I have mixed feelings about cloud storage.
 
I would never use it as my primary backup. This thread describes just one of many nightmare scenarios in which your files can be lost, damaged or compromised. Critical data, IMO, should never be entrusted to a third party, except as a backup for your backups. You're trusting unknown people to guard your files, on an unknown server at an unknown location with unknown security, backup and disaster-recovery mechanisms. Trusting strangers to be both competent and diligent, and trusting that they'll remain in business. What could go wrong?
 
But as many of you know, I recently lost every SONAR project I've ever created. More than 12 years' worth of work, hundreds of projects, and not all of it was my own material. I'd just been offered an opportunity to remix an album I'd previously produced for a friend, but that will never happen now.
 
I had faithfully backed everything up, motivated by a healthy fear of hard drive failure and my own propensity for f*ckups - all while failing to consider theft as a threat. Had those files been backed up on the cloud or even on DVDs hauled off to a storage locker, I'd have them now. 
 

Serious_Noize!

jamesg1213
As a footnote, I wouldn't entirely trust bundle files for back-ups. I went through some back-up DVDs from about 5 years ago recently, and only about half the bundle files would open successfully.

 
I've been considering getting a blue ray burner for my PC and saving all my master tracks to a few disc and keeping 2-3 copies in a few different places along with saving them to my external hard drive. I'm to the point now, I don't wanna lose any more masters.  I just wonder how reliable blue ray disc are. 
 

Just to underline the point - the DVDs are fine, but CWB (bundle) files, apparently can become corrupted/unusable over time. It's been mentioned on this forum many times over the years.

I've had the same password on dropbox for years now. And I never delete old e mail addresses for this very reason. 
I've had to ask for password resets I hadn't used for a long time and they often are in my long forgotten Yahoo account. Costs nothing to keep those accounts open. I store nothing there, no address book and delete most emails after dealing with it. 
For me cloud storage is great for documents and a few pictures. Nice to be able to open them on any computer anywhere. 
But music files are too big as I think I only get 10 Gigs at the most from Dropbox. I like the automatic storage of screenshots as well. I see that One Drive does the same but haven't used it yet.  
 
I have studio masters and projects going back to 1980's. I transferred the old Tape's and DAT's over to digital but I still have most of the originals too. 
At this point in time those files are probably copied over and over on 10 or more hard drives. Many just sitting in a box. 
I also store files off site at my in laws house 300 miles away. 
I wouldn't use CD or DVD..burned disks are short lived. 
Probably USB devices will be around for a long time yet. Soon my older hard drives will have nothing to connect too when my last XP PC dies and my old external drive boxes too. I still have my 6 Gig HD from my first DAW and I believe it will spin up. 

 
 
Couldn't agree more about bundle files.
 
Once I'd upgraded from Guitar Tracks and Home Studio to SONAR, I opened all my older .wrk and .bun files and saved them (and/or renamed them) and ensured to check the Copy all audio with project option (as well as any .cwp and .cwb than needed updating thus).

Cactus Music
I've had the same password on dropbox for years now. And I never delete old e mail addresses for this very reason. 
I've had to ask for password resets I hadn't used for a long time and they often are in my long forgotten Yahoo account. Costs nothing to keep those accounts open. I store nothing there, no address book and delete most emails after dealing with it. 

^^^^^ This
 
I have a couple of Gmail and Hotmail accounts I don't use any more but I've kept them because, as you say, there's no reason to delete them. And just in case anything 'important' gets sent to them, I have them set to forward any incoming mail to my Yahoo mail. Simples.

You still don't need the cloud.  It is not a good way to go at all.  All you need is a small safe hidden in your studio.  Put the backup drives in there.  Even if your house burnt down and was destroyed the safe and its contents would still be there.  In Dave's case they either would not have been able to open it or take it away either.
 
Another smart thing to do is put a heavy duty deadlock on your studio and when you go out you lock it up. I was broken into in 1997 and although yes they took other stuff from the house they could not get into the studio and did not have the means to do it. Most people who are stealing will not have the means to get in through a lock like this. Also a solid door goes a long way as well. So nothing was touched in there at least.  Alarm systems also can scare off some people as well.

This thread is reminding me of how I lost the vast majority of my work.  I put everything on this new technology from Panasonic called a CD/PD (for Phase Digital).  Supposed to be good for over 30 years.  My hard drive crashed and...  The CD/PD wasn't readable (plus none of the media recovery firms even had a reader).  'Tis why you only hear those few songs I keep posting... Dumb me.  Oh well. 

