Merry Christmas! This year more than ever, the pictures we take will document the memories we will have. The videos and pictures will document are not only for us, but for those who cannot be with us due to the health concerns that unfortunately surround us. And no matter who you are, you will at some point this season ask the question: How do I save my photos and videos? Or What is the best way to save photos?
Data storage is a huge commodity in computer hardware. And where to start? There are so many options for storage. And while there are hundreds of storage services out there, my intent through this post will not be to rank subscription storage; but rather, to help you find creative ways to store your pictures and videos without paying a monthly fee.
Local storage: this is storage of data in your home or office that is stored on a computer device you own.
Cloud storage: this is storage of data on someone’s service and they charge you a fee to store it there.
There are a lot of convenient reasons to use cloud storage.
1. Easy to upload from any device – Most cloud services offer apps for all major platforms. (Windows, IOS, Android)
2. Easy to access from any device – Can upload from your phone and view on your computer in seconds.
3. Easy to scale – All cloud storage services have massive amounts of storage available, however you must pay to increase. The convenience to increase is fantastic. If you have 100 Gb and need 200 Gb today, you can have it instantly – no questions asked.
Why store your data locally (in your home or office)?
1. Security. When you upload your photos and videos to a cloud storage solution, you are trusting that service provider to secure all your data. When you use a local storage option, you are as safe as you make it.
2. Access. When you upload your data to a cloud provider, there are associated risks. For example, if they go offline, you may not be able to access them. And similarly, if you go offline, you will not be able to access them.
3. Cost. Depending on how much data you need to store, your cloud storage could be cheaper than the investment of local storage. When you have lots of data to store, you have costs like power and maintenance to account for, as well.
The last point is the weakest reason for storing your data locally. Security and Access is the main reason to store locally. In some cases, you may opt to use a hybrid solution. Hybrid is where you store locally and in a cloud. The reason for this, is that you may need fast access to your data; however, a backup that is onsite is at risk for loss. Loss can happen in many ways; the normal reasons are natural disaster.
When choosing local storage, you need to choose hardware that is built for long-term storage. Thumb drives and flash drives are not long-term storage. These devices are often lost and are easily erased. You can use a flash drive to transfer photos from one computer or device to another; however, it is never recommended to store pictures there long term.
You can use an external hard drive. This is a device that is similar to a flash drive, though larger and usually less vulnerable to failing. Since an external hard drive can be unplugged and forgotten, it may not be the best option, and it will not be able to back up without power. If you choose to use an external hard drive, you should verify you power it up every day and back up the machine that you maintain your pictures and videos on.
The best way to manage your photos and videos is on a dedicated device that is set to the specifications outlined below:
· Use a device with high storage capability.
· Back your local storage up to a cloud environment.
· Use Anti-Virus on your local storage device.
· Keep your local storage machine updated with the latest updates.
· Use hardware monitoring for your local storage to verify your hard drives are not going to fail.
· Keep a minimum of 3 copies of all your pictures and videos locally and in the cloud.
All of this is a lot to maintain, but this is the best way to ensure that all your precious pictures and videos are kept safe. You may be overwhelmed by all this information and saying, “How do I do this? Where do I start?” Working with a professional who can easily set all this up for you may be the best way to help you get this going. DataCom Technologies is here to help! With picture and video storage, the best way is not the cheapest way. I see all too often that the cheap way is the way that pictures and videos are lost forever. Don’t let that be you. Call us at 330-680-6002 or contact us through our website, and we will work on a plan to help you protect these important memories.
