Lazy Disclosure - Mixing Cloud and Local Storage

The use of multiple computer systems by a single user makes datatransfer a necessity. Cloud storage solutions provide synchronisation features andfile accessibility across systems but the exact location and type of storage variesbetween services. Many systems rely on a client-server architecture where the datais held at the data centers of the service provider. This leads to several difficultiesfor the end user, for example with regard to privacy or data security. This iscountered by the convenience of highly available servers. If the user wants tominimise exposure to the challenges of Cloud-based services, then he is required toeither host a server infrastructure himself or to rely on inconvenient on-demandsynchronisation by means of file transport protocols or even physical storagedevices. The approach presented here tries to harvest the positive aspects of usingCloud-based services while keeping the user in control of his data. To this end, wefocus on a hybrid system of a client-server and a peer-to-peer architecture whichexpands the Cloud to the user’s system giving him full control over which data heselects to be stored on a server in the Cloud and which data he prefers to keepprivate on personal computing devices while ensuring unified access to both typesof storage over the network.