Cloud Storage

[VectraMan]

I often use Dropbox to send someone a software install EXE, some 200MB which is a compressed container. I find that when I make a small change to the software and rebuild, I get a new 200MB install but uploading it to dropbox is fast. I.e. it works out the small amount that's changed between the two and uploads the differences, not the whole file. It works when the file size changes too. We used to do this process by uploading to an FTP server, which would take an hour each time. So Dropbox has proved quite a time saver.

So I imagine Truecrypt would work the same.

[d000hg]

Yeah, DB stores version history and so it would rape your storage limit otherwise. However, how it is able to calculate the differences client-side rather than uploading and then comparing, I don't know... does it stealthily have a hook to take a copy when you modify a file?

[VectraMan]

Yeah, DB stores version history and so it would rape your storage limit otherwise. However, how it is able to calculate the differences client-side rather than uploading and then comparing, I don't know... does it stealthily have a hook to take a copy when you modify a file?

In my case, I'm building the file elsewhere then using Windows explorer to replace the whole file in the dropbox virtual folder. So I don't think it can be doing any kind of clever hook to watch how you change a file; it must be comparing the local file with the one on the server with clever checksumming to work out which bits have changed.

It took something like an hour and a half to upload the first time (400Kb upload speed ;-( ), but ever since it's only taken 5 minutes. Quite impressive.

[Sysman]

Yeah, DB stores version history and so it would rape your storage limit otherwise. However, how it is able to calculate the differences client-side rather than uploading and then comparing, I don't know... does it stealthily have a hook to take a copy when you modify a file?

Stack Overflow has some good looking links. From the Wiki link:

The version history is paired with the use of delta encoding technology. To conserve bandwidth and time, if a file in a user's Dropbox folder is changed, Dropbox only uploads the pieces of the file that are changed when syncing

Dropbox REST API

[Mr.Whippy]

How well does Truecrypt work with Dropbox? I thought that if you change a file within the Truecrypt container Dropbox would try to sync the container file again, which would be a pain if you've modified a single small file but your Truecrypt container is a couple of GB.

Truecrypt with dropbox isn't really workable due to that. I use AxCrypt Axantum Software AB | AxCrypt | File Encryption Software which encrypts/decrypts individual files on the fly. Unfortunately it's available on windows only but it works well.

[d000hg]

In my case, I'm building the file elsewhere then using Windows explorer to replace the whole file in the dropbox virtual folder. So I don't think it can be doing any kind of clever hook to watch how you change a file; it must be comparing the local file with the one on the server with clever checksumming to work out which bits have changed.

I was wondering about a pre-copy hook... that as Windows is about to overwrite the file a hook quickly moves/copies the original to a temp dir for comparison.

But you're probably right and it just does checksums on chunks of the file.

[Bunk]

I would assume its an all or nothing job, but do you really have GB's of really sensitive stuff?

Nope, don't really use Truecrypt at all at the moment

Probably should for my company accounts and contract docs which is the main thing I use Dropbox for, and they wouldn't take up too much space.

[DS23]

just want to say i love dropbox. synched all over the place. it is so useful - it works so well! i've been thinking of paying up for a big slice but have been thinking of searching alternatives before i pay up. some useful links here. thanks.

[AtW]

If you plan to use "cloud storage" then make sure you've got good backup strategy.

[Diver]

If you plan to use "cloud storage" then make sure you've got good backup strategy.

Unless it's on external hard media, it's not safe.

I even keep backup copies on external harddrives in my fireproof safe.

Paranoid or what