Hello, Habr! Today we will talk about file synchronization and sharing services and object cloud storage. Cloud storage, represented by services such as SkyDrive or Dropbox, is well known to users of mobile devices and computers. In recent years they have appeared in increasing numbers. These services allow users to easily, quickly and at any time gain authorized access to files via the Internet. More than 1.8 billion people worldwide used personal cloud storage in 2022, according to a Statista report. The obvious advantage of storing data in the cloud is device independence, access from anywhere and from any system. Cloud storage is a great way to protect yourself from emergencies. It allows you to access your data from another device if the main one is lost or stolen.
File synchronization and sharing services
Traditional cloud storage services, such as Google Drive, Amazon Cloud Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft One Drive, Croc Disk, are called file synchronization and sharing services. They are usually for personal use: files on the user's device are synchronized with the cloud and can be shared with others. With the Google Drive service, the Mail.ru cloud or Yandex.Disk, there is no need to send files by mail - just send the link and open access. Many companies, such as Microsoft and Dropbox, offer free plans for general use, as well as flexible and customizable premium Business and Pro plans.
Here are the services most well known to Russian users:
| Service | Description |
| Yandex.Disk | A free service for storing files and folders with protection and the ability to expand cloud space. Yandex.Disk, like Google Drive, is integrated with other services, in particular Yandex mail, and has a number of useful additions. |
| Cloud Mail.Ru | Cloud file storage with access to a virtual disk and the functions necessary for such a service. It occupies one of the leading places in the ranking of file storages in Russia. In terms of its range of capabilities, it is comparable to Google Drive and Yandex.Disk. There are applications for creating and editing documents, a utility for taking screenshots. The service is integrated with other Mail.ru projects. Advantages: high speed of loading and unloading data for Russian users, there are clients for almost all platforms, including mobile operating systems, support for selective synchronization of folders and files in a folder. |
| OneDrive | Microsoft service for storing and synchronizing files between devices when connected to the Internet. Capacity can be expanded. OneDrive makes it easy to share and edit Microsoft Office 365 documents through Office Online. Features of the service include integration with Hotmail and the Bing search engine. |
| Google Drive | Cloud storage with the option of multi-user access to files and their joint editing. The service is integrated with the Google Docs office suite, where you can edit documents from one account or several accounts at the same time. The built-in client for Windows has standard settings, you can select individual folders or hard drive for synchronization, limit download speed and change your account for using Google services. |
| Dropbox | Service for automatic synchronization of files of any size. There are advanced settings for the PC application, including synchronizing individual folders and adjusting the speed of downloading and uploading files, tools for organizing users’ work with data in the cloud. The difference from most services is the storage of different versions of files without using space in the cloud, as well as the use of the DeltaSync method: not the entire object is transferred to the server, but only the changed part, which reduces traffic. |
| KROK Disc | Convenient and secure enterprise-class file sharing service. |
| Brandquad | A centralized system for creating, storing and distributing commercial content. |
| iSpring Cloud | View PowerPoint presentations online from any device. |
| Mega (Megasync) | Cloud storage with a large amount of free disk space - 50 GB. Other features include end-to-end data encryption (the key is not stored on the server) and open source code. The PC application supports monitoring any folders, adjusting bandwidth, and excluding downloaded files by type and size. |
| Samsung Cloud | Service for owners of Samsung smartphones and tablets. Designed for storing backup copies of data from mobile devices - multimedia content, OS files, etc. |
| Apple iCloud | Free service integrated with other Apple services. The service is designed to store backup copies of data from iPhone, iPad and iPod, as well as user media files, mail and documents (they are automatically synchronized with the contents of iCloud Drive). |
| Baidu Cloud | It is not adapted for Russia, but provides users with a terabyte of free disk space. Requires installation of the Baidu Cloud mobile app on your phone or tablet. |
| Yunpan.360 | This service from the Chinese company Qihoo 360 Technology also offers 1 TB for new users and another 2.6 TB when installing a mobile client. For Russian users, the location of servers in China means low speed. Russification of the client is well implemented. There is saving of version histories, a password-protected area, a file sharing system, video and audio playback, software for different OS and mobile platforms. |
| 4shared | The service is designed for exchanging files with a total volume of up to 15 GB with a free connection. There is automation for downloading files from GoogleDrive, DropBox and Gmail, advanced file sharing functions and support for the WebDev protocol. |
| MediaFire | The free package offers 10 GB. There are PC versions for different platforms and mobile applications. Integration with social networks (Facebook, Google+, Twitter) and mail allows you to open access to objects to other users. |
| OziBox | Also gives 10 GB as a gift. There is a PC client with a minimum of settings and a Web interface. |
Most of these cloud services have additional functions - file viewers, built-in document editors, screenshot tools, etc. Along with the storage capacity provided for free or for a fee, these are their main differences. What these services have in common is that many of them store files in well-known, powerful and scalable object storage.
