We all like to keep our digital files safe. The arrival of digital cameras, as well as smartphones, has meant that we generate a huge volume of content and they must be accessible, but with security commensurate with their importance. Being able to save our files, both locally and in the cloud, allows us to always have them accessible , but choosing another system depends on your tastes and needs. We tell you what are the advantages and disadvantages of each system and the most interesting trends for each type of user.
Local storage
The local storage is the one that is carried out on a physical support, that is, on a disk. This has been the traditional way of preserving our digital files, either on the internal drive of a computer or through an external hard drive . This storage has many advantages, the main one being that we always have our files available. Just turn on the computer or connect the external hard drive or USB memory to enjoy them.
In the same way, the price of these units has fallen a lot, especially when we talk about HDD technology discs. This has been the traditional one, some discs on which information is written with a needle. Now it is possible to find these large capacity units for a price never seen before. But there is a big drawback, they are very fragile. A fall will be enough for the needle to move and the hard disk does not work , with which we will lose access to the data. Data recovery by specialized companies usually has a fairly high cost.
For this reason, HDD technology is giving way to something much more secure, the SSD. It is also local, but unlike the first, the information is not written on a magnetic disk, but is recorded on a transistor. The advantage is obvious, they are much safer, more resistant, totally silent discs and with a much higher reading and writing speed. Unlike HDDs, their price is considerably higher, but a downward trend is being observed as demand is increasing. When choosing, it is a good idea to understand the differences between the two types of local storage in detail.
Cloud storage
Cloud storage is the hot trend. It consists of saving our digital files in a Virtual space that a company offers us.
This type of cloud has proliferated in a massive way, and they have the advantage of the offer, you can choose any provider to store your files.
However, those people who like to have everything under control do not end up looking favorably on cloud storage. The reason is very simple, they may think that they lose control over what you upload and that hackers could access your files. This happened in March 2017 with Apple’s cloud, iCloud, which made photographs of well-known personalities worldwide available to anyone. But as a general rule, the security of cloud storage services is being strengthened by leaps and bounds, in such a way that there are already some services that use blockchain technology so that everything that is uploaded is inviolable.
But cloud storage has two main problems, if our space needs are somewhat high, we will have to pay for the service. Many providers offer a few gigs for free, but above a certain amount you have to pay for a service following a subscription model. And on the other, to be able to access the files we must have an internet connection.
What system to choose to save our files?
The best choice could be the combination of both. You can use the local storage to have the latest files on hand or a backup of what we have in the cloud . In this, we can organize all the information by folders in a detailed way, so that it is always easy to locate. These cloud storage services are also in application format for our mobile devices.
When combining both systems, it is always interesting that the local format is already SSD technology, much safer and faster. As for cloud storage services, you have a good catalog of companies to choose from, but you will have to pay a subscription to keep your files safe. The pricing plans are variable, and it depends on whether the payment is made annually or monthly and on the capacity that we contract. But there is no doubt that it is an option on the rise, since by means of a simple mobile application and with the data rate of your device, you can access them at any time without having to look for your USB memory or hard disk external.
