Must Read: Samsung Galaxy S4 review

Topic: Storage

Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

Summary: Apple's post-PC era will create demand for more storage, not less. And different kinds of storage, as well as great opportunities for Apple to improve our online lives.

Robin Harris

By for Storage Bits |

Apple's post-PC era will create demand for more storage, not less. Why? Because easy replication - which is what iCloud is all about - creates its own demand.

But that storage will look very different: the home media server will find a mass-market; for the few with PCs our backup requirements will be minimal; and, finally, cloud-based de-duplication will reduce bandwidth and storage requirements.

Easy replication Easy replication creates its own demand as Xerox showed back in the 60s with the advent of fast photocopying. We've been drowning in paper ever since.

The iCloud system will make it easy to synchronize music collections between PCs, Macs and I devices. iCloud and Airdrop will also simplify synchronizing and distributing a variety of other content, including document versions, contacts, e-mail and other content.

The net effect: many more gigabytes of replicated data across cheaper and more capacious mobile devices. And you won't even have to think about it - the best news yet for storage manufacturers.

Flash, or newer nonvolatile storage - such as ReRAM - will continue to win. And, as the replication of data proceeds, the convenience of having more capacity will continue to rise.

Backup With all this replication the need for backup will decline. Will backup disappear? No. But my need to back up a couple hundred gigabytes of music and documents and applications will.

But there's more. Apple's Music Match is a specialized form of de-duplication. What if that technology were applied to other commonly replicated content, such as commercial e-mail, spam, chain letters, YouTube videos and web content?

Apple's cloud could store millions of these replicated documents - storing only changes, such as addresses - to download only when and if you wanted to see them.

Home media server The unspoken assumption about all this auto magic synchronization and copying is that all devices have the capacity to maintain all the synchronized content. But for many this will not be the case.

For example, I have 200 GB of music and MPEG video that I would like to have on all my mobile devices. But my iPhone is 32 GB and my iPad2 is 64 GB.

This is where an iCloud aware media server would make sense. The media server would synchronize with the cloud, enable me to use all of my content at home, and and allow me to choose the content I wanted on each mobile device without the use of a PC.

The Storage Bits take All new technologies have unintended consequences. As Steve Jobs said the cloud is not just a big hard drive in the sky.

The post-PC era is real. The convergence of communications, computing and content is upon us.

The impact on data storage technologies, markets and demand will be profound. Maintaining persistent data is one of the hardest problems in computing. Making it invisible to consumers will drive more demand - and creative uses - than we've ever seen before.

Comments welcome, of course.

Topics: Storage, Data Management, Hardware

About

Robin Harris has been messing with computers for over 30 years and selling and marketing data storage for over 20 in companies large and small.

Google+ Contact Disclosure

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

21 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • Apple in general has totally different idea of what the cloud is, comparing

    to other companies, which host the data in the cloud.<br><br>iCloud is synchronisation service, rather than storage-software service. If you are editing a document in Pages or presentation in Keynote, you do it locally on Mac, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch -- with full speed, responsiveness and polish of local specified application (no logins, log-outs, denial of service errors or blackouts). Synchronization goes background. In this aspect, it is not Google Docs at all.<br><br>So I agree that storage will be more important with <b>Apple's approach, which admits that people still want to have as much data as they can locally, always accessible, and process it (create, edit) with polish and full speed.</b>
    DDERSSS
    Reply 1 Vote

    • That means that iCloud would need all your devices be &quot;always-on&quot;

      in order for you to be able to get your music or movie or data wherever and whenever you want them.<br><br>If you have a video or movie you downloaded to your Mac, and you want to view it on your iPhone, your Mac had better be on when you want to call it from iCloud.
      adornoe
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

        @adornoe@... No, it will be loaded to iCloud and when the other device is turned on it will check with iCloud for any new media or updates to documents, contacts and calendars which it will then download. You are not connecting to the video on the Mac through iCloud. As mentioned numerous times in the article iCloud is a syncing service.
        non-biased
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

      @DeRSSS @kinseyman Not being able to prove the value of a logic IndexId: go inside the iteration of the body and having to resort to scriptlet code is unacceptable!
      <a href="http://www.workwearandleisureclothing.com/shirts.html">long sleeve polo</a>
      jimmy9200
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