Adding a DVR to the program
After launching the application, its main working window will appear; in this window, from the bottom right, select the CloudID tab, where the added video recorders are displayed.
To add a new device, click the add button (top left)
The Add Devices menu appears.
Here you need to fill in the fields: Device name - can be anything to your taste. ClodID is the ID address of the connected DVR (Usually looks like fabfffa9d1763ebc. It can be found in the DVR settings menu “Main menu-details-version”)
Login - this is the login of the account, the connected device (by default - admin) Password - the password of the account, the connected device (by default - empty)
Channels – number of DVR channels
To save, click the save button (top right). After saving, the entered device will appear in the main program window.
Object cloud storage
Another category of services is represented by object storage, for example, Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Microsoft Blobs Storage.
These highly reliable storage facilities are designed to store large numbers of files and hundreds of petabytes of data. They are used by many file synchronization and sharing services. Both types of services are in growing demand. Files in object storage are accompanied by metadata that allows these files to be treated as objects: documents, videos, projects, photos, etc. This is a popular service used in a wide variety of applications. To interact with cloud object storage, a program interface (API) is used.
There are not many object storage services available in Russia yet. These are Google Cloud Storage, Amazon S3, MS Blobs Storage, Croc file storage (serving the Croc Disk service), Selectel services, Rostelecom, Mail.ru object storage, etc.
Globally, it is estimated that up to half of the Internet's content is now stored in object storage. And up to 50% of file synchronization and sharing services store data in Amazon S3, an unlimited-capacity object storage with a simple Web interface. The main access protocol for it is the S3 API, created by Amazon Web Services for the AWS S3 (Simple Storage Service) service.
Problem
For a long time, I was never able to find a program that would help me fully cover my data storage needs.
There are cataloguers, there is convenient work with meta tags, with facial recognition and adding photos to a map - a whole carload of cool features, but... scattered across different applications. I will list a few pitfalls that almost all applications stumble over. Problem number 1:
There’s a memory card lying on the table - what’s on it?
You never know. Of course, you can scroll through 2000 photos on your camera, insert them into your laptop, or take notes on your smartphone, but this will not give you the “big picture.” And it won’t answer the question “ Have I already made a backup of this data or can it be deleted permanently?
“if, for example, you urgently need to free up space? After all, free 64 GB may not be at hand.
Problem number 2:
you never know what condition the photos are in.
Sorted? Processed? Can I delete it or put it on my computer first? Are you familiar with these endless folders “From SD”, “SD64 LAST”, “!UNSORTED”, “2018 ALL”, “iPhone_before_update” and so on? =) On a laptop, on a memory card, on an external drive, with a lot of repetitions? And this depressing feeling, “ we need to put some order in all this - there will be a free weekend...
”. And there are still no free weekends.
Problem 3:
How can you quickly find the photos you need? For example, I recently needed to make a collage of all the “first Septembers” over several years. Store it on a laptop? It won't fit. Wool on different disks? Well, as an option. But it’s inconvenient?..
I will be extremely grateful if you can tell me a more functional and flexible option than the one I came up with for myself by trial and error (below). I repeat that we are not talking about a photo viewer/sorter, but rather about convenience/visuality/information content.
Cloud storage for business
Public cloud storage services today attract the attention of not only small and medium-sized businesses, but also large companies. Of course, such storage facilities have special requirements. The key factors of enterprise-class cloud storage are not only the cost of the service, but also its reliability, security, manageability and ease of administration, and the speed of access to data in the cloud.
