Data Options

[Lynn LeFey]

I was watching a video on Urban EDC by Urbanprepper on Youtube months and months ago, and really liked the little flash drive he had. It's called a PNY Micro Sleek Attache. Mine holds 4 gb.

This has worked pretty well for me to date, but I got to thinking about devices that might only read SD or micro SD cards. I had a converter for SD cards to USB slot (because my PC has no SD slot which is what my camera uses for data).

So... THEN I saw a micro-to-SD card.

Now, this leaves me with 2 options as I see it, for versatile data storage:
1) Carry the micro card in the SD card converter, and carry that inside the SD to USB converter. Covers 3 options in one neat package.
2) Carry the Micro SD and micro-to-SD converter in the little plastic case they came in, and carry the PNY flashdrive as well.

Option 1 is an all-in-one solution. Option 2 would give me twice the storage between the two, allowing for potential fail of one, but means two separate things to find or lose.

While 8gb of total data storage sounds great, I've never needed anything like that. I have a Kingston Data Traveller 4gb flash drive I've had for years, with a ton of random stuff on it, and it's only about 3/4 full. I don't plan on sticking an extensive music or video library on these things. If I carry the cards and the flash drive, it's 10 grams. If I carry the cards and card reader, it's 14 grams, so weight difference is really negligible.

They both have duplicate copies of my 'Survival Library', PDF and text versions of a lot of useful books and a good number of classical public domain books for leisure reading.

Here's a pic of the bits of gear in question, with a U.S. Quarter and a Vic Classic for size comparison.

Any thoughts on the better solution?

[legtu]

i prefer option 1.

additionally, with option 1:
- SD card readers are quite common/standard with most laptops
- you can just bring additional SD or micro SD card(s) if you need more storage space. you can even fit a couple of micro SD's inside the card reader SD cap 
- you can enable the write protect tab on the micro SD converter to protect your files from getting over-written/ infected

another solution would be to use a micro SD card reader. some of these readers can be just as small (or smaller) than the PNY flash drive.

[Lynn LeFey]

Thanks for the input and ideas.

After posting this yesterday, I decided on option 1 as well. Strangely, one of my reasons was because I can actually find the thing in my purse. I think we might have reached a point where tech is getting too small.

I haven't settled on this as permanent, but I'll see how it works and adjust accordingly.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have a number of flash drives and cards, and while I think your idea of carrying a MicroSD and related adaptors does give you an exceptional amount of versatility, I would also like to point out another idea that is not as likely to get lost, stolen or broken.

I use a service called Dropbox, which allows me to share files across all my computers and phone, as well as sharing certain folders with other people, and, occasionally with the public.  It's kind of like a flash drive that you don't carry with you, but is already wherever you may want it.  What happens is a certain space on your hard drive is reserved for Dropbox (free version is 2 gigs I think), and you also get the same space on a server somewhere.  Anything you put in the DropBox folder on your computer uploads to the server and to any other computers you may have attached to the same account.  If you are working on a file at work and want to take it home, you put it in DropBox and it automatically copies the file on the server, your home computer, your laptop, your tablet, your phone.... wherever you have DropBox installed.

Or, if you are using someone else's computer or a shared machine, you can sign into DropBox from thier computer without installing anything. 

I also have a few folders in there that are shared- my wife and I have a shared folder, which means that any files I put in that specific folder get copied on her computer and phone as well.  I also have a shared folder with Bob from Pock-Its, another with Whoey and Mcniac, the guys who help keep this site working, and another with my boss for transferring the insane amount of photos I take on each job I work.

You can see the official explanation and get DropBox here:

http://db.tt/w5hWAca

Def

[airballrad]

^^^ What he said. Cloud storage for the files I need is going to do the trick 99% of the time and it's always up to date because it all syncs.

For the 1% of the time when I am without a connection or the zombies have risen, I still keep the most important files/docs in the microSD card on my cell phone. I keep cables to charge the phone at home, work, in my cars, and in my kits. These can also be used to pull the files off the card when I get to a computer.

[turnsouth]

For the 1% of the time when I am without a connection or the zombies have risen...

Pointless exercise, the first thing the zombies will do it set off a world wide EMP, disabling all electronic devices forever.


Seriously though to the OP Lynn, I never count on any computer having a card reader, or having an internet connection. Whatever device I use, it must be USB

[Grant Lamontagne]

Where are zombies going to get an EMP?

Dropbox not only saves your stuff on the server, but locally as well, on each device you have it installed on. Even if your connection dies, you have multiple copes stored and available.

Def

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

[turnsouth]

Where are zombies going to get an EMP?

From the scientist that overcame the laws of nature and physics and was able to reanimate dead tissue, while at the same time forming the instinct in the zombies to consume those that have yet to die, even though this consumption does nothing to regenerate their cellular structure.

I mean, if I went to all that trouble, I would have built an EMP too.

Just saying...
 

[ironraven]

I use googledocs to hold that kind of thing, but while I know google's down time is pretty near nil, I work with data all day every day and I've seen servers get stupid too many times.

[turnsouth]

I work with data all day every day and I've seen servers get stupid too many times.

Usually when you really need them

[ducttapetech]

I just use a piece of paper and a pen.........

[Lynn LeFey]

I work with data all day every day and I've seen servers get stupid too many times.

Usually when you really need them

Thanks for all the feedback. I have Dropbox as well. Much easier for most things, but as Ironraven pointed out (and is my experience from 10+ years in IT), servers can fail. So can the little inexpensive data devices I carry, but it's just another redundancy I figure can't hurt. Also, depending on available connection speed, file transfer may be faster with USB/SD than download.

I just like options.

[Steinar]

I work in a company which has the hots for "the cloud" (whatever that is), but I don't know how many times I have tried to explain people the difference between multiple single points of failure vs no single point of failure. Depending on an external server is both trusting a company with your data and trusting that company and each and every network provider between yourself and that company to deliver properly when you need them. (Some people wonder why I work in tech, I usually answer I know one guy who worked with installing elevators one summer... He takes the stairs now.) Also, remember that server isn't necessarily in your own jurisdiction.

If I need to move data between to endpoints where there is no live route between them (or one of them simply is turned off), either I put the data on a server I control myself or I carry the data between them. Uphill. With the wind blowing in my face. In the snow. 

[RFOneWatt]

Dropbox is AWESOME. I don't know how I lived without it.  A new feature that I really like is whenever I take pics with my phone they are automagically uploaded to my Dropbox. That way I never have to transfer my pics/videos from my phone to my PC.

However, a new player in the game is GOOGLE, with GOOGLE DRIVE!

https://drive.google.com/start#home

Just another TOOL to add to the COLLECTION.  (two words that are bad when the wife hears me say them..) 



For the record, at the moment I prefer Dropbox. http://db.tt/S7u2aYY

[legtu]

another option would be something like this:


plus a regular sd card reader. with this setup, you've got an sd (for pc's with sd readers), your own sd card reader and a microsd card reader which you can plug directly on a usb port.

online storage is a good option for some but here (where data connection is either slow or close to non-existent) my only option is local storage. i also have portable apps in my drive which isn't quite feasible with online storage even if a good/fast connection is always available.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I didn't know about Google Drive.  I'll have to check that out.

Def

[RFOneWatt]

I'm not positive if it is public yet but if you need an invite just shoot me a PM!

-RF

[Grant Lamontagne]

I don't know if it's public, but I am in.  I seem to have no trouble getting in on all of Google's new stuff.

Def

[RFOneWatt]

Sounds like they are open for business now!

I needed an invite a couple months ago.

Good deal.

-Tony