Storage

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• See also -- Backup & Clone/Cloning ...
• See also -- Windows Topics ...
• Cloud Storage = On-line virtual disk space = Cloud Storage
• PC = Personal Computer info
  • Always leave your computer turned on...
• The Problem with Big Hard Drives | Matthew Murray | PCMag.com
  • Up to and including Windows XP 32-bit (using 32-bit block addressing) (MBR = Master Boot Record)
    • Big = more than 2.19TB = 2³² logical blocks of 512 bytes = 2,199,023,255,552 bytes = 2.2*10¹² = 2.19TB
  • Newer OSs (using 64-bit block addressing) (GPT = GUID Partition Table) or (EFI)
    • Logical blocs of 4KB = logical blocks of 4096 bytes
    • Big = more than 9.4 zettabytes = 9.4 trillion gigabytes = 2⁶⁴ logical blocks of 4096 bytes = 9.4ZB = 9.4*10²¹ = 9,400,000,000,000TB
• Thrashing disk drive - Does your hard drive start working like crazy for no apparent reason when you aren't even using it? - Disk Thrashing
• CD & DVD burning
• Diskette label remover
  • LPS solvent / Label-off
  • D-Solvit
  • Goof-off
• DNA
  • Need Some Extra Storage? Try DNA | PCMag.com
• Disk Drives
  • HGST goes all in on helium drives | ZDNet - 2015-03-18
    • Helium drives don't need a breather hole to equalize pressure between the interior of a drive and the ambient air pressure. On air-drives the ambient air moves through a filter, but no filter is perfect.  Helium drives are sealed at the factory so there's no way external contaminants can enter the drive. With lower running temps and a sealed enclosure, HGST expects to see significantly improved reliability.
  • SSD form factor is the size of SSD.
  1. Standard form factors (3.5", 2.5", 1.8") for direct replacement of traditional HDD,
  2. Standard card form factor (mSATA and M.2) for use in space-constraint applications like Ultrabook or tablet, and
  3. PCIe card form factor adopted by enthusiast- and enterprise-class SSD solution.
     • AIC = Add-in card = expansion card
  • Breaking through the storage barrier: Researchers create 5D disc with 360 TB capacity | ZDNet - 2016-02-18
  • Intel Optane drives | Intel’s Reinvention of the Hard Drive Could Make All Kinds of Computers Faster - 2015-08-15
  • Who makes the most reliable hard drives? (updated) | ExtremeTech - 2015-04-10
  • Backblaze Blog » What Hard Drive Should I Buy? - 2014-01-21
  • Are RAM Drives Faster Than SSDs? 5 Things You Must Know
  • SSD = Solid State Disk Drives
    • SLC = single-level cell, where each NAND cell stores just a single bit of data. = $$$
      MLC = multi-level cell, where each NAND cell stores two bits; = $$
      TLC = three-level-cell, where each NAND cell stores three bits — but possibly at the expense of reduced durability. = $
      QLC = four-level-cell
      • Intel Launches First Consumer QLC NAND SSD - ExtremeTech
        There's no way to boost storage capacity by increasing the amount of data stored per cell without simultaneously whacking performance.
    • How Do SSDs Work? - ExtremeTech
    • Solid State Drive (SSD) Tweaks for Windows 7
      • 10 Tips for SSD Optimization SSD in Windows 7 - Part 1
      • 10 Tips for SSD Optimization SSD in Windows 7 - Part 2
      • 10 Tips for SSD Optimization SSD in Windows 7 - Part 3
      • Disable restore points? Not really a good idea.
      • Disable "Windows Search"? Not really a good idea.
      • Disable "SuperFetch"? Not really a good idea.
      • Disable "EnablePrefetcher"?
    • UserBenchmark | Best SSD
    • SSD reliability in the real world: Google's experience | ZDNet - 2016-02-25
      • The SSD is less likely (than a HDD) to fail during its normal life, but more likely to lose data.
      • MLC drives are as reliable as the more costly SLC "enteprise" drives.
