Cloud Storage for Music

Outstanding answer by Mlsstl, IMO.

A key point that is often overlooked by those relying on the cloud for backup purposes is that although the upload processes may go fine if done incrementally, little by little over time, if and when all of that data ever has to be downloaded in its entirety (due to failure of a local hard drive), it may take an absurd amount of time.

For example, downloading 1 TB of data over a 5 mbps connection will take AT LEAST 500 hours. And perhaps considerably more, depending on the speed and loading of the server at the other end.

And if the upload process is intended to be done all at once, rather than incrementally, the number of hours required would extend into the thousands at that connection speed, since upload speeds are generally much slower than download speeds.

Regards,
-- Al

Better to skip the 'Cloud', just do a monthly backup to a fast, outboard hard drive, using a UBS 3.0 interface. With 3T going for less then $150, it makes sense to have two drives, keeping one off site at all times. Most people can't wait to the IP's start metering use, just like the cell phone carriers will shortly do.

iCloud will store CD quality data? It's certainly not doing that with the match feature it offers.

There are a lot of other cloud backup services besides Apple's. Regardless of the formats they allow a user to store, there is still the same issues of speed and bandwidth caps (and copyright if you choose to worry about that too).

I think Mlsstl's and the other Inmates'comments are cogent and persuasive, raising issues I had not considered. I think I will continue backup on external HDD. Thanks, gang.

Neal