The Advantages and Disadvantages of Having Your Own Cloud

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Having Your Own Cloud

You must set up your own small server so you can store and synchronize data easilyLarge providers, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud & Co., have multiple servers and store millions of users' files. But that also creates some problems.

How can you be sure your files will not be seen by others there? How can you prevent confidential services from accessing your sensitive documents if you don't have control of the server?

The short answer to these questions is: Unfortunately (almost) not at all. You must rely on this provider. That's difficult. Especially when Google, Dropbox & Co. operate their servers in the US or as US companies.

People have become more sensitive to their data since it is known that US authorities, for example through what is called the PRISM program, have access to servers of large IT companies based in the United States. Many larger cloud providers are in the US: Google with Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft with SkyDrive, Apple with iCloud and many more. Files stored there are often not encrypted.

Many of these worlds have value and price. Therefore, you should always ask yourself how cloud services can finance giant IT infrastructure. There may be - also the US - - a service that protects your data and offers from a number of fee-based storage rates. But there are also services that are interested in your data - these can be cloud service providers and confidential services.

Let's say you save personal images, reminders, and documents in your cloud account that you need to do your work. Do you really want to accept that cloud services or confidential services can access this data? Isn't it better if you know that your data is physically stored in your own home? Shouldn't you have complete control over your own data?

If the cloud service itself costs hundreds of euros, then he will have a serious alternative. But that's not the problem. With one of the private Cloud presented here, you can even save money compared to online cloud service providers.

The benefits of this solution for you:

Your data is yours

The small computer that we will introduce to you as long as articles can be installed in your home. Your data is really up to you. If an intelligence agent wants your data, it must go to the system or to your home.

 You are independent.

You are no longer dependent on US cloud service providers. It doesn't matter to you whether the price of an account with one of these providers rises, because you only pay, as usual, for your access to the Internet, electricity costs and once the purchase price for a small server.

 You have complete control.

You can also distribute available storage space for different users. This allows your other family members to enjoy their own cloud server.

 You Pay for Something Substantial

For monthly or annual fees for cloud providers, you get the space provided for that period. If the contract expires, you will no longer have access to storage space.

For your own cloud, you only need to pay once (regardless of fees such as an Internet connection, see "Fees") and then hold something in your hand. If you no longer want to use the cloud, you can use the device that you ordered for other purposes. For example, for your own MediaServer or for one of the many other possibilities described for example in this Raspberry Pi * manual.

 You often save money

If you need more than 5 or 10 GigaBytes, you often have to pay with a cloud service provider. So your own cloud is cheaper in the long run.

Lack of cloud itself

But you also have to realize the weakness of having your own cloud:

Setting takes time & knowledge

To set your own cloud, you need time. I try to give you all the knowledge needed for devices with this guide. So, if you follow this article step by step, you can manage the cloud according to this guide and in a few minutes to hours. However, there must be a basic technical understanding.

n addition, you must regularly update the software yourself.

You are responsible for your data

The controls mentioned above are also losses. You must realize that data stored in your cloud is only stored in small computer memory. So, if you break into or part of your own server must be destroyed, this data deleted from your cloud cannot be repaired.

The system recommended here provides basic protection against hacker attacks. But it's not impossible to break accounts with cloud providers, as well as your own cloud and you who are responsible. Because your cloud is not known as Dropbox & Co., it floats under the radar and generally doesn't appeal to hackers.

Losing Possible Speed.

Suppose you have a web tariff that guarantees you 16 Mbps (download) and around 2 Mbps (upload). So, if you upload data to one of the data mentioned above, for example Dropbox, you can upload it to a maximum of 2 Mbps. Even with your own cloud, you can upload a maximum of 2 Mbps (around 0.25 megabytes per second), while theoretically the cloud can download and receive up to 8 times more (16 Mbps).

According to this calculation, it doesn't matter if you use your own cloud or cloud provider, but a small computer that will function as your server and the software installed in it will not be as strong as the software and software of the cloud provider. Therefore, synchronizing with your own cloud (eg on your phone or PC) may be slower. In my experience, this still happens at an acceptable speed.

Difficult

shared If you want to share content with friends through the cloud, you must rely on a strong server. You can find more information in articles about cloud hardware.