Even among consumers, computer systems are becoming more complex each year. The proliferation of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets along with supplemental computers like netbooks have changed the consumer computing paradigm. For years, households had a single desktop PC at their disposal, but today’s consumer environments contain a wider array of devices to account for. The emergence of complex computing systems has created new data storage challenges for numerous consumers. Copying data from one computer to have access to it on a different device can be an arduous and time-consuming process. To streamline these tasks, some companies have even recently deployed consumer-level personal cloud systems.

Engadget reported that Samsung recently announced a software suite that would essentially provide consumers with a personal cloud storage solution. After installing the proprietary program, users can share their files across a range of Samsung devices. Supporting five accounts and up to six devices, the software service allows entire families of Samsung devotees to access large amounts of data within their own personal environments.

When using a cloud-based storage option, consumers should have data archiving solutions in place in case their primary servers malfunction or go offline. Consumers should also consider the possibility that a large shared network enables another user to delete important documents or irreplaceable media files. The Unofficial Apple Weblog noted that in some cloud networks, deleting data from an account can remove those files from every synced device in the connected environment. This can be especially troublesome for families operating a personal cloud system, where parents and children have vastly different priorities regarding data files.

The importance of redundancy when backing up data
Veteran technology writer Todd Weiss argued in a recent CITEworld post that redundancy was a key component of an effective data storage plan. With so many backup options available to consumers, it would be foolish to not take advantage of multiple data archiving solutions.

“Redundancy is so important to me that I even have a separate desktop PC sitting right next to my main work PC so that if the first machine breaks, I can swiftly move to the standby PC,” Weiss wrote. “In addition, I email copies of important work files to special email accounts where I can access them whenever I need them, wherever I am. On top of all of that, I also have a Lenovo laptop that I can call into use.”

Disc-based data archiving solutions offer a reliable backup option for consumers worried about retaining access to their important files. Unlike external hard drives or cloud storage systems, these tools are not dependent on the continuing operability of a single device. Users can copy their documents, movies, music and photos onto as many discs as they wish, ensuring that these files will always be available.