Cloud storage

[Dailyi]

Hi, I'm new and not sure if I've posted in the right place.

My boss is looking to back up all work files, mostly documents and spreadsheets into the cloud. He's asked me to do the research. So far I have found the website for top ten storage and he then went and reviewed a couple (he's pretty cynical) and saw bad reviews! Ho hum, so he suggested Dropbox. I'm not that keen on it but maybe that's on a personal level rather than a business level.

So, my question is... does anybody have experience with cloud storage/backups and who do they use or recommend? Why do you use- is it ease of use, value for money? All advice welcomed.

Bear in mind you are entrusting your data - possible subject to DPA and PCI-DSS - to a 3rd party.

If the implications of that don't worry you, then perhaps you shouldn't do it.

Personally - and professionally - I wouldn't trust cloud storage as far as I could throw it. But then I work in a regulated industry with a compliance and security department who take the same view.

3 main areas of concern:

1. security. What would you do if your cloud storage is hacked, and your data accessed ? This is especially of concern if your data contains peoples personal data. If you aren't thinking of encrypting everything before it leaves your network, perhaps you shouldn't be storing things in the cloud.

2. reliability. What if you need your data (say a disk crashes) and the cloud storage is "down for maintenance". How long can you wait.

3. US government actions. There have been a few cases where the FBI has shut down server farms under the PATRIOT Act, which were also running cloud storage for other companies. Bang - all data gone, no redress.

It might be cheaper to get a local IT firm set you up with an onsite backup solution, with a series of disks rotated through the week, with one one taken offsite each night.