Which cloud storage should you choose? Data storage in the cloud: choosing the best service for backup Online data storage on several servers

Today, cloud storage with large amounts of data occupy an important niche in storing the necessary information, and many of them are completely free.

Hello my dear readers and blog guests. Today, many Internet users practice cloud data storage. All important information can be saved in the cloud, which avoids file loss, for example, if the hard drive is damaged. And if you need to use data far from your computer, then you just need to find a device with Internet access and use the cloud web interface, which eliminates the need to carry a flash drive with you.

Most modern smartphones support automatic uploading of captured photos and videos directly to the cloud as soon as a connection to a Wi-Fi network is established. This eliminates the need to establish a connection between each gadget and the computer using USB, because there is disk space that is the same for all your devices. If necessary, you can configure synchronization of other files other than the media format.

At the moment, about a dozen cloud data storages with large volumes are available to any Internet user for free 2018. Thanks to such diversity, everyone can find a cloud that suits their needs. Let's consider free cloud data storage services.

The best cloud data storage with large capacity for free

1. Yunpan 360 - 36 TB

The undoubted leader in the list of cloud data storage is the Chinese project Yunpan 360. The cloud provides as much as 36 TB (yes, yes, terabyte) of free space for storing personal data. The only drawback of the portal is the only interface language, of course, Chinese. Fortunately, Russian craftsmen have already developed step-by-step instructions and a method of Russification; you can find them on the website yunpan.ru.

The mechanism for obtaining 36 TB is as follows:

1. Register on the site and receive 10 TB after installing the client for Windows.
2. Adding 26 TB to your account after installing the client on Android.

If you cope with the difficulties of the Chinese language and make friends with the project's interface, you can get disk space that will last almost a lifetime. Well, if 36 TB is not enough for you, then there are two ways to expand this volume:

2. Mega - 50 GB

The name “Mega” is an acronym that stands for MEGA Encrypted Global Access. Developers pay great attention to security and the process of protecting information. This file storage service rightfully takes second place on our list. The company offers 50 GB of free space, which competing cloud storage services in our market segment cannot boast of. In addition, all files are encrypted using the AES algorithm right in the browser window. Those. Even the project administration cannot open the files you uploaded, because they are reliably protected by cryptographic transformation. Information access keys are not available in clear text and are transferred on a Friend-to-Friend basis, i.e. between users who trust each other.

3. [email protected]

This is the development of the domestic holding Mail.ru Group. Provides 25 GB of free disk space to store any files, but this requires register Mail.ru mail. The cloud for storing data and the mail service are mutually integrated, for example, a file from an incoming letter can be sent to cloud storage with one click. For mobile device users, the developers have provided automatic synchronization of files captured on the gadget’s camera. Once connected to a fast Internet connection, the smartphone automatically starts sending new files from the camera to the cloud. [email protected] is a fairly young project that appeared in 2013. It is possible that over time the functionality will increase significantly. Unfortunately, it is impossible to expand the amount of disk space for free, although there used to be promotions where they first gave 1 TB of space for registration, and then even 100 GB.

4. Hubic Data Warehouse

An online data storage service with a fairly generous affiliate program. The company provides 25 GB of free disk space after registration. Does it seem like this is not enough? The developers give 2.5 TB of additional space for 5 invited friends, and the friends themselves also receive 30 GB of consolation prizes each.

5. Google Drive

Probably the most famous cloud data storage, because... is one of the services of such a search giant as Google. The project is integrated with most Google services, such as Google Sheets (spreadsheet), Google Slides (presentations), Google Docs (text documents), Gmail (email). When you create, for example, a text document in the Google cloud, it is automatically saved to Google Drive. After activation, the company is ready to provide 15 GB of free space. Experience shows that this volume is quite sufficient for work purposes.

Excellent balance between quantity and quality, one of the best cloud storages with a large volume for free 2018. There is an application for both computers and mobile devices that synchronizes files automatically. To increase space, you can take advantage of the promotion that Google holds every year. The algorithm is simple: you pass the Google account security check and receive additional gigabytes for free.

6. 4shared

The file storage service, which is ranked 82nd in the list of the most popular Internet resources by Alexa, processes more than 300 TB of traffic every day. After registration, 10 GB of disk space becomes available, you can add another 5 GB if you confirm your email address. Unfortunately, there are no other ways to expand the volume of cloud data storage. For free accounts, there is a limitation on the storage period of files - 180 days from the time of the last interaction with the account. The user interface resembles that of Windows Explorer.

7. Yandex.Disk

Another domestic project, which is a cloud data storage with a large volume for free 2018. As in Google Drive and [email protected], here mail and storage are mutually connected. Yandex makes it possible to use a cloud disk of 10 GB in size. It is possible to expand it by 10 GB if you bring 20 friends, for each of them they give 512 MB. And if you took part in a partner’s promotion, you will be rewarded with another 50 GB. The conditions for these events change regularly, so you need to constantly monitor project news.

8. MediaFire

Cloud service for storing files, functionality similar to 4shared or dropbox. First of all, it was created for storing and sharing media files (videos, images or music). 10 GB of free space is available for free, and also with advertising. The Windows client has certain problems in use, for example, you cannot share a file on your computer. Therefore, it is recommended to use the application on a mobile device, and on a computer to use the interface on the project website.

9. Cubby

Cloud data storage, which allows you to use 5 GB of free space upon completion of registration. Cubby is a development from LogMeIn, which creates and supports networking products for businesses, so there is no doubt about the reliability and stability of this solution. Previously, registration was impossible without an invitation, but now every Internet user can access the service. If desired, disk space can be increased to 25 GB if you take part in the referral program.

Conclusion

Choose cloud storage with a large volume, which is provided free of charge in 2019, depending on the type of tasks solved using the cloud and specific requirements for the service. There is no point in learning the intricacies of the Chinese language for the sake of 36 TB of free space if you only have 7 GB of important information. And using cryptography to protect the privacy of a photo of your favorite cat makes very little sense.

Do you do video shooting or do you do it all the time? make backups? Then be sure to pay attention to Yunpan 360. Are you a busy person and you need to have all the documents at hand, and each of your devices needs to have up-to-date information?

Google Drive, together with integrated office services, will do this job perfectly. Are you afraid for the safety and confidentiality of your data? Take a look at Mega, which uses the AES cryptographic algorithm. Well, if you are an ordinary Internet user who sometimes takes photos on your phone and is looking for a place to store files in the cloud, then [email protected] will more than cover your needs.

Your priceless collection of photos in the “cloud”. But what if you want to upload not only photos from your last trip to Europe, but also all other files, including documents, music and even movies? Fortunately, modern technologies allow you to keep all your belongings in one service. You just need to make the right choice, which is what we will do today.

Nowadays there are quite a lot of “cloud” storages. These are mainly services from the largest technology corporations, but third-party developers are also not wasting their time and are gradually capturing the promising market. To begin with, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the most popular “clouds” at the moment.

Convenient and incredibly fast service. Files download almost instantly - this is very useful if you need to send a large document by mail. With the help of simple manipulations (all of them are on the Disk website), the free free space in the service can be increased to 50 gigabytes, plus another 0.5 GB for each invitee.

Buyers of a Sony Xperia Tablet S tablet or a Sony VAIO laptop are provided with an additional 40 and 30 gigabytes, respectively. Before this, Yandex held a promotion in which it gave another 250 GB to buyers of Samsung ultrabooks, but it has already ended.

In general, Yandex.Disk has everything a cloud storage needs. Nice web interface for iOS, Android, WP, Mac and Windows, the opportunity to get treasured gigabytes for free. And the cost of additional space is not too high - 30 rubles per month for 10 GB, 150 rubles for 100 GB or 900 rubles for one terabyte.

Despite its foreign origin, Dropbox has already succeeded in our country. The service cannot boast of such generosity as Yandex.Disk and at first provides its users with only two gigabytes of free free space with the ability to expand up to 18 GB - 500 MB for each invited friend.

At the same time, Dropbox can be used on almost any device - from Windows computers to BlackBerry smartphones. In Russia, it works noticeably slower than the Yandex solution, but many users who store their files in Dropbox for a long time choose only it.

As for the pricing policy, Dropbox’s is noticeably worse. 250 rubles per month for 100 GB, 500 rubles per month for 200 GB and 1250 rubles for 500 GB. A little expensive.

Google's service is rightfully considered one of the best of its kind. It allows you to open up to 30 different types of files directly in your web browser and gives you the ability to open Photoshop files even if you don't have the program of the same name installed on your computer. Add to this applications for iOS, Android and other platforms, a convenient web version, and we will get a good competitive product.

Recently, Google Drive gives 15 free gigabytes to each registered user. But if you want to increase your storage, the service offers several tariff plans to choose from - from 100 GB for 150 rubles to 16 TB for 24 thousand rubles.

Google Drive is perfect not only for owners of Android devices, but also for iOS devices.

The “cloud” service from Mail.ru Group was launched quite recently, and at the moment access to it is only by appointment - you can leave a request directly on the service’s website. Since the project is still in the testing stage, minor errors may appear during its use, but all of them will be corrected by the release of the final version of the service.

The Mail.ru “cloud” has already acquired a good iOS application, although without iPad support, and the number of free gigabytes in storage excites the imagination. For the first login, the service will give you 10 GB, but after completing simple tasks, the amount of free space will increase to 100 GB. This is the bonus Mail.ru has prepared for the Columbuses of its service. The remaining tariff plans remain secret for now.

Copy

I discovered this file storage service this summer. A young promising startup that literally gives away free gigabytes. When you register, you only get 15 GB, but for each invitee, Copy gives you and your friend another 5 GB. Copy runs on PC, Mac and Linux, and also has apps for Android and iOS.

The service plans to switch to commercial services in the near future - the price of 250 GB will be 3 thousand rubles per year, and 500 GB - 4.5 thousand rubles per year. But I don’t think that there is an urgent need for these tariff plans with such a system for receiving free gigabytes.

Why not? Yes, iCloud can hardly be called a serious competitor to Dropbox, but it also has its advantages. Purchasing additional gigabytes will allow you to store backup copies of all your devices in this service. In addition, many modern games and document programs on iOS synchronize data using iCloud.

iCloud is incredibly easy to use, but is only suitable for owners of Apple gadgets. And, unfortunately, so far it has many more disadvantages than advantages. For example, tariff plans are 10 GB for 650 rubles per year, 20 GB for 1,300 rubles per year, and 50 GB for 3,250 rubles per year. At the same time, the service provides five free gigabytes, which barely fits two backup copies of my iPhone and iPad.

And last but not least. Being , SkyDrive works perfectly with Word, Excel and other applications. The service provides seven free gigabytes to each registered user and has a flexible tariff system: from 20 GB for 300 rubles per year to 100 GB for 1,500 rubles per year.

I used this service for a year and a half before I discovered Dropbox and Yandex.Disk, and during all this time it did not cause me any serious complaints. SkyDrive is surprisingly fast, although its web version is entirely Windows-style, which may turn off some users.

SkyDrive apps for iOS, WP and Android are available in their respective stores.

It's time to determine the winner. Let's first look at a comparison of tariff plans (the table shows the cost per year in rubles, some tariffs have been removed for ease of comparison).

It can be seen that according to this criterion, Yandex.Disk is the undisputed leader. But it’s also worth considering the number of free gigabytes - Mail.Ru has as many as 100, and with the help of invitations to Copy, the free space can be increased to several hundred gigabytes. Other services cannot boast of this.

And here is a comparison by supported platforms - here the first places are won by Yandex.Disk, Copy and SkyDrive.

Since he turned out to be a leader according to two criteria at once, we give him first place. I would like to note that Dropbox is an excellent service, but Disk is able to offer more favorable conditions and is more suitable for Russian realities.

Remote data storage

The problem of remote database storage on the Internet has been brewing for a long time, since most business and confidential information requires special protection. Of course, you can store data (papers, documents, files and photographs) in an office safe. But who will be responsible for breaking into and stealing the safe? Or, God forbid, something happens to the office, because no company is protected from fire or other natural disasters, not to mention scheduled and unscheduled inspections of some authorities.

Currently, this problem, namely the problem of protecting and storing information, has been solved!

There are several options for storing information. Our company offers both methods of data protection and storage.

Database storage

Namely, to store databases on remote secure servers, in the most reliable Data Centers in Russia and Europe.

All equipment is located physically remote from the current location of the company or client who needs to secure data. Therefore, the option of data seizure or theft is excluded!

Login to your server (a personal server is allocated for each client) only with a personal login and password. Even our company employees will not know the login passwords. All aspects of confidentiality of information are specified in the agreement that we sign at the beginning of our cooperation.

Remote data storage on the Internet or Data storage in the cloud

There is another way to store data - storing data in the cloud. This method is not inferior to the method of storing data on a remote server (which we discussed above), the only difference is that the server where the information will be stored will be virtual.

Transferring data to the cloud will take very little time. And in just 1 hour, you will be able to work and store all confidential data in your own cloud, which will be deployed to suit the requirements and objectives of your company.

Benefits of Storing a Database Online

Storing data on remote servers or in the clouds is no longer a luxury, but a real way to maximize the security of company data and your business as a whole.

What are the advantages of this approach:

We work only with the best Data Centers in Russia and Europe

All equipment is customized specifically for the client’s tasks and requirements.

If you somehow deleted the necessary information, it’s okay, since we backup data daily, you can always restore the document you need.

We can differentiate access rights on the server, i.e. the employee will see only the information that he can see; other folders, documents and files will be hidden from his eyes.

You can easily hide the server's IP address; no one will be able to find out by IP address where your information is located.

If you urgently need to turn off the server, then you should send us an SMS and the server will turn off at that very minute.

All data is encrypted both on the server itself and when sending data to the server.

Our company values ​​​​its reputation, so we do everything possible to protect your company’s data as much as possible, while we bear full responsibility for the confidentiality and security of our clients’ data.

Our company’s specialists take on all the tasks of setting up, preparing and placing data on our servers, and will also make sure that the information you entrust to us is available exclusively to you!

Until recently, Microsoft's Remote Storage Service (RSS) didn't catch my attention, or that of many other Windows administrators. However, companies are increasingly deploying Windows servers and applications on large networks where Storage Area Network (SAN) storage devices and other data storage devices exist and application data snowballs. Therefore, it is no longer possible to ignore a tool like RSS. So how does an organization benefit from using RSS?

RSS: HSM from Microsoft

Longtime IT pros know that even before the advent of the Windows platform, Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) technology gained industry acceptance. HSM allows you to selectively retrieve data from shared storage and solve many problems: in particular, reduce overall storage space and backup time, as well as remove unnecessary data from local devices.

I've always viewed HSM as a three-tier approach to data management. Level 1 is operational storage, the data in which is quickly available for applications and user requests. This storage has simple non-removable storage media such as local hard drives, SAN and application storage. Level 2 - storage with near-line access (near-line), designed to store data transferred to a secondary intermediate medium (removable or permanent). This could be a secondary magnetic disk device, an optical disk drive, or even a memory device specific to the application. Level 3 - storage with slow access (far-line); The data is transferred to a removable device or other storage medium for future use or recovery.

To use HSM, it is necessary to segment data into time-sensitive and context-sensitive to simplify administration. For example, a Microsoft Exchange Server administrator may be working with a monolithic mass of data but constantly encounter intractable problems, or implementing a data management strategy that uses an HSM to manipulate that data. An administrator of a Windows file server with terabytes of information can manage the data as a single array or divide it into several subsets - for example, frequently used, rarely used and never used data. You can then prepare policies for each subset of data (for example, back up frequently used data every day, and move less frequently used data to tape). These capabilities are the essence of HSM technology, which many business leaders are beginning to think about using in a Windows environment.

Windows 2000 introduced RSS, an implementation of Microsoft's HSM technology. RSS is simpler than HSM because it has only two levels of storage - local and remote. As a result, RSS transparently transfers data from local disks to remote devices such as tape libraries.

The RSS service is implemented in the Windows 2000 Server operating system; Windows 2000 Professional computers are ready to use HSM. Numerous HSM-compatible elements of the data storage subsystem, applications and the graphical shell interact with each other and guarantee the administrator the ability to fully use HSM.

Advantages of Remote Storage

Some of the benefits of RSS are obvious. The concept of managing data files in primary storage reduces costs by limiting storage growth (or at least making the growth curve less steep). It makes sense to encourage users to store data on a file server so that RSS can manage the data to suit its application. The local server becomes the primary storage location for frequently used files, and rarely used files are moved to other locations. The idea is to improve the storage efficiency of data according to its usage profile (i.e., depending on the frequency of file accesses). You can create a migration policy based on file size, last access date, or specific inclusion and exclusion rules.

The procedure for users to access files in local storage remains almost unchanged with the advent of RSS. However, users will notice some differences when accessing files transferred to remote storage. When viewing the contents of the directory from the command line, you see that the number indicating the size of the files located on the remote drive is enclosed in parentheses. In Windows Explorer, such files are marked with a special "access delay" icon (the three files in Screen 1), indicating that the files will take slightly longer to open and read from the remote storage. The Windows I/O subsystem, in the presence of such a file mark, deals with reparse points - Reparse Points, which indicate to it that the file has been moved to remote storage.

The procedure for calling a file from a remote storage is almost invisible to users. Files transferred to remote storage can be on the local drive in two states: pre-migration and truncated. The premigration file exists in both local and remote storage, but it is marked with an RSS flag. A truncated file is simply a pointer to a file whose data is located on the remote storage device. In either case, when a file is opened, a name relookup mechanism is triggered, which causes the RSS service (File System Filter Driver and File System Agent) to retrieve the complete file from the remote storage. A process that occurs at the kernel level ensures fast and efficient file retrieval.

RSS reduces storage infrastructure costs. By placing frequently used files on local storage and less frequently used files on tape, the administrator reduces overall memory requirements. The backup procedure also becomes more rational. Important data takes up less space, reducing the size of the data set and reducing the time it takes to copy and restore critical information.

Expenses

Some organizations do not incur additional costs to implement RSS because the service uses removable Windows storage devices for disaster recovery purposes. However, large-scale HSM solutions often require additional infrastructure that extends or complements existing backup appliances.

It is difficult to say which option is preferable. However, I think it's better to deploy RSS separately from disaster recovery, which comes at an additional cost. You need to carefully weigh your options before implementing RSS. In other HSM products and future versions of RSS, implementing multiple layers and supporting devices other than streamers typically results in increased costs. In addition, implementing HSM comes with additional burden on administrators who must plan, deploy, manage HSM policies and systems (including RSS failover).

Most of the planned improvements for RSS are aimed at combating the main shortcomings of its version in Windows 2000. The main wish of users is compatibility with optical media. Other HSM products are already working

with optical media, so the implementation of this function is an important condition for the competitiveness of Microsoft products. Windows Server 2003 will support the use of optical media (magneto-optical, but not DVD) at the remote storage level. As a result, users will have additional choice and, most importantly, the speed of retrieving files from remote storage will increase (optical devices are slightly faster than tape devices). Another requirement for administrators is command line support. This will expand the functionality of the product and bring RSS closer to other, more expensive HSM solutions. Microsoft ships RSS with its Windows Server products, so it's essentially free to get. Overall, RSS provides an effective way to reduce the size of your primary data storage.

Jerry Cochran- author of Administrator issues and a weekly editorial column in Exchange Administrator UPDATE news releases ( http://www.win2000mag.net/email/). Senior Technology Consultant in the Applied Microsoft Technologies Group at Compaq Global Services. He can be contacted at:

Without cloud services it is already difficult to imagine modern work with data. And this applies not only to work files and documents, but also to personal archives. And yet, many still prefer to store valuable files, especially photographs, on a computer, hard drive or flash drive, rather than trusting them to servers located God knows where.

And this is a very big mistake.

Storing photos and other files in the cloud is much more convenient and reliable. This, firstly, gives you access to them from any device connected to the Internet, and secondly, it provides greater reliability, because losing a flash drive or damaging a hard drive with gigabytes of invaluable data is much easier than losing access to a cloud archive, for which the owner company responds with its reputation.

But which cloud storage should you choose - more impressive, larger, more functional? To help you navigate, we have selected the most interesting options and studied their advantages and disadvantages. To make it more convenient, we indicated not only the minimum free volume offered in each of them, but also approximately how many photos will fit (based on the average size of each photo of 4 MB).

There was a time when Mail.ru scattered free gigabytes: the company provided no less than 1 TB for free use. But the freebie is expected to end, and now only 16 GB are offered in the free Mail.ru cloud. 64 GB will cost 69 rubles. per month or 690 rub. per year, and 128 GB - 149 rubles. monthly or 1490 rub. in year. You should also take into account that there is a limit on the maximum file size - up to 32 GB.

There are applications for iOS, Android and Windows Phone, as well as desktop clients for major operating systems - Windows, OS X, Linux. The Mail.ru Cloud service primarily impresses with its space and the fact that it is “ours”.

If for some reason you don’t trust foreign Google, Apple, Microsoft and so on, then this is definitely the place for you.

iCloud storage is probably familiar to any user of Apple gadgets. iCloud Drive can store information that makes working with Apple devices much easier and forms the notorious ecosystem. Notes, calendars, reminders, program settings, documents, photos, mail, contacts, media library with playlists, backups - everything is synchronized without user intervention, which greatly simplifies life. Nothing prevents you from installing the official client on Windows, but, as in the case of iTunes, the program works more stable in its native environment.

There is a browser version, but it is not very convenient and also does not work on mobile devices. Otherwise, iCloud Drive storage is a full-fledged analogue of any other cloud: creating folders, storing data in them, and so on. 5 GB is provided for free - this is enough for text documents and syncing the most important applications (say, Notes, Reminders, Music, Documents, iPhone backup), but nothing more. Apple allows you to buy up to 2 TB of space - the most expensive tariff will cost 1,490 rubles. per month.

The iCloud service will definitely be useful to users of Apple products, but if you use devices from other manufacturers, there is no point in choosing it.

Dropbox can be considered the popularizer of cloud storage. The service was founded ten years ago, in 2007, and a fully finished version appeared three years later. With free Dropbox you can't really go wild - only two gigabytes. This is only enough for working documents; you can immediately forget about a full-fledged photo archive.

For $9.99 per month ($8.25 if paid annually), you get 1 TB of space, and there are enterprise plans that promise "as much space as you need." This option is not available to individuals.

A paid Pro account - the one for $9.99 - unlocks additional features: increased bandwidth, access options, passwords for links, and so on.

Dropbox is undoubtedly one of the most convenient and functional cloud services, but it's only worth making it your primary photo storage location if you're willing to pay for more storage space.

