Paradise Lost: Disappearing Mobile Data

1. Never, EVER expose critical data to the Internet- if it is really important, it goes on a computer that is not connected to the Internet.

2. Back up frequently and locally, insuring the format of the critical stuff is sufficiently generic that it can be recovered from a variety of options.

3. For the really, REALLY critical stuff, nothing beats hard copy as a backup (one can always convert hard copy to digital through any number of technologies, but vice versa is not always possible). For even greater backup security, etch in metal or carve in stone and store in a vault filled with inert gas...

4. The cloud is vaporous. You have no way of knowing if what is there today, will still be there tomorrow. At least locally, you usually have some sort of warning before having to deal with a catastrophic loss...

Isn't it strange that we have not surpassed the Egyptians in producing durable documents that last thousands of years? Or the cave painters for that matter.What modern media do you know of that has that kind of durability?

We are not making progress in this area(storage) of information technology.