The purpose of this blog post will hopefully be to put into prospective the different types of backups and, how your data can be managed per-device. Rather than not complicate things for privacy (and also simplicity) the main objective of this blog will be for Apple users. This will include MacOS, iPhone and iPad as well as link some knowledge base articles that can help you setup the discussed services or services like the ones discussed.

iCloud Backups

One of the best arguments you will always hear about Apple products is that they are "easy to use" and what ever other buzz words accompany them. For us, and in all reality I am NOT an Apple fanboy and I do believe the company as well as the whole product line are nothing but pompous assholes with products and technology that are 10 or more years ago.

The main down-fall of Apple products is that the ecosystem locks you into it's own walled garden. To complicate things further, backing up your data is becoming more and more difficult. Especially with the likes of iMessage and, the restrictive stance around iPhone. In all honesty, the only thing you can backups is your photos and maybe your documents? So, where does that really leave Apple users for data redundancy?

Only recently did Apple release an iCloud client for Windows, but that too has it's limitations. The strict adherence to "Security" with Apple is something that rings out loud. While the reality is, anyone with your password (to your iCloud Account) can in fact access the data. 2-Factor authentication? The potential for stolen sessions and a replay is real. Worse yet? Attacks like SIM swapping only complicate the matter -- but those types of attacks are kind of rare. That will then leave you solely with using something like a Yubico - Key. But like other security solutions, it too has a weakness.

So with the security out of the way, the main benefit of iCloud and it's intended purpose is to backup areas of your iPhone or iPad that you DO NOT have access to. While this can be a make or break for an individual there is one thing we need to stress. For complete control of your data and privacy. You should be backing up to a local system not a remote cloud solution.

Lets discuss the privacy aspect. For starters, Apple does a lot of things regarding privacy. They do their best in order to protect your data -- however, at the end of the day they still are a company. We've seen Duck Duck Go selling data after claims it's private. Follow that up with VPN services that stated they stay out of the five-eyes yet claims they assist with legal requests surfaced and the list goes on. Will Apple follow suit? We don't know!

Here are some of the pros and cons of using the Apple iCloud Service:

On-Prem Backups

While utilizing iCloud has it's merits for ease of use and "everything just working." What needs to be addressed is that even though iCloud is marketed as a backup, is it really? A backup is normally something that has two or more redundancies. iCloud is a single point of failure. With that said, the new computers that Apple sells all come with soldered in storage. Apple would probably argue in true delusional fashion that if you backup your iPhone / iPad on a mac it's a secondary backup. While this is SOMEWHAT true, it's not fully the truth.

If we are covering theft, damages, outtages, etc. this is not a backup. Not to mention what happens if the iCloud service is down and you need to access something that only exists in the vacuum that is iCloud? This is where on-prem backups are something to consider.

While on-prem backups do require a bit of legwork and also require some pockets lined with cash, it's not out of reach for small businesses or even home users. With a device from Synology you could backup your pictures and other data you deem important to a solution that goes no further than the 4 walls of your home or business. What this means for you is that your backups stay right in the confines of your own location and for your eyes only. For Mac users who are looking to implement backups you can use our Knowledge Base Article - Apple Time Machine Setup & Troubleshooting or, if you have an iPhone / iPad you can use the: Mobile Backups (Android / iPhone & iPad) Knowledge Base article for setup.

With on-prem backups the up-front costs can be in the range of 500 - 1,000 USD. The return on in vestment and data pricacy cannot be measured. With on-prem backups you can set the schedule when you want your backups to begin, how storage should be assessed and, you can set your backup device to be public (internet accessible) or, private (only inside your own home / work network).

While there are pros-and-cons to each aspect, we will list the pros-and-cons for this type of setup so you can decide for yourself if this type of solution is worth it for you.

Hybrid Backups

As the name implies, this type of backup uses two of the backup styles. Both iCloud and, an internal device like Synology, Qnap, FreeNAS or others are utilized. This setup can have benefits of both worlds and some of the headaches of a dedicated solution.

With a hybrid approach not only will your files be backedup to the iCloud backup(s), it will also be backedup to a local copy in your own network. While this does nothing for privacy it gives you peace of mind knowing that you have a backup in two different locations. And, you can decide which services backup which files. Does iCloud only get contacts, apps and iMessage? Or, does it get everything and your NAS backup is responsible for photo backups? Splitting the responsibility between two different backup mediums not only assures that you wont need to pay for iCloud storage, but your important data is where you need it and, lets face it. For some of us it's our photos.

With the pros-and-cons of each approach, there will be a mix of technical skills you will need in order to explore these options. If you are setting up your own on-prem NAS and also wanting to backup to iCloud you will need to provision this with the backup software as well as the device you choose to maintain your backups.

To better understand the hybrid approach and where it can fit into your backