I still don't think my one point was understood. 

If you set up Drop box as a "sync storage" and save a file to it. It is not just stored on the cloud off site,, it is also stored on your hard drive in the drop box folder. You can open those files with the internet shut off. So there's no danger of loosing the file because drop box goes down. The cloud part of the equation is just the off site part of the system. 
If you also have Drop Box installed on your other computers the file will also be stored there too, on it's hard drive. It will download the updated files the minute it goes on line. 

You can set drop box so that nothing is stored  locally too. 

There is also the option of sharing files with others, a very easy way to collaborate. 

Cactus, you are correct. It is synch'd from local storage. 

However, if anyone uses that to work in the DAW, I'd recommend disabling the sync while working. Not sure what havoc that could cause otherwise. 

I see all kinds of great reasons to use cloud storage for programmatic purposes. You can access it from anywhere which is handy.

For backing up personal files, I think those with security concerns have a reason to be concerned.  That said, there's no reason you can't store your data in the cloud encrypted.

Microsoft Blob storage requires the blobs be chunked to sizes less than 100 MB or so (not sure but it's less than a large cakewalk project because I pass large cakewalk projects across it from time to time).

You can use 7Zip to zip your files, encrypt them, and chunk them.

I do think the cloud can be a useful tool, but I don't put all my backups in the cloud. I usually use it as a method to pass large objects over distance.

@brconflict >> you mention desiring to run your daw on any computer. I have a portable hard drive with Linux Ubuntu Studio installed and it comes with the DAW Ardour. I can boot my work laptop or home laptop to this OS and make a recording with my Fireface UCX in Class Compliant mode. The Interface and the portable hard drive and ANY computer is all I need. 

Now, I can mix on Ardour or move my files to my Windows machine to mix with Sonar.

I could also boot my Windows machine and route Audio between the machines mixing in 2 Daws at once. That way, I have access to all my Sonar FX. I've never done this, but it's possible.

There is no comparison to how fast a stripped-down Linux machine can run vs Windows or MAC OS. Unfortunately, Linux has a long way to go for supportability of hardware and 3rd-party plug-ins, and Desktops.  

I would never dream of using the drop box folder for my DAW's working folder. Were talking "save as" here. It's great for back up, but I can never see the cloud replacing our local storage. Running software over the net only works when the net works. For some of us in rural locations that's never going to happen. 

I'm surprised this cloud stuff is becoming a big deal all of a sudden.

Back in '98 when I was doing tech support for a computer company there was a lot of talk that within the next 10 years or so hard drives would start to become obsolete as all settings and files would soon be stored remotely.

I didn't like it then and I don't like it now.

Guitarpima


Unbelievable! You guys crack me up. "The government's going to spy on me". "I like my privacy". LOL!!!!!

Don't any of you get it? Do you have a checking account? A Debit card? Do you use those cards at the supermarket so you can get better deals? The drug store? Do you pay for your gas with your debit card? Any and all of those things are being tracked and recorded by data mining CORPORTATIONS NOT, the government. In fact, the government gets their information from those data mining corporations. As far as homeland security goes, that's a different animal altogether. Again, none of us are that important. The attitude is understandable, be it sad,  considering the individualistic society we've built.

Bottom line? I think these online storage sites are good. Better safe and have all you stuff in case of an disaster than not. Besides, it will all be online within ten years anyway so get used to it.

I agree. You're on the Internet Doug whatever .... They all ready track it. They all ready have everything they need to know about you. 




I do agree there is a line though and it gets crossed at the airport. Homeland security is a joke. So is the phony war on terrorism. 

I'd have to say at this point I wouldn't mix anything I care about using Ardour. I'd definitely use Sonar. I'm much better at using Sonar than Ardour and I've spent a lot of time practicing with it.

For me, having the Linux drive in my work bag means I can toy with a mix at work during lunch. :-) Or not have to take 2 laptops to the inlaws when I go (work laptop is always with me).

Mostly, I just do real audio anyway. I don't even know how to spell Middy.

Yes, Ardour has lots of VSTs but so far nothing that compares with my Sonar toys. Still, the UCX has compressors, reverbs, delay all built-in, along with loopback settings, so I can use the FX in the Unit itself if I want to and they aren't half bad. :-)

A lot of fun can be had this way. It isn't Sonar. I'm not trying to say it is.

And a lot of people will be frustrated trying to get their interfaces to work. The UCX is Class Compliant and that's the key to easy interoperability on Linux Ubuntu.

I don't think I'm THAT paranoid about the U.S. government. Firstly, yes it's pretty easy for them to gain access to storage that we put our things in, and can sift through whatever they want, but how is this so different from the Postal Service? How many more private things have you emailed or given up to government handling, knowing they were touching it? 

But if it makes you feel any better, with all the data the governments have in stock, they certainly don't have the means/resources to dig through it all and just looks at people's stuff on a whim. They're not quite that advanced yet. 

The main advantage of cloud storage for backups is that it is idiot easy to get your data off site. If your house burns down and you have your data on a hard drive or a pile of DVD's in the broom closet, you may well be out of luck. If the cloud is your only backup, you have the additional security problems of data corruption or hacking (rare) or the loss of the cloud site through business changes in the operating company. That latter eventuality has happened several times in the brief history of the cloud. If no one is paying the rent on the distant server, the owner may send you a nice email, warning you to move it by some date, or may just wipe your stuff. And of course if  you die with your passwords, the data may well be out of reach of your estate. A single cloud server should probably never be your only backup for significant data.

Cloud data is usually not secure in the sense of private, and there is a constant pressure to infringe even more on what little privacy there is. Homeland Security and other agencies are constantly pressing servers to give up data, and laws immunizing them from any recourse on your part to such disclosure are in Congress now. The FBI has a procedure manual that claims they do not need a warrant to get to your stuff, but just a subpoena issued by a Federal prosecutor. Any encryption applied by the storage site, is likely to have a back door that the operator can be legally compelled to use, and it is only a matter of time until such sites start refusing to host data that you have encrypted yourself for fear of abetting the ever present (at least in the minds of the police) terrorists. So if you are storing your offshore tax evasion accounts or your kiddie porn collection, a hole in the back yard may be a better option. For music files in various stages of mixing, none of that should be of concern.