    • CyberTrend.com | Why It May Be Time To Move To Flash
    • ExtremeTech explains: How do SSDs work? | ExtremeTech
    • ComputerShopper
      • The Best Budget SSDs
        • Samsung, Intel, Crucial, SanDisk
      • The Best Solid-State Drives 
    • The best SSDs of 2014: A buyers guide | ExtremeTech - 2014-10-15
    • What you need to know about today's SSDs | Data Explosion - InfoWorld - 2013-10-22
    • Super Talent Technology - SSD Memory and Flash
      2008-04-21  256GB,  2.5",  0.1ms access,  SATA-1,  US$6000
      2013-10-24  480GB,  2.5" SATA 6Gbps, US$491.83
    • Seagate | Desktop Gaming Computer Solid State Hard Drive Resources | Seagate
    • PCIe SSD HHHL
      • AIC = Add-in Card
      • HHHL = half height, half length
      • NVMe = Non-Volatile Memory express
        • What is NVMe (non-volatile memory express)? - Definition from WhatIs.com
      • PCIe 3.0 slot | not (U.2 2.5")  = (SFF-8643)
      • 6Mbps = SATA3
      • A PCI Express expansion card that served as a high-speed uptick from a Serial ATA hard drive or solid-state drive (SSD). It was meant for desktop-PC upgraders looking for the most possible speed from a single boot drive—more than any one SATA-based SSD could provide—but who didn’t have a late-model motherboard with a slot for the emerging “M.2” form factor of SSDs. (That includes, well, most people running a desktop PC more than a year old.)
      • PCIe Storage Reviews | StorageReview.com - Storage Reviews
      • PCIe SSD product survey 2015: New form factors emerge - 2015-04-01
      • PCIe SSD flash storage roundup: The few become fewer - 2013-11-01
      • Pumped up performance: PCIe SSDs - 2013-02-01
      • Micron Technology, Inc. | Memory and Storage Solutions
        • Micron unveils super-fast, high-capacity PCIe enterprise SSDs | ZDNet
      • Plextor M6e Black Edition PCI Express SSD (PX-256M6e-BK) Review - ComputerShopper.com - 2015-02-15
        • Plextor black - Newegg.ca - 2015-11 | 256GB=$330, 512GB=$600
        • Plextor SSD Storage Solutions | Products | M6e Black Edition
      • Intel SSD DC Family for PCIe
      • Samsung SSD 950 Pro (512GB) Review - ComputerShopper.com
        • Samsung 950 PRO 256GB and 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD Review - YouTube
        • World's fastest consumer SSD - Samsung 950 PRO M.2 NVMe SSD unboxing and install - YouTube
  • NVM = Non-Volatile Memory
    • SCM = storage class memory that can be used as storage because it is persistent (= non-volatile)
    • SDM = Software Defined Memory
    • DRAM = Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM)
    • NVDIMMs = Non-Volatile DIMMs (dual in-line memory module)
      • JEDEC Announces Support for NVDIMM Hybrid Memory Modules | JEDEC
      • Hybrid NVDIMMs = DRAM and NAND flash together
    • Plexistor's Software Defined Memory
    • The non-volatile memory revolution | ZDNet
    • NVMW 2016 | General Information
      • Integrating 3D Xpoint with DRAM
  • NAS = Network-attached storage
    • Best NAS (Network Attached Storage) Devices 2018 - Lab Tested Reviews by PCMag.com
      • Channel-bonding = NIC-bonding = using two Ethernet connections to enhance speed
        • Link aggregation - Wikipedia
      • Personal Cloud = Your NAS can serve as your own private Dropbox or Google Drive, but with much more storage capacity - and no monthly bill.
    • How to Set Up and Use a Network Drive | PCMag.com
    • QNAP
    • The 10 Best Network-Attached Storage (NAS) Devices of 2016 | PCMag.com
    • Seagate NAS drives - IronWolf (personal & SMB), IronWolf Pro (Enterprise, Commercial)
    • Western Digital NAS drives - WDRed (personal & SMB), WDRed Pro (Enterprise, Commercial)
  • ioSafe - Internal and External Hard Drives and Network Storage (NAS) Solutions | Fireproof | Waterproof
• Five Technologies to Make Sure Your Data Lives Forever
  • Solution: Archive-quality optical disks
    • Conventional CDs are a terrible way to store data
    • Based on tests, manufacturers claim lifespans in the 1-3 century range. For maximum data density, you can pick up archival Blue Rays for about 2.5 gigabytes per dollar, with a projected lifespan of 200 years. Accelerated aging tests aren’t a sure thing, but it’s probably safe to count on them for a century or so. As a bonus, unlike magnetic tape, they require no special equipment to read and write, so startup costs are minimal.
• RAID Levels Explained | PCMag.com
• USB drives
• Wipe your disk ...
• Virtual Storage

Virtual Storage = Cloud Storage  (on-line virtual disk space)

• See also
  • Backup ...
  • Box.net
  • Dropbox ...
