Opinions on the "Cubbit" Cloud Storage Network?

Hello everyone, I hope you have all been able to stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic so far.

I recently came across this (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cubbit-0-a-month-secure-cloud-storage-hub/x/23499506#/) new idea for a distributed cloud storage network that works by storing data on “cells” owned and powered by each user of the cloud. The company behind it promises complete privacy of the data that’s stored on the network and supposedly it is a lot more energy efficient that conventional cloud storage.

As I’m no expert on the topic, I’d like to hear your opinions on this effort. On the face of it, it seems like a good idea to me, but the devil is so often in the details. Please note that I am in no way affiliated to the company behind this device.

Best,

Philipp

Read this article (the TL;DR: a closer inspection of Cubbit’s business model will make you say no, thank you!):

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Seems interesting at first sight. However, the fact that each data (like files) are split into chunks across the “cells” makes the retrieving very energy-consuming (need to query a lot of cells dispatched in severals regions to gather your 8ko pdf :slight_smile: ).

Thanks for sharing this.

I haven’t dove into it yet, but on the surface the mission sounds remarkably similar to the plot of HBO’s Silicon Valley. In the show the company Pied Piper tries to create a distributed internet and store data on people’s devices. For example their first client is an insurance company and they store all the insurance company’s data on people’s smart fridges without their knowledge. The plan doesn’t work and hilarity ensues, maybe Cubbit ironed out the kinks that the writers of the show couldn’t.

Also, the video on the indigogo page references the environmental cost of server farms. That’s really a big problem, but it should also be noted that all the major tech companies are investing in renewable energy at an exponential pace. It seems like every month a new record setting solar project is announced. I’m also curious about the math. Wouldn’t Cubbit just distribute the energy consumption and not really decrease it? Maybe even lead to more energy consumption? (Not my domain, so just wondering)

Thanks for sharing this article.

It does kind of seem like a very pleasantly packaged cryptojacking scheme. It also reminds me of how scooter companies depend on gig workers to charge the batteries at their own homes.

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