Another Russian repository, along with Cloud Mail.ru. Yandex is very generous to its users: it gives additional space for inviting friends, on the occasion of the service’s birthday (+5 GB), and also periodically organizes promotions. For each friend you invite, you will receive 512 MB, a maximum of 10 GB of space can be increased using this method. Partnership promotions are often held: for example, they gave away 30 GB to buyers of Sony laptops and Intel ultrabooks, and owners of several models of Samsung laptops received as much as 250 GB. When registering, 10 GB are allocated - quite normal, this is no longer a measly 2 GB.

Additional 10, 100 and 1000 GB cost 30, 80 and 200 rubles. per month, respectively, and when purchasing an annual package, multiply the amounts by ten. Yandex.Disk is presented for major mobile and desktop systems. There is a separate program for SmartTV: you can watch photos and videos on your smart TV without additional devices. However, there are similar applications for other services.

Yandex.Disk is one of the best offers on the market in terms of price-to-volume ratio, and there is always a chance to save money using promotions and discounts.

One of the giants of the world market offers a lot of opportunities. Almost any format is readable, tight integration with the Gmail mailbox is implemented, smart search by photos, just like Apple - for example, by writing “cats”, a list of not only text documents with this word will appear, but also photographs of animals.

Plus programs for working with tables, texts, presentations, and so on. In terms of ecosystem capabilities, Google is not inferior, and in some places even surpasses Apple. If you combine everything in one service, you get convenient storage for all occasions. The service provides 15 GB for free, for $5 per month the space increases to 30 GB, and for $10 the space is unlimited.

Google Drive is one of the most popular user cloud storage services, and this fame is well deserved.

The cloud service Microsoft OneDrive was previously called SkyDrive, but due to a lawsuit with the television company BSkyB, the name had to be changed. 5 GB is offered for free, for 72 rubles. per month - 50 GB. The following tariff plans come with Office 365: 1 TB for RUB 2,699. per year or an account for five people with a total volume of 5 TB, each user has access to a terabyte. Moreover, this is not a business tariff: you can, for example, organize a family storage unit.

The line of tariffs for business is presented separately: maximum RUB 9,372. per year per user for 1 TB of space and access to Office 365. OneDrive's capabilities are the same as other storages: collaboration on files, exchange of documents, smart sorting of photos by tags, and so on.

If sharing cloud storage is important to you, and you also use Office 365 or other Microsoft products, OneDrive is definitely your option.

Mega

The company places special emphasis on information confidentiality: end-to-end encryption is used, which should improve data security. If this doesn't seem convincing, the company has another powerful trump card - 50 free GB. No one else will offer so much for nothing.

If that's not enough, the company offers paid plans of 200, 500, 2000 and 4000 GB for 4.99, 9.99, 19.99 and 29.99 euros per month. The service is not particularly popular, but the size of the available spaces is impressive, especially the free option.

The main disadvantage is that it is a little-known startup, and not an industry giant. Hence such generosity: neither Google, nor Dropbox, nor Microsoft need to lure users - people come to them themselves. Unlike Megaj.

Certain questions were also raised by the statement of the startup founder named Kim Dotcom, who left Mega and stated that he did not consider the service safe. And this despite the fact that the cloud uses encryption in the browser itself through the reliable AES algorithm.

If you want the maximum and for free, and are not afraid of rumors and negative reviews, Mega is suitable for you.

We draw a conclusion

Large storage facilities (OneDrive, Dropbox, iCloud, Yandex.Disk and others) can automatically synchronize photos when devices are connected. In addition, you can back up smartphones to iCloud, Google Drive and Dropbox. In collaboration on documents, either file sharing or collective accounts will help.

Please also note that you add all content at your own risk. It’s better to get rid of materials prohibited by law altogether (if you happen to have them), but you certainly shouldn’t upload them to the cloud. And pirated films, for example, may not load at all.

Some storage facilities are more aimed at the corporate segment, while others are more aimed at home use. If you don’t want to spend money, you can create an account in at least each service: one for documents, another for photos, a third for backup copies of files. It won't be very convenient, but it will be free. But the best option is to pay and immediately get all the features and a decent space on the cloud.