    Great article Robin and I agree with most of what DeRSSS says. Much better to have data locally, always accessible, and utilized. Internet bandwidth is still an issue. Sync the old way no longer work. The cloud promises access to all your files from any device when stored in the cloud. Sounds good in theory, but today users have tons of content, and the size and volume of media will only grow. Making the cloud your digital hub is only practical for a limited segment of users with a limited amount of content. <br><br>Steve got it mostly right when he said: "The PC was going to become the digital hub for your digital life." People now need a solution that makes the idea of uploading, sync-ing and waiting obsolete as well as a solution that will mitigate cloud storage limitation and cost. It's type of solution that a bunch of us at Polkast have worked diligently on. Like Apple we have totally a different idea of what the cloud is.
    sooocloudy
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

    While all of this sounds good and I could see this really catching on, how are we to leverage this when opposed by data download caps?
    If I leveraged the iCloud as envisioned, I would be paying overage charges every month to ATT. Luckily atm, I have "unlimited data" knowing that it will eventually evaporate and I will have a finite limit.

    This single item precludes me from using the "cloud" for more than just convenience storage. :(
    rhonin
    Reply Vote

    • If some or most people are like myself

      @rhonin

      That may not be a big issue. Take music for instance. I carry around 1000 songs on my iPhone out of a collection of almost 4000. I carry so many because, well, when I want to listen to music I want it now. Photos as well. However, I could probably carry around much much less. The reality is, unless I am going on a trip, I will listen to less than a half-dozen songs off my iPhone on any given day. My phone is filled with GB of data that I probably will never access.
      oncall
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

      @rhonin
      There's always WIFI... you can use ATT's wifi at Starbuck or places like BN..
      Hasam1991
      Reply Vote

  • The MS ecosystem appears to be better

    I believe there should be a client version of Windows that turns a desktop PC into a home server, and Windows Live should synch data across all of a user's or family's devices, against the content of the home server. The home server's content could be encrypted and backed up to a cloud service. This is the best architecture I see, as it would significantly reduce privacy, security, content space, and other issues. This version of Windows could be called Windows Hub; would be a client / server combination that is always kept on; would be a gateway for many third party apps and services; and could feature several server side Windows client virtualization sessions at once.

    Stressing a private home cloud over a public home cloud architecture is very important, because it is the way vendors can make the most money - through software licenses, server apps and services revenue, etc. Windows Hub PCs would form the back bone of families' and individuals' information processing, and mitigate so much of the security, privacy, and other issues of public clouds, pundits try hard to forget.

    As for the Post-PC era, that is rubbish. It should be called the new PC era. The local processing of data will always be king. The new PC era just places new importance on user experience, and the enhancement of the local processing of data with communication and remote processing.

    I think Windows 8 looks fantastic! Besides supporting traditional tablets and slates, it opens up the possibility for desktop PCs to have touch screens which can be used to interact not only with consumption oriented apps, but also productivity apps. Also for those who see the need to interact with some productivity, touch oriented apps with a mouse a keyboard for speed and accuracy, they will be able to do so. All they'll need to do is adjust their screens up vertically, and then interact with their apps in the traditional GUI way. Windows 8 is therefore ingenious for allowing users to have their cake (i.e. use fully touch oriented apps) and eat it too (use them with a mouse and keyboard if they feel so inclined).

    Things therefore seem very bright for the PC ecosystem, and I believe that the PC ecosystem has a brighter future than the Apple ecosystem.
    P. Douglas
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

      @P. Douglas
      I use windows home server as my personal cloud...
      Hasam1991
      Reply Vote

      • Great!

        .
        P. Douglas
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

        I order to do that I think you need a strong internet connection to make the connection between your devices and the server.You also need <a href="http://www.trendmicro.com.au/">internet security</a> because once you are online you are very exposed to many harmful things such as spyware and others of its kind.
        Aramel
        Reply Vote

    • Sounds like you &quot;borrowed&quot; my idea from a post I made yesterday,

      but, it's probably more attributable to the idea that, "great minds think alike". ;)

      Now, when it comes to the "private cloud" idea, I'm with you, but not totally on all the pieces.

