Windows 7: Microsoft’s Cloud Goes Dark Across the Globe

It does not look like the few hacked PC's caused this outage problem.

Jim

The always available "Cloud" went down?

Tell me it isn't so.

I had trouble installing MSE a few days ago. It wasn't downloading in .exe format. It downloaded in some other type of file and wouldn't open. This happened when I tried downloading it from the Security Essentials page.

Note that Skydrive leaves a copy of your sync'd files on your PC in case it goes down, which I've never seen yet.

Here's a simple free solution that works well for me to Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with Skydrive - Windows 7 Forums

Good point greg, the cloud is really proving to be quite useful and not exactly the evil demon in the cloud that everyone once feared.

I agree that the cloud is very useful but, the same as with any other media, it isn't a matter of if it will fail, it's a matter of when. Redundancy is essential for ensuring your data is protected. I use the cloud myself, specifically, Amazon's Cloud Drive when on a trip for temporary offsite photo backups until I get back home and Carbonite for automatic, offsite backups on my desktop at home (I don't keep anything critical on my notebooks since it's just for travel and for when the desktop is down). Using the cloud only is asking for a data disaster. I also have three HDDs for every HDD I have in service to use for backups: two local and one that is kept in a safe deposit box at my credit union.

I have 2 external HDDs/internal HDD (no safe deposit box though).

The problem with the "Cloud" is that companies (and some individuals) are pushing for it to be the only way to store your personal data.

If they can "trick" enough people into using this system (like tablet GUIs on desktop PCs):

• The price of HDDs (for home user upgrades) will increase
• The availability of HDDs will drop

This will occur as a result of:

• A deliberate attempt to force "holdouts" into the "Cloud"
• "Cloud" companies buying up storage devices for their data centres.

I dunno about that, any A/V solution worth it's salt these days absolutely requires online access for updating. However, that's just for definition updating; MSE will certainly run just fine offline with the definitions it already has. I don't know what A/V you switched to but I bet it uses the exact same model (i.e. requires online access to acquire updated definitions).

I draw the line against "cloud computing" when it means things that won't run unless you're online - that kind of software can stay off my lawn. When I buy something, I expect to use it when I want to, not at the whims of a connection or a contract.

You missed the point. I was referring to MSE not being reliable, both for definition downloads, and for not having a valid download for the software.

If one doesn't have online access, then one doesn't need virus definitions. Computers don't get infected by someone sneezing on them.

I'm using AVAST! again, and, both now and before I had started using MSE, it is working just fine.

I totally agree. Frankly, the kind of software that will run only in the cloud would be more useful on a lawn for keeping it green.

I have posted many times on this Forum that people will depend to much on cloud computing and that cloud computing is growing faster than cloud computing security.

Darn folks Facebook is cloud computing and I don't think anybody considers Facebook security worth much. We do expect Microsoft's security to be top shelf. As we all know anything can be hacked sooner or later. Putting things in a cloud that a business depends on or personal information just seems like foolish to me. Once anything is in a cloud the owner of that information looses all control of security.

Right it on the wall. Every big cloud that gets hacked including Microsoft will all say the same thing.
--
We have found and fixed the problem and we can report that none of our customers information was stolen or tampered with.
--
Riiiiight. The hacker just did the hack to check out the menu in the Microsoft employes lunch room.
--
Just another little ditty. A computer system in my opinion doesn't need security protection if it doesn't go online if only one trusted person, (yourself) has access to that computer. A computer system network/domain is more vulnerable to persons accessing it than online access. A little C/D, DVD or thumb drive and bingo the little movie someone brought from home to show others at work of the grand child's birthday party. They got sent to them from their son that was unknowingly infected. You could of just infected a domain/network. I would never think their might be a unhappy employe that might do such a thing on purpose.