Storing important documents online

Original post by geek84

Good Morning Folks I wish to store some important documents inline in case I loose the hard copies. Can you kindly recommend a secure way of doing this and preventing anyone else from getting access? Thank You

If you convert your documents into images it will give some protection from at least the simpler text based search systems - but all computer based storage systems, either on a local networked computer or on a cloud are vulnerable to either accidental or malevolent access and/or deletion.

Reply 3

geek84

OP

14

Thank You.

Is dropbox or google drive safe?

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Original post by geek84

Thank You.

Is dropbox or google drive safe?

Nothing is entirely safe, either from loss or malevolent action. Really its a question of just how important your documents are. Physical paper copies stored in the right location may last hundreds of years. Any digital storage requires regular review to ensure that its still accessible and that systems/contracts/passwords etc are still relevant. And remember software changes, and old documents may not always be readable.

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Google Drive is safe, save them as PDF.

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Original post by Dee-Emma

And remember software changes, and old documents may not always be readable.

What old formats can't be read?

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Original post by DiddyDec

What old formats can't be read?

Who knows. You're in the hands of the software companies. Most systems are backwards compatible, and there are various work-arounds for may old file types, but none is guaranteed. If you want to keep your documents for a couple of years and their value is less than £100 then pdf on cloud is fine. If you're looking at multiple decades and/or £10000+ value then you need more professional advice.

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Original post by Dee-Emma

Who knows. You're in the hands of the software companies. Most systems are backwards compatible, and there are various work-arounds for may old file types, but none is guaranteed. If you want to keep your documents for a couple of years and their value is less than £100 then pdf on cloud is fine. If you're looking at multiple decades and/or £10000+ value then you need more professional advice.

So why mention it if you are not aware of any?

If you are really concerned, encrypt them prior to uploading.

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Original post by DiddyDec

So why mention it if you are not aware of any?

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. On what basis would you assume that software companies would always ensure compatability? Having worked with various pieces of older computer equipment back to paper tape loaded machines and magnetic core store, early word processors and room sized mainframe machines I'm used to binning old machines and walking away from old operating systems, programs and data. Never needed long-term access to old redundant data, and glad not to have to deal with it.

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Original post by Dee-Emma

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. On what basis would you assume that software companies would always ensure compatability? Having worked with various pieces of older computer equipment back to paper tape loaded machines and magnetic core store, early word processors and room sized mainframe machines I'm used to binning old machines and walking away from old operating systems, programs and data. Never needed long-term access to old redundant data, and glad not to have to deal with it.

A lot of common file types aren't controlled by companies and have been standardised under ISO so the risk of companies not supporting them is completely irrelevant.

Reply 12