  • Google Drive
  • iCloud - Apple
  • iDrive
  • OneDrive (included in Microsoft Office 365)
• PCMag | ZIFF Davis
  • The Best Cloud Storage and File-Syncing Services for 2016 | PCMag.com
  • Google Drive Review & Rating | PCMag.com
  • OneDrive (included in Microsoft Office 365)
  • Box (Personal) Review & Rating | PCMag.com
• Four cost-effective alternatives to public cloud storage | ZDNet | Enterprise
• File Syncing Showdown: Google Drive vs. Dropbox vs. OneDrive
• Amazon.ca Cloud Drive - Unlimited $60/yr
• How can I be sure no-one will snoop into my cloud-based data? | ITBusiness.ca
• BoxCryptor | On-the-fly Encryption for cloud storage - US$48/user/year
  • Boxcryptor | Easy to use encryption for cloud storage | boxcryptor.com - Boxcryptor supports all major cloud storage providers (such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, SugarSync)
• ***
• What Is A Virtual Server, And What Can You Do With One?
• Cloud Storage | IT Business
• ADrive | Online Storage, Online Backup, Cloud Storage
• Amazon Cloud Drive
• Box.com | Simple Online Collaboration: Online File Storage, FTP Replacement, Team Workspaces
• Box.net - Online File Storage, Internet File Sharing, Online Storage, Access Documents & Files Anywhere, Backup Data, Send Files
  • Box - 100GB/CDN$6.65/user/month=100GB/CDN$80/user/year, unlimited/$20/user/month=unlimited/$240/user/year
• CertainSafe - Secure Cloud Storage
  • CertainSafe - 100GB/user/$12/month=100GB/user/$144/year
• Compare Best Cloud Storage | Best VPN | Web Hosting & More
• CX.com | 10 GB of Free File Storage – Sync, Store, Share All In The Cloud
• Driveway  -  No time limit on sharing.  Share an entire folder and protect it with a password.
• Dropbox.com ...
• Flickr - Photo Sharing
• FreeDrive
• G.ho.st - Global Hosted Operating System - $0
• Google Drive
  • Google Drive: Free Cloud Storage for Personal Use - 15GB/$0, 100GB/$20/year, 200GB/$30/year
  • Google Drive: 10 Reasons to Choose Another Cloud Data Storage Service
    • Problems:  Google's service, Security (& Integration), Reliability, Terms of Service, Inadequate storage space, no support for BlackBerry 10, etc.
• iCloud - Apple
  • iCloud - Apple - 5GB/$0, 50GB/$12/year, 200GB/$36/year, 2TB/$120/year
  • Apple iCloud: A cheat sheet - TechRepublic
• IDrive - Universal online backup, easy sync and share
  • IDrive | Online Cloud Backup and Storage | IDrive - one user, unlimited computers - 5GB/$0, 2TB/$52/year, 5TB/$75/year
  • IDrive | PCMag.com
  • IDrive Personal Cloud Backup - Full Review and Benchmarks
• iFloppy.net "Your Free Internet Floppy Disk" (free/cheap Internet file storage)
• Jungle Disk - Reliable online backup and storage powered by Amazon S3 and Rackspace - JungleDisk
  • $0.15/GB, no service fees, unlimited storage, password protected
• JustCloud - see MyPCBackup
• Kodakgallery.com - Upload photos and pictures to your online photo albums at Kodakgallery.com
• Livedrive | Cloud Storage and Unlimited Online Backup for Home | Livedrive
  • Backup:  Automatic backup, Unlimited storage space for one PC/Mac device, View files online, Secure ($6/month)
  • Briefcase:  2TB, Appears as an extra drive (on ALL your devices), Secure online sharing, Accessible anywhere ($12/month)
  • Add extra space for $7.95 per TB.
