Western Digital My Cloud- any views on it?

My external USB drive died many months back and instead of getting a new one I am thinking to buy this NAS device that will work for a backup device for all my laptops( windows and Ubuntu), iOS and android devices.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2424967,00.asp

Any thoughts on it? Any better alternatives/ suggestions?

Thanks

 

I really don't think it matters which cloud service you use, as long as it is from a known and reputable provider.

My concern with cloud storage is you must have Internet access to use it.

 

It,s basically a NAS drive with option for web access too.

 

My apologies. I failed to actually read the description of this device. IMO, WD (or its marketing weenies) is misusing the term "cloud" in this case as the data is not stored in the "cloud".

 

I don't know if I would agree. If you make it only accessible locally, yes it's a misnomer. But the intent (and what really separates it from just an external drive) is that you can make the data accessible from anywhere else by logging into it. The only difference between that and "the cloud" is that you own and control the server instead of some other company.

 

One thing you might want to investigate is how remote access is handled when the device is made Internet accessible. In some arrangements, remote access devices connect/authenticate directly and only to your NAS device. In other arrangements, remote access devices connect and sometimes authenticate via the NAS manufacturer's servers. If the later scenario applies it would be wise to assess the "MITM exposure". IOW, determine exactly how things work and what the implications are for privacy/security and general control over your device.

Somewhat in the same vein, you might also want to investigate mechanisms related to backing up NAS resident files to an online cloud account and/or updating of software/firmware/apps. Since they, too, can create exposure to and give information & control to a third party (the NAS manufacturer, possibly a device app store, ...).

It is always a good idea to find the user manual for such a device and review that before making your purchase decision. The instructions and sample screens will clue you in to how features work, what options you have for controlling them, whether accounts need to be created with the NAS manufacturer, etc, etc.

 

Let me explain my rational then maybe you will agree.

But that's not how "the cloud" works. You are explaining "remote access" - which folks have been doing for years to gain access to their home "network attached" devices. And years before that with their work networks.

When you put something out in "the cloud", your data is "off site", so you ALWAYS have access to it, even in the event your home burns down, is blown away by a tornado or it is broken into and all your hardware, including the NAS, is stolen.

The "cloud" AND YOUR DATA are "out there", not on your shelf. This is a NAS "network attached storage" device. The Internet is a network. "The cloud" is some "virtual" thing that exists "out" on the Internet.

The cloud is not in a building housing a bunch of servers. It is more like a global satellite network, with many server farms globally working together.

Having access to a device on your home network is not "cloud" anything - other than a marketing weeny's desire to coin another technically incorrect term (like "wireless router" - no such thing, but for another discussion).

NAS devices have been around for decades. They just were not called NAS devices until someone coined the phrase. They used to be called "file servers". Still are. When the Internet came about, some were allowed to support remote access from anywhere on the Internet. Any network attached computer can be a NAS.

NAS devices like this WD "My Cloud"" are just tiny, network attached, dedicated (pre-programed) computers in a tiny box with a big hard drive. A tiny file server with remote network access. Not a "cloud" device. They probably use a small Linux OS that supports networking, SATA devices, and a tiny firewall program to allow remote access.

Even that PC Mag article about NAS devices notes WD's PR "spin",

"My Cloud" 'brand name'. A marketing term.

It could have been called "The Information SuperHighWay" storage device and meant the same thing - an technically inaccurate brand name for a network attached storage device that allows remote access.

 

Totally agree with you.

 

Thanks. Good idea!