Amazon's Online File Storage S3

Relocating files onto external hard drives, USBs, and CDs can prolong the longevity of files and make personal files portable. However, some do find these external devices to have drawbacks of their own. For example, external hard drives can be expensive and USBs and CDs can be easily lost because of their small size. Consequently, more and more people are looking for alternative ways to back up and externally store their files.

Online file storage has become a recent trend and though there are multiple online storage site options, one in particular has begun to capture the attention and loyalty of many. S3 (Simple Storage Service) is a service provided by Amazon.com that allows users to easily store their files (large or small) online for inexpensive rates. Files as small as 1 byte and as large as 5 gigabytes can be stored in accounts that are capable of holding unlimited files. Prices for S3 service run about 15¢ per GB per month and additional discounts are offered as operating file space is increased. Because these files are held by an online server, customers of S3 are able to access their files from any internet accessible computer anywhere in the world.

Nevertheless, like all digital technologies, S3 does have drawbacks of its own. Though the network is secured by authentication mechanisms that prohibit unauthorized access to files, S3 offers no guarantee that customer files will not be lost. In addition, like all online servers, temporary outages are a rare possibility; meaning customers may not be able to access files during temporary system errors.

So if you are looking to for substitutes to your standard file storage, give online storage services a trial. Accounts with S3 are easily set up (and are even more so if you already have an account with Amazon.com) on S3’s sign up page. In no time you will feel the conveniences of online file storage.

Nevertheless, it is very important to note that for the really important files that you do not want to loose under any condition, the best way to ensure that your files do not get electronically lost is to back up those files onto hard copy re-writeable DVDs. This is the only sure way to avoid any electronic errors when saving files. And because many of us know from experience that DVDs are susceptible to getting scratched and breakage your best option to ensuring the longevity of your files is to both save files with an electronic file saving device and to save an additional copy of the file onto a re-writeable DVD.