  • Mobile App available - optimised for BlackBerry
  • Cloud Storage and Unlimited Online Backup for Home | Livedrive#CompareProducts
• Lock-box Client Portal - $$$ - $500/20users/15GB/yr or $1900/100users/45GB/yr
• MediaFire | Free Cloud Storage
• MiMedia
• Mozy – Online Data Backup and Storage - $6/month/50GB or $10/month/125GB
  • Online Backup, Data Backup & Remote Backup Solutions | Mozy
• My Docs Online! - Easy Access to Your Stuff (20MB free storage)
• MyPCBackup - Online backup, computer backup and pc backup from MyPCBackup
  • MyPCBackup :: Online Backup Features
  • How much does Mypcbackup cost? - $7/month/unlimited
• Nextcloud
  • ?Nextcloud Box: A cloud for your office or living room | ZDNet
• OneDrive = SkyDrive - Microsoft
  • Microsoft
    • Microsoft OneDrive: A cheat sheet - TechRepublic
    • Personal Vault for file storage - Microsoft OneDrive
      • OneDrive Personal Vault brings added security to your most important files and OneDrive gets additional storage options
    • Add and sync shared folders to OneDrive - OneDrive
    • Files save to OneDrive by default in Windows 10 - OneDrive
    • Microsoft OneDrive Plans
      • Microsoft account | Services & subscriptions
      • Office 365 Home includes 1TB/user (max 6 users) - $100/year
      • Office 365 Business Premium includes more features, such as unlimited storage - CDN$16/user/month=CDN$192/user/year
        • OneDrive for Business online file sharing and cloud backup
        • Unlimited personal cloud storage - (including Office 365 Business Premium) - CAD$16/user/month
    • Support - Microsoft
      • Share OneDrive files and folders - Office Support
      • Microsoft Support
      • OneDrive help - Office Support
  • PC Mag
    • Microsoft OneDrive: 5GB free
    • How to Manage, Sync, and Share Files in Microsoft OneDrive | PCMag.com
    • Microsoft OneDrive Review & Rating | PCMag.com
    • Microsoft OneDrive Review & Rating | PCMag.com - 2014-02-20
  • TechRepublic
    • Microsoft OneDrive: A cheat sheet - TechRepublic
      • Competing products - Google Drive, iCloud, IDrive, Dropbox, Box, CertainSafe
    • The sky is now the limit for Office 365 OneDrive cloud storage - TechRepublic - 2014-10-29 || However, in 2019, the Office 365 OneDrive storage limit is still only 1TB.
    • The limits of unlimited OneDrive storage - TechRepublic - 2014-11-14
      • Limit - 20,000 files
      • Limit - 10GB/file
    • How to secure OneDrive files and folders with Personal Vault - TechRepublic
    • How to assign a drive letter to Microsoft OneDrive in Windows 10 - TechRepublic
      • Log into your Microsoft OneDrive, using the https://onedrive.live.com/
      • Copy (to the clipboard) the CID number at the end of the URL.
      • In Windows File Explorer, right-click on "This PC" and then select the "Map network drive" item from the dropdown menu.
      • Specify a drive letter. 
      • In the Folder box type this command (https://d.docs.live.net/CIDNumber), replacing the CIDNumber with the number you retrieved from OneDrive.
      • Check the Connect using different credentials box so that you can provide login information.
      • Right-click the drive name and select the "Rename" item from the dropdown menu. Type a more descriptive name of your choosing.
  • ZD Net
    • Microsoft starts selling consumer OneDrive extended storage plans | ZDNet - 2019-09-24
      • Max 2TB = 1TB included + 1TB for $10/month (only for primary account holder)
    • Microsoft to add more OneDrive consumer storage plans; new Personal Vault security feature | ZDNet - 2019-06-25
    • Six clicks: Microsoft OneDrive tricks that make it easy | ZDNet
  • File Syncing Showdown: Google Drive vs. Dropbox vs. OneDrive - LifeHacker.com
• Picasa 3: Free download from Google
• SkyDrive - Microsoft
• SkyDesk (@Backup, SkyFiler, etc.)
• SugarSync | Your Cloud | File Sync & Online Backup - Access and File Sharing from Any Device
• Symform | Free Online Backup Service – Start with 10 GB Free Cloud Storage
• Sync | Secure Cloud Storage — Privacy Guaranteed - Canadian - $8/month/2TB
• Transfer Big Files - Free - Email Large Files
• Wiredrive | Media sharing for creative companies - $$$!! - >$400/month!! - Not for individuals.  Only for businesses. - Thanks to Allison Peters for recommending this site.
• Wuala - Secure Cloud Storage - Backup. Sync. Share. Access Everywhere.
• X:drive - Your FREE Hard Drive on the Internet!  (free/cheap Internet file storage)

• Hard Drive Backup, Failure Rates, Prices - Backblaze
• A Hard Disk Drive for the IBM 305 RAMAC, the first IBM 'SUPER' computer released in September 1956.
  This HDD weighed over a ton and stored an "astonishing"  5 MB  of data. (= 0.005 GB = 0.000005 TB)
  In other words, if you have one of those old original Apple iPhones from 2009 with only 32 GB of storage, it holds 6400 times as much data as this huge drive from 1956.
  In other words, if you have a computer with a hard drive containing 2 TB (= 2000 GB = 2000000 MB) of storage, it holds 400000 times as much data as this huge drive from 1956.