Cloud backup proves vital after dual SSD failure in home-built PC
A recent account from The Verge highlights the financial and operational trade-offs between cloud subscriptions and physical storage, as a user recovers from two failed Samsung drives.
A technology journalist has detailed the successful recovery of critical data following the failure of two 2TB Samsung 970 Evo solid-state drives in a home-built personal computer. The account, published by The Verge, underscores the role of cloud-based redundancy in mitigating hardware risks, particularly for professionals managing large creative files and collaborative workflows.
The author, who has utilised Dropbox for approximately eight years, reported waking up to find that neither of the Samsung drives could be detected upon booting. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the cause of the failures, the cloud backup facilitated a swift recovery. The user replaced the failed units with a 2TB Samsung 990 Evo Plus, noting that the new hardware costs $389, a significant increase from previous prices.
Financial comparisons drawn in the report highlight the cost of digital insurance. The journalist pays $204 AUD annually for a Dropbox family plan, which supports up to six members, or approximately $120 AUD per year for a 2TB personal plan. In contrast, competitors such as Backblaze offer unlimited personal backup for $99 a year, while Apple iCloud Plus remains an option for subscribers to the Apple One bundle.
Performance metrics cited in the article suggest that Dropbox’s real-time syncing is efficient for users with robust internet connections. The author, averaging a 20Mbps upload speed, reported that syncing 1TB of data took approximately two hours on a gigabit download connection. The service was praised for its consistent cross-platform performance and quiet operation, with the user recalling no instances of service failure over eight years of use.
However, the report includes caveats regarding suitability for all users. Those with slow upload speeds, particularly on asymmetrical data plans, or those handling highly sensitive data, may find alternative solutions more appropriate. The author concluded that while physical storage prices are rising, the peace of mind provided by cloud backup remains valuable, noting that resyncing files was faster than troubleshooting the hardware failure itself.