SteveStrummerUK
 
 
Couldn't agree more about bundle files.
 
Once I'd upgraded from Guitar Tracks and Home Studio to SONAR, I opened all my older .wrk and .bun files and saved them (and/or renamed them) and ensured to check the Copy all audio with project option (as well as any .cwp and .cwb than needed updating thus).

Thanks, I see what your saying, Compatibility upgrades with the newer versions of the software on Bundle files. I first started using Cakewalk with Music Creator 4, then I upgraded to 5, and Music creator 7 and then purchased Sonar Artist and upgraded recently to Sonar Pro. Which I am very happy with Sonar Pro.  
 
Sounds like a version error with the bundle files. I dunno though. Compatibility on all offered platforms either previous or new should be a must for the software in my opinion, it creates trust that upgrading means not losing settings and such. 
 
I see what you are saying and that is : "When upgrading to a newer version, your older version aren't working correctly". That's a big deal and something Cakewalk should address. 
 
That's good information to know though and the explanation you give is what I was looking for as to why BUNDLE saves aren't so safe.
 
It's a big think though I think, because code would have to be written on so many levels. Not impossible though, just have a standard "Which as a cakewalk user I thought was already there ya know". Maybe a simple patch would fix it all for Sonar users. As for the older or limited version users they wouldn't have that problem. Only the Upgrading users would have that problem I guess.
 
Just a little speculation and a few thoughts. 

But thank you for pointing out why Bundle files aren't always reliable. Makes sense. And I hope I understood what you were saying. 
 
Thanks Again! 
 
 
 

bitflipper
I have mixed feelings about cloud storage.
 
I would never use it as my primary backup. This thread describes just one of many nightmare scenarios in which your files can be lost, damaged or compromised. Critical data, IMO, should never be entrusted to a third party, except as a backup for your backups. You're trusting unknown people to guard your files, on an unknown server at an unknown location with unknown security, backup and disaster-recovery mechanisms. Trusting strangers to be both competent and diligent, and trusting that they'll remain in business. What could go wrong?
 
But as many of you know, I recently lost every SONAR project I've ever created. More than 12 years' worth of work, hundreds of projects, and not all of it was my own material. I'd just been offered an opportunity to remix an album I'd previously produced for a friend, but that will never happen now.
 
I had faithfully backed everything up, motivated by a healthy fear of hard drive failure and my own propensity for f*ckups - all while failing to consider theft as a threat. Had those files been backed up on the cloud or even on DVDs hauled off to a storage locker, I'd have them now. 
 

It was a complete Irony of bad things happening in my case Bitflipper. Here's the thing, I dropped and cancelled that email because I had a very bad breakup with a crazy woman which is now my ex, so I decided to cancel the email because I was getting some bad rants everyday over the breakup, not just from her but from others or her friends. 
 
So I cancelled that email and it was no longer active, meaning trying to send an email to that address would respond as a NO REPLY.
 
Thing is "Drop Box" when they changed the password automatically they should have sent a notice to the EMAIL address and asked for a confirmation, and if they tried to send a notice to that email address then they should have noticed that because the email was incapable of receiving emails that it was cancelled and should have not changed the password and accepted my previous information with  my previous email address and password, at least that's the way I see it, but they feel that since the email was cancelled that I am no longer a user of their service I guess. 
 
It was all my fault for not being more careful with my master tracks in the end. 
I think you are 100% right Bit, for not trusting your tracks in the cloud. 
 
I am also sorry to hear about your equipment being stolen, man that pisses me off just to think about because I have had things stolen from me also in the past. I hope you get it all back and they throw the people who stole your stuff  in jail!!! I hope that if they catch them that they make who they are available online so it can be shared!!!! 
 
Either way, a few software programs that I purchased after getting a new PC I can no longer use because of simply not having my old email. My mistake I guess for not "Turning the LIGHT OFF" so to speak. But at the same time, it really changes your trust factor when it comes to using anything online or offline. 
 
 

craigb
This thread is reminding me of how I lost the vast majority of my work.  I put everything on this new technology from Panasonic called a CD/PD (for Phase Digital).  Supposed to be good for over 30 years.  My hard drive crashed and...  The CD/PD wasn't readable (plus none of the media recovery firms even had a reader).  'Tis why you only hear those few songs I keep posting... Dumb me.  Oh well. 

 
I wonder how reliable Blue Ray disc are for storage. ? I have no idea.
 
 
 
I have made most all the mistakes mentioned in this thread and can only say Thank you to everyone who replies here for the great advice. 
 
 
 
Thanks again!