you only copy of that data, you're hosed.

"Personal cloud" is a direct contradiction. Marketers should be shot.

You need more hard drive space, just buy a larger hard drive. If you have a laptop then get a USB3.0 drive, if it's a desktop put a bare drive in the machine. Either way you'll need another drive the same size as a backup.

I use CrashPlan for 'cloud' backup and have duplicate copies of everything at home. I selected CrashPlan since I could pay to get a 1TB drive sent to me, fill it with my files and send it back, they 'seeded' it onto their servers. Well worth it to me, as it would take months to upload that much data via my cable service. I like having something away from my house and using a drive I stored at my wife's work got too bothersome.

Oh, edit to add, if you have Amazon prime you get unlimited storage on their servers and Flickr gives you 1TB I think, for free

I don't use cloud for backup - I only use external hard drives (two 750GB for jpeg photos + 128GB usb key for personal data).

I do use GoogleSheets for spreadsheet calcs, and Microsoft OneDrive (free 25GB) for sharing photos with friends/family. OneDrive has a non-share option which is "personal" as it can only be accessed from your signed-in account. The shared option only requires having the correct address to access.

'the cloud' as a public concept has a number of stories of commercial services going out of business...either leaving the cloud storage service business segment, or shuttering their doors completely, and leaving their clients in a lurch with little or NO notice!

A more private type of cloud is a network-attached storage (NAS) device-based cloud - and Seagate touts their Personal Cloud Home Media Storage device is an example. A NAS device acts as a central secure location where you can backup or store and access your files via an ethernet connected distribution in your home.
Western Digital says "From anywhere in the world, you are always connected to your own personal cloud. Save valuable space on your mobile devices with easy photo and video uploads directly to your My Cloud, then securely access and share your memories from anywhere." Yes, you can, but so can any hacker.

NAS are generally noticeably slower to access data than what you store on internal harddrives or even USB connected harddrives. For example, may folks use NAS for achiving photo files, but keep active projects on the internal harddrive, because Lightroom is much faster that way.

Wilt wrote in post #17485116
A more private type of cloud is a network-attached storage (NAS) device-based cloud - and Seagate touts their Personal Cloud Home Media Storage device is an example. A NAS device acts as a central secure location where you can backup or store and access your files via an ethernet connected distribution in your home.
Western Digital says "From anywhere in the world, you are always connected to your own personal cloud. Save valuable space on your mobile devices with easy photo and video uploads directly to your My Cloud, then securely access and share your memories from anywhere." Yes, you can, but so can any hacker.

Only without the backup generators, redundant network connections, multi-site replication, automatic backup, etc that any decent storage provider would have. "Cloud" typically means that its Internet accessible storage, managed by someone else, with far more fault tolerance than a home user would ever have. This just shows marketers will throw the word cloud on anything.

Wilt wrote in post #17485116
NAS are generally noticeably slower to access data than what you store on internal harddrives or even USB connected harddrives. For example, may folks use NAS for achiving photo files, but keep active projects on the internal harddrive, because Lightroom is much faster that way.

That depends on the NAS. Sure, the cheap ones are only about as fast as a single USB 2.0 hard drive. I did my research and got a 5 bay Synology that can max out my GigE link and can supposedly go faster if I get a managed switch and another NIC for my PC. With the multiple spindles, its faster than any single internal hard drive would be.

"Cloud" originally meant (and still means to me) industrial strength instantly scalable compute and storage services. Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and "Google Cloud" are all examples of actual cloud solutions. Cloud can also mean applications hosted for you. The key is they're reliable services provided remotely.

A disk is a disk, whether you call it "personal cloud" or not.

Dean Humphrey wrote in post #17484203
I have need to move files from my PC and Laptop to free up space, I have the file backed up in an external HD, that I keep at work, but its always hard to just delete file off of the computers

Now that you've received a good education on the "cloud", can you elaborate on what you find difficult about deleting a file?

I use Microsoft OneDrive. I think it was like $60/yr for 1tb. I just work out of my one drive folder on my PC and everything is automatically backed up. Then you can download the onedrive app to your phone or tablet and access your files on your phone too! You can also share folders by getting a link from onedrive and sending it to a friend. You can set different privacy settings as well. You can also store files ONLY on OneDrive to free up your hard drive.

"cloud" is a generic term for a drive somewhere in the Ether, so that you can access your files anywhere. A very nice feature indeed. But using a "cloud" for backing you critical data, is another story. It may indeed have data/power redundancy and all that good stuff, or it may be some extra hard drive in some almost forgotten closet. For access anywhere/anytime, this is fine; for critical backup, certainly not.

If you don't have too much stuff, get an external HD for about $30 US per TB. It's petty cheap in my mind, and you own it.

That said, it do use a variety of clouds - google, onedrive, dropbox, boxnet -- all free

I always thought the name is a bit silly, I'd rather store nothing in a cloud, LOL

and yes, businesses can come and go at will, but chances are probably pretty slim that my cloud storage (CrashPlan) and both of my HD that have the same content go out on the same day. And if they do, we probably got hit by a huge meteor and I won't be able to care. It's so cheap nowadays, it really makes little sense not to use it. Unlimited photo storage with Amazon Prime ($100/year or so), 1TB with Flickr, etc etc, why not use it as an added safety cushion. I have zero concerns that CrashPlan would look at my photos (or any of the other services) and even on the zero chance that they do, don't care. I like the added security in case the house burns down and I no longer have to keep track of a HD stored at my wife's work, my former 'manual' cloud if you will. IMO it's really worth doing.

Amazon upped the ante very recently with their $60/year unlimited plan:
http://www.wired.com …everything-cloud-storage/

Been evaluating crashplan but planning to take a look at Amazon as well.

John wrote in post #17494801
Amazon upped the ante very recently with their $60/year unlimited plan:
http://www.wired.com …everything-cloud-storage/

Been evaluating crashplan but planning to take a look at Amazon as well.

I don't see Amazon's storage as a substitute for Crashplan. Sure, its off-site storage, but as far as I know, it lacks the features (such as versioning) of a proper backup system.