Such storage involves placing data on distributed servers.
Data is backed up and stored on multiple servers in secure data centers with a high level of reliability and at multiple sites. High reliability is achieved, for example, through the automatic creation of several data replicas on separate independent servers. Tier III reliability means the SLA guarantees availability 99.98% of the time. Thus, cloud storage for business allows you to store data quite reliably and inexpensively, provide access to it regardless of location, and easily scale resources. The costs of creating and maintaining IT infrastructure are reduced, and the service helps increase the flexibility of business processes. There is no need to purchase your own storage systems and other infrastructure equipment, or incur costs for its administration, updating, and security. Constant access to cloud storage means you can work with data and files at any time and from anywhere. Employees can quickly and easily obtain the necessary information, exchange data during joint activities, and work with common documents. Provides encryption during data transmission and storage, setting access rights, recording file operations, monitoring, and protection against threats.
Currently, cloud storage services are offered by the largest Russian hosting providers, system integrators and telecom operators. Externally, they differ little from each other: a user-configurable structure of folders and files, the ability to configure access, a similar interface. However, their internal architecture and the capabilities they offer differ.
Such services are charged based on actual usage or available storage capacity. As a rule, downloading data from Russian services is many times more profitable than offers from foreign suppliers. They also have lower latency when accessing data that is closer to the client. Another advantage of domestic cloud storage services is compliance with data storage requirements in Russia. In accordance with 152-FZ “On Personal Data”, some data must be stored on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Intro
Before I understand what problem I wanted to solve, let me briefly tell you about it =) I don’t consider myself a straight photographer, but still:
- I have a photo gun and take photos in RAW (each photo weighs on average 20-25 MB)
- I had a question about storing and structuring photographs (or rather their sources)
Now a little more detail.
I use 1-2 memory cards of 64 GB (not the ones in the photo below, although I know that they have already come into view)) - I am tempted to buy larger cards (128-256). It’s not so much a toad as an attitude towards the card as a kind of consumable, with which a fiasco could happen at any moment: I lost cards, bent them, and once they stupidly stole them right from my camera. And “all your eggs in one basket” is not the most far-sighted approach.
This is what happens when you forget to take the card out of your laptop, put it on the passenger seat and slam on the brakes.
And for this rake - twice. 64 GB is about 2000-2500 photos in ravs. In my case, this is 4-6 photo sets of events or about 10 “gadget” ones. Look at my previous publications and you will see why there is so much. Someone will say “why bother the shutter button so much” and they will be right, but I wrote above that I’m a bit of a noob. Moreover, I have a bad habit of taking two shots - if the first one turns out blurry, then perhaps the second one will come to the rescue. I have this at the level of instinct and so far I can’t do anything about it. This is the answer to the question “why do I take photos in ravines” - yes, it’s trivial to later correct my own mistakes, all sorts of overexposure, underexposure and other geometries.
What is cloud object storage used for?
A wide variety of scenarios for using this cloud storage are possible. For example, archiving, storing and sharing files. The tasks can be very different: main storage for cloud applications, big data storage, data repository for analytics and, of course, they are convenient to use for backup and disaster recovery.
Object storage can be used, for example, in the following scenarios: storing backups, hosting website content and emails (photos, videos, downloads), storing CCTV recordings, archives, storing and distributing media content (video, music), and also as a repository for document management systems, gaming content, big data and IoT data.
A wide range of devices are supported for accessing storage and downloading data. A popular service today is cloud backup. Most backup systems can be connected to our cloud storage via the S3 API. Work with built-in application backup tools is also supported.
Another typical task is hosting static website content. In principle, such storage can be used for any data that is usually stored once and may be required in the future, be it legal documents, medical records, digital assets and media files, and various documents. For example, broadcasters and media companies require large storage facilities for media materials.
In which folder are photos stored on an Android phone?
Considering how much modern smartphones offer their users, it's completely normal to not know where photos are stored on Android. This is because mobile devices usually have different folders, applications, and functions that can confuse the device owner. Below are some of the most important places where media data can be stored.
AWS and compatible Russian cloud storage services for business
The data warehouse is just one part of Amazon Web Services (AWS), which also includes management, development, security, and more.