      The structure you mentioned sounds okay, but not the backup to the bigger cloud, away from your private cloud. I would opt for the private cloud which has all of your gadgets able to communicate from anywhere and anytime, but, I wouldn't have any of them using or backing up to the clouds being provided by Microsoft or Google or Apple or anybody else. I would have my personal storage in my PCs and tablets and whatever other gadgets, but, my backup system would include a remote connection to a "storage system" where my own private disk storage is available to "serve up" whatever I requested or wanted to back-up. That "private storage system" could be like a data bank, in a remote location, but with the capabilities to communicate with the rest of my private cloud infrastructure. That remote server, or disk drive system, would have limited computing capabilities, and would consist mostly of I/O and communications and security capabilities. So, my personal "storage system" could consist of a remote "smart storage system" where I could have a bunch of drives or just one, but with storage capabilities which couldn't be served up by a Microsoft or Apple or Google. Most importantly, my data would be mine to do as I wished, whenever I wished, and I wouldn't have the burden of trying to move from one cloud vendor to another if I so wished.
      adornoe
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

    Don't believe we are anywhere near post PC, purely from a cost point of view. You can purchase a resonable spec PC for $300.00 the base tablet is around $500.00 with nowhere near the speed and storage capability. Now as for icloud storing our data, First I think we need some itrust, did we not discover that apple was feeding our locations and travel data to the government as recorded by ispy products. what do you think, It worries me. Just another point, recently hackers have stolen details from several networks, could any company stand the cost should a hacker get into a storage product like icloud or similar and corrupt everybodys data
    jimread1949
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

    Awesome! I'm glad i found this one. I have mac for years but never saw this one. lol. <a href="http://www.ukcheapnewcars.com/buy-bmw">cheap new bmw</a>
    jimmy9200
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

    I also desire to signal in your RSS feeds. Thank you as soon as once again and maintain up the great operate!<a href="http://nccma.com">nccma</a> <a href="http://coolerkings.com">cooler</a>
    MACKENZI
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

    I used to be more than happy to seek out this internet-site.I wanted to thanks in your time for this glorious read!! I positively enjoying each little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you weblog post. this thread is amazing i like your work and i appreciate you that you have share a useful stuff thanks for sharing <a href="http://the-ishop.com">the i shop</a> <a href="http://abatwa.com">abatwa</a>
    PEARLINEI
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

    I used to be more than happy to seek out this internet-site.I wanted to thanks in your time for this glorious read!! I positively enjoying each little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you weblog post.Bookmarking now thanks please consider a follow up post.<a href="http://power28.com">power</a> <a href="http://sagesinc.com">sa</a> <a href="http://iloveshoping.net">shop</a>
    RHIANNONA
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

    I think the representation of this article is actually superb one. This is my first visit to your site. Thanks a lot and keep sharing the information. Keep updating the information for all of us. Thanks ZDNet Government was launched as the brand's first industry vertical, with a mission to cater to IT professionals in the public secto I agree with your post. However, do you have any sources I can cite for my paper <a href="http://easy-wheels.com/">wheel</a> <a href="http://pbcars.com/">car</a> <a href="http://com69.net">com</a> <a href="http://cadburry.com">bury</a>
    SATURNINA
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Storage in the iCloud & post-PC era

    Well welcome, hopefully you can become a vital member of the community and really help to push far ahead of google. Which Im sure the development team would love. This will of course earn you alot points too and get you on the leaders board.<a href="http://vintagesnapbackhatsfan.com">z</a><a href="http://bestsolidstatedrive.net">d</a><a href="http://b2days.com/">n</a><a href="http://b2wp.com/">e</a><a href="http://buy-sell-cheap.com/">t</a> <a href="http://sellcheap.net/">t</a><a href="http://newsoftwarepc.com/">h</a><a href="http://bestlaptoppcreviews.com/">a</a><a href="http://buyfurniturefreeshipping.com/">n</a><a href="http://cheapclothingstoresonline.com/">k</a> Im not sure i come to an agreement with you on every level, howevor it absolutely was a good posting, many thanks for taking the time to put up your ideas.
    TOCCAR
    Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close