[dundee] Alternative Cloud Backup

[Robert Ladyman]

> http://www.datahaven.net/index.html
> 
> Basically looks like a bittorent style encryted cloud backup thing.
> with built in monetizing and pub/private keys.
> 
> don't think I'm comfortable with storing data on just anyone's pc.
> 
> would anyone else use this ?
> 

In case others haven't read the FAQ for this, basically customers purchase 
storage space from (2 to 64) 'suppliers', and the customer's data are then 
encrypted and scattered amongst these suppliers using the datahaven software.

A little maths... if you have 'N' slices of backup 'D', you are going to need 
at least 2N storage locations*, in case 1 of your suppliers is unreachable or 
disappears - in other words you will have to upload at least 2D (probably 
2xNxD). It might be that the suppliers are inter-linked and automatically 
share your data between themselves (to balance it) at which point you have to 
wait for some time 'T' for the data to percolate amongst them. To simplify, 
the almost worst case* would be only 1 of your suppliers being available, at 
which point you would need to know that they have all of your data 
slices....and hence every negative point listed in the FAQ about other 'on-
line' systems becomes true about this system. 

Aside from all the above, where's the contract for use between the (at least) 
3 parties (you, datahaven, your suppliers)? No contract = no obligation to 
continue storage.

If by "backup" you do NOT mean a secure, recoverable, untouchable record of 
your system at a particular time, then you might use it. That goes for any 
'cloud' [sound of spitting] backup service.

You might read this article - it points out a number of things, particularly 
costs of both storage and recovery from distant backup services:-

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/15/cloud_storage_costs/

===
* (the worst being none available, of course)
* (my calculations show it to be worse than that)
-- 
Robert Ladyman
File-Away Limited
3 Ralston Business Centre, Newtyle, Blairgowrie
Perthshire  PH12 8TL SCOTLAND
Tel: +44 (0) 1828 898 158
Mobile: +44 (0) 7732 771 649
http://www.file-away.co.uk

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