Andrew, Keep a few things in mind: a) Cloud is as relative a term in the computing realm. About as close in comparison to clouds in the sky. b) Getting passed the hype a bit, it's ultimately still about the fundamentals of network redundancy, network geography, server redundancy, backup, physical security, energy redundancy, energy use, etc. c) All the big vendors you mention have technical fundamentals of varying capacity and reliability and support and cost. d) You can "create a cloud" of your own too. Again here, the fundamentals of redundancy are in play, so you might even mix some of your own server(s) in with outsourced offerings managed by a vendor for particular IT tasks. e) Always give a priority to reviewing, word for word, the Privacy Policy for the vendor you use to ensure it meets your fundamental rights or needs. f) If data security is of tops importance then criteria like SAS70 compliance is a top-level audit of security at datacenter environments. Happy to discuss this more with you. Charles Uchu Strader charles at gaiahost.coop 1-800-672-8060 x803 ----------------------------------------------------- GAIA Host Collective, LLC http://www.gaiahost.coop ----------------------------------------------------- "Internet hosting from an environmentally and socially concerned worker-owned cooperative" ----------------------------------------------------- andrew bellak wrote: > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Dear HT, > > We are analyzing whether or not to make our own cloud, that is a > server we own and control, or pay a third party to give us server space. > > In case we went with a third party owned and operated cloud, who might > you recommend? Google, Amazon S3, EMC? > > For example, our current online data back-up is Jungle Disk which uses > the Amazon S3 'backbone' (right language?). > > So another way we could work is, we use these services and use a local > person or persons for support, service, maintenance. > Is there one firm who's excellent at both our cloud server AND data > storage/back-up? > > We'd likely need our data to be encrypted and we plan to use PGP on > all our hardware and e-mail communication. > > Thanks in advance, > > Andrew Bellak > CEO > Stakeholders Capital > 'common good investing, uncommonly smart' > 888-785-4537 x.2 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net > Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net > > You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion list. > If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members > page on the Hidden Tech Web site. > http://www.hidden-tech.net/members -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.hidden-tech.net/pipermail/hidden-discuss/attachments/20090204/ad6ac156/attachment.html