AWS is aimed at the enterprise sector, but Amazon Glacier cloud file storage gives users 10GB of free storage. AWS is characterized by increased reliability, compliance with enhanced data protection standards, unlimited capacity (expansion for an additional fee), ease of use and flexibility of settings, integration with other Amazon Web Services. There are also domestic analogues. “Russian” object storages, as a rule, are created based on Ceph or Swift solutions with connectors for the S3 API. Not all of them provide full support for the S3 API. For users, this may mean a compatibility issue with applications that are written with the full S3 command set in mind, or limited functionality. The S3 API is supported by a large number of applications, in particular, almost all backup systems and content management systems (CMS).
There are also services that are 100% compatible with S3. For example, Technoserv Cloud object cloud storage is built using S3 technologies and supports the full range of S3 API commands, including advanced ones: access rights management, authentication, version control, multi-threaded loading, etc. Technoserv servers have deployed software-defined object storage based on Cloudian software. There is no single point of failure in SDS; all components are redundant. The declared reliability level of the physical platform is 99.999999%. To access cloud storage, the Internet or a secure VPN channel is used, connecting the provider’s cloud with the client’s office or data center.
Examples of Russian cloud storage for business
| Provider | Service name | Description |
| 1cloud | Cloud Object Storage | Cloud object storage for backup, archival data, distribution of static website content, web application data, video surveillance systems, exchange of corporate documents. To connect applications and integrate with information systems, you can use S3 or OpenStack Swift API. |
| "Technoserv" | Technoserv Cloud | The service helps reduce the costs of creating and maintaining infrastructure, increasing the flexibility of business processes and providing round-the-clock access to data via the Internet and a dedicated communication channel. Cloud object storage is compatible with Amazon Web Services storage and fully supports the S3 API access protocol. |
| Mail.Ru Group | Mail.Ru Cloud Solutions | The developers used the experience of managing their own IT infrastructure with millions of users to create cloud services without restrictions on file download and upload speeds with a high level of security. Supports standard S3-compatible protocol, data encryption via SSL. |
| cloud4y | MultiStore | Cloud storage MultiStore allows you to create logical partitions in one data storage system in such a way that unauthorized users cannot access information in a protected virtual partition. It also allows you to transfer virtual partitions between storage systems and is positioned as an easily managed and powerful system disaster recovery tool. |
| Selectel | Cloud Storage | Cloud storage for web applications, archive storage, backup and distribution of static content with payment for storage, API requests and downloading data from storage. Regardless of data volume and peak load levels, quick access to content is maintained. The number and size of files is not limited. It is possible to connect your own or third-party application via the OpenStack Swift API. Offers management of users, domains, certificates via API. There are a number of ready-made plugins and integrations with CMS, CRM and other services. More than 200,000 servers around the world form a CDN to speed up websites and deliver content. |
Cloud storage typically provides the ability to configure corporate data retention policies as well as version storage, which can be used to save, retrieve, and restore previous versions of objects.
The management portal allows the administrator to create user accounts and assign rights, manage user quotas, and view statistics. Benefits of cloud storage for business
| IT Cost Savings | Own storage systems require constant maintenance, which means that the company must have IT staff. With cloud storage, companies can save a lot of money on maintenance since their servers and storage are under the control of third-party providers. By outsourcing data storage, companies save on capital and operating costs. This money can be used to develop and expand your business. |
| Flexibility of business processes | According to recent surveys, 79% of respondents already work partly outside their office, and another 60% would switch to remote work if given the opportunity. Cloud storage services provide this flexibility for employees. |
| Enhanced collaboration capabilities | Employees often need to collaborate on projects and communicate with colleagues around the world. Cloud-based tools make collaboration and document management easier. They allow users to access the latest versions of any document. |
| Data protection | Data is stored in multiple places and remains available in the event of disasters and failures. |
The end
I’ve been using this sign for about six months now and overall I like everything about it, I’m already used to filling it out while the files are being copied.
