What does your unit use for data storage?

2014-06-19T11:36:13-04:00

What are you (and members of your unit) using for data storage? Where do you store your files, pics, unit e-pubs, etc?

We all create long, archaically formatted military documents, powerpoints, pdfs, etc.

Where do you keep yours for handy recall and reuse, especially as you move from base to base or forward deploy?

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Jun 19 at 2014 11:37 AM

2014-06-19T11:37:01-04:00

milSuite

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jun 19 at 2014 11:37 AM

2014-06-19T11:37:47-04:00

I keep all of my music, pics, docs and videos on external hard drives. I don't really trust the cloud, and it doesn't do you any good if you don't have internet access.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Jun 19 at 2014 11:40 AM

2014-06-19T11:40:54-04:00

My unit used a share drive on the intranet. It hardly ever worked, always went down, synched wrong, etc. So we were allowed to use CD-Rs. As you can imagine that was very inefficient.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Jun 19 at 2014 11:49 AM

2014-06-19T11:49:25-04:00

I actually use a combination of the above for personal use. For archival purposes I use an external hard drive. For day to day I use cloud storage and have my computer and tablet auto-sync through the cloud so my data is current between them. This works well for me and allows for a good degree of redundancy as well.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2014 11:50 AM

2014-06-19T11:50:53-04:00

I don't like using the share drive because you always have issues with connectivity and worse, you can't make changes if someone opened a file and didn't close it. Then all you can do is view a read-only copy.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Jun 19 at 2014 1:33 PM

2014-06-19T13:33:08-04:00

I use different things for different situations. I use my external HDDs to back up pictures, videos, and documents so I can access them at any time when I may need them.

I use Dropbox and my gmail account to transfer small documents in short periods or from work to home and vice versa.

Lastly, I have been using Google Drive to keep my movie list up to date on my phone so I stop buying duplicate movies. Up to 940 titles so far!

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2014 1:39 PM

2014-06-19T13:39:16-04:00

Im not sure about the Army's network, but the MC intranet doesn't allow dropbox, or any other cloud option other than the shared drive and Microsoft SharePoint.

Also to move units...external HD and thumb drives are a no go so good 'ol fashion Cds are the only other option besides emailing stuff to myself.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2014 1:59 PM

2014-06-19T13:59:06-04:00

The Mass Guard has three folders. One for all the units that you need to be granted access too, Each unit has its own folder in this drive. The second is your personal drive that runs off CAC, and the last on is a shared folder for the state.

Response by Maj Ahron Oddman made Jun 19 at 2014 2:07 PM

2014-06-19T14:07:32-04:00

It doesn't sound like many people use google drive by going to Google.com/drive? Mostly externals and DoD provided shared spaces. Wondering if there's an opportunity to get more servicemembers on the cloud, then sharing more documents, ppts, i.e. knowledge with each other?

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2014 2:13 PM

2014-06-19T14:13:34-04:00

Egyptian Hierroglyphics

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Jun 19 at 2014 2:50 PM

2014-06-19T14:50:54-04:00

My brain

Response by SSG Ed Mikus made Jun 20 at 2014 7:21 AM

2014-06-20T07:21:03-04:00

Sir,

Great questions i have faced at an organizational level at many units, a combination is necessary to perform the mission, no one solution will fit any unit as a whole however, there are many risks and benefits to each that are worth weighing. I can provide you many examples of other solutions but not over this medium.

SSG Mikus

Response by CPT Dave Shephard made Jun 20 at 2014 11:54 AM

2014-06-20T11:54:06-04:00

Boat loads of CD-Rs!

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 20 at 2014 1:35 PM

2014-06-20T13:35:29-04:00

I recommend everyone to use AKO. You can upload/download your files from anywhere.

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 20 at 2014 1:37 PM

2014-06-20T13:37:35-04:00

I have become a fan of drop box. This way I don't need to use the military forbidden jump/thumb drives, and am able to access my data from any computer.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 20 at 2014 9:40 PM

2014-06-20T21:40:28-04:00

pen and paper

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 22 at 2014 6:32 AM

2014-06-22T06:32:48-04:00

I use Dropbox for my personal stuff it is easy to check on any of my multiple devices (phone, tablet and computer).
Officially I tried to use AKO Files but I find it slow and the storage limit is too small to have all the files I need. In a hurry I just email it to myself but can be a pain to locate files later on.

Response by SSG Justin Malone made Jun 22 at 2014 1:55 PM

2014-06-22T13:55:08-04:00

It really depends on what you are doing with the stuff that you have and how you plan on using it. Either way I recommend encrypting everything before it gets saved in a common access location or the cloud if that is the solution you plan on using. There are a variety of cloud storage solutions but it really depends on the feature-set you are looking for (and what is authorized on your network) some of the things to look for are space, redundancy, encryption, access permissions, and company history.

Local share drives can be safer in terms of preventing PII from leaking on the internet but, as mentioned in another comment below, has issues with multiple access. If you are sharing on the same computer you can always store files in the public directory. that will allow any user on the same computer access to the same files. And if you have the infrastructure for it you can always share files through SharePoint. this system allows for reversioning, check-in and check-out and certen types of files can be broken down into multiple files to allow for multiple access such as power point presentations where each department requires access to their own slides.