Cloud backups versus lightning strikes

Thu Aug 20 00:44:03 UTC 2015

As the saying goes, cloud computing is just someone else's computer. 
Always backup your cloud backups... in your backup.

Google's spokesperson used the percentage statistic to avoid how
much data was lost.  Other cloud providers have also lost customer
data due to various problems.  While a well-run cloud service provider
is more reliable than keeping data under your mattress (just like a 
well-run bank is better than keeping cash under your mattress), its
not magic.

Nature is still more powerful than even Google.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-33989384

Google says data has been wiped from discs at one of its data centres in 
Belgium - after it was struck by lightning four times.

Some people have permanently lost access to their files as a result.