Guide to Going Digital - Introduction + Cloud Drives and Storage
- therealnomadicengi
- Feb 7, 2021
- 5 min read
Why am I going primarily digital?
Having moved several times over the last two years, across continents and across states, all during a global pandemic, I have felt the need to be mindful of my purchases and become more minimalist. As an academic, it is natural to end up with a large pile of often unread articles and books after only a few months, which I came to realize as I wrapped up my research abroad (while in Qatar) before heading back to the US, and at the end of my PhD when I had to leave Texas.
Having completed a PhD split over two campuses, with research conducted in both College Station, Texas, and Doha, Qatar, I have always had to ensure that I had everything backed up in terms of research and ready to go at a moment’s notice, which has driven my interest in being completely digital.
As I transition to a new postdoctoral research position in Indiana, I hope to keep a mainly digital approach, mainly driven by a year spent in isolation working from home due to the pandemic. I expect to move a few more times in the next few months and years. I would like my moves and transitions to be as smooth as possible!
This blog post is the first one in a series I plan to post reviewing tools, applications (and devices) that help me stay completely digital. Today’s post is about cloud storage, which is an essential part of everyday life, not just the digital nomad.
What is cloud storage?
Cloud storage is a cloud computing model that allows you to store data on the internet through a cloud computing provide who manages and operates the data storage as a service [1]. In simple terms cloud storage allows you to back up your work and personal files so that they are accessible from different locations.
Why do you need cloud storage?
It gives the freedom to have access to your data anytime, anywhere, usually regardless of the operating system you are running, namely Mac & Windows. It is quite common for someone to use either device, particularly if you own an iPad or iPhone for personal use, and your university or workplace uses the Windows ecosystem. With cloud storage you get to accomplish the following [2]:
Optimize cooperation – This is particularly important if you are working on school projects or collaborating with international colleagues. My first experience with international collaboration began in 2013, as I joined an international capstone project for my senior design course, that required us to have team members on both campuses of Texas A&M University, in Texas & Qatar. Over the last few years, I have had the opportunity to join a number of different international collaboration projects, including individuals from Shell (in Calgary), Kaneka North America (in Houston). This has not only taught me to manage my time efficiently by being mindful of the different time zones, but it has taught me the importance of choosing a platform or means of communication to minimize disruption and encourage exchanging of ideas. Cloud drives support this cause!
Create a backup of personal files – Phones (and computers) have fixed lifetimes. Quite often it might be necessary to switch to a newer model at a moment’s notice, and cloud drives are the best way to transfer all data from an old phone or computer to a new one!
Protect your work and time – Nearly every student has experienced that frightful moment when that important document that they spent hours working unexpectedly crashes, and they were unavailable to retrieve hours of hard work. Cloud drives allow you to back up your data frequently, some that do so automatically, allowing you work comfortably with less stress.
Get more space for less money – Portable hard disks and similar storage options cost money. They also take up a lot of physical space if you own multiple hard disks. They are also prone to crashing after a few years of use, particularly if you tend to accidentally drop them often. Although it is theoretically possible for files on the cloud to also get corrupted, it is less likely, particularly if you back up multiple versions of different documents. Many companies offer unlimited cloud storage options for a fixed price, making it significantly cheaper than portable hard disks or storage items in the long run.
What are your most common cloud storage options?
Things to Note
Google One includes its online office suite and Google Docs that promotes online collaboration efforts.
Google also provides Google File Stream which is better than the Google Drive as it does not store the files on your computer physically, but lets you access them through the cloud whenever necessary.
OneDrive’s Microsoft 365 options offers Office 365 applications, i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, making your documents easily accessible from multiple devices.
Most universities in the US provide both services (Google & Microsoft) to their students, staff, and faculty at reduced (or no) cost, making it unnecessary to purchase these separately.
What should you look for from cloud storage?
As other uncommon cloud storage options exist, it is important to note the following when making a decision as to which service to purchase:
Durability: A service that is well-established and expected to remain around for a long period of time. This means that you should probably seek more established / well-reputed services, even though they might be more expensive.
Availability: The service should be always accessible as long as you have an internet connection, i.e., avoid companies that are known to have maintenance issues or issues with the syncing of files.
Security: As you will probably be storing personal data, pictures, and files, it is important to know that the company always values your privacy and provides suitable customer service in case you are facing any issues.
Cost: As discussed previously, it is important to compare and shop around to ensure that you can pick the right option based on your budget.
What's my hot take?
I need to stress that your decision needs be based on your needs. For example, if you only deal with the Apple ecosystem, it makes sense to mainly need iCloud storage space. However, as many of you might work at companies or universities that also deal with Windows (and other) operating systems it might be necessary to look into other options as well.
Many universities provide Google Drives with unlimited storage space. While you will most likely have to give this option up once you graduate, it is important to note that some universities give their alumni separate Google Drive accounts with unlimited storage space. For example, if you are a former student of Texas A&M University you get an Aggie Network Google account, that provides similar benefits (unlimited storage space) as the normal university email.
Personally, I use my alumni Google Drive account since it has unlimited storage space, combined with the 50GB iCloud option ($0.99/month), along with the OneDrive’s Microsoft 365 Family (that I share with my family), as it makes the entire situation very manageable and cost-efficient.
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