Therefore, I suggest not to waste time trying to convince me =) But at the same time, I understand that it is from the Stone Age and in it, perhaps (but not perhaps, but definitely!) there is a lot of things to improve or automate (for what need more knowledge and time). Collective mind, let's think together about how we can improve/remake/optimize all this, achieving better results with a minimum of effort? Any suggestions are welcome. Well, or maybe you have your own secrets for storing files - share them.
I hope this was helpful =) Good luck!
Is everything so “cloudless”?
Analysts predict that the cloud storage market will grow to $3.5 billion by 2022, with annual growth of 31%.
Users and businesses choose online storage because it is convenient, convenient, secure and cost-effective. They store their files in clouds such as Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage and Dropbox, depending on their needs. While Amazon leads in popularity, Azure and Dropbox are ahead in terms of growth. Cloud storage is becoming cheaper as the price of storage hardware drops, coupled with platform economies of scale. More than 75% of commercial companies use public cloud services to transfer and store important business information (according to Symantec research). At the same time, 40% of them were faced with the disclosure of company data containing confidential information. Another 40% reported losing data stored in the cloud and having to restore it from backups.
Meanwhile, according to a report from DN Capital, 90% of the world's data has been created in the last two years alone. With the growth of mobile and user-generated content and the development of broadband access (including 4G/5G), there is no reason to expect this pace to slow down. This means that cloud storage has a great future.
Use external drives
When a family photo archive includes decades of materials from dozens of mobile devices, laptops and computers, and includes especially valuable and important moments from life, then in addition to cloud storage, you should think about purchasing a separate external drive. Why external if you can just install an additional hard drive? Because a failure may occur, as a result of which the power supply will short out and information on all disks will be lost. A virus can penetrate your computer and destroy data on all disks. In addition, more disks mean higher power consumption and heat dissipation. Therefore, it is better to connect the external drive once, synchronize the data and disconnect it.
USB flash drives are not suitable as an external storage device, as they are short-lived, susceptible to infection, and in general are more suitable for data transfer rather than storage. There are two types of external drives to consider: HDD and SSD.
- HDD (or hard drive) is much cheaper and offers larger amounts of storage. However, due to its design, it makes a little noise during operation, and is also a fragile device and can break down even if dropped for the first time.
- An SSD (or solid state drive) has much higher operating speeds than an HDD, is resistant to minor drops, and is silent during operation. However, SSD is more expensive than HDD with the same amount of memory.
Separately, it is worth mentioning this method of storing digital data, such as recording on disks. Yes, perhaps the era of total use of data storage media has passed. But this method can be used as an additional preservation method. Let's say we collect the best pictures for each year, creating a separate disk. As long as the media is in the box and the computer has a drive, the photo archive will be safe.
What is the Google Photos app?
Native Android photo app, Google Photos
, is an essential graphics application that stores all your photos and videos. Google Photos is one of the best apps available on Playstore and comes pre-installed on all the latest Android devices with features like shared albums, automatic movie/animation/collage creation, and advanced editing suite. The app comes pre-installed on your Android phone, so you don't need to download it, but just in case, here's the Play Store page for it.
→ Google Photos in the Play Store
Adobe Creative Cloud - Focus on Photo Storage
Adobe Creative Cloud offers a number of different cloud storage solutions specifically designed for photographers. It provides photo-oriented storage with attractive image galleries.
Group libraries allow friends to add photos to one shared folder, and you can make any photo private. There's integration with Lightroom and Elements, so you can quickly edit as needed.
Downloading is easy using the app for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. There is also support for the RAW file format. The cheapest plan is expensive - 644 rubles per month for 1 TB of storage. It's noticeably larger than Microsoft OneDrive, but you get Lightroom CC. Opt for less storage (20GB) and you can add Photoshop CC for free.
Features of Adobe Creative Cloud:
- Focused on storing photos
- Expensive
What can take up the most space on your smartphone/tablet?
- The first and most important thing is photographs and videos. As a rule, this is what takes up most of the memory of your device and its memory card (if available).
- Applications. Some applications take up very little space, for example, up to 10 MB, and some from 100 MB. up to 500 and sometimes more (for example, some navigation maps). Therefore, the device can also be filled with applications.
Everything else is system data, i.e. the system itself, for example, Android, iOS, Windows, as well as various files for its operation. Well, all sorts of documents, books, which usually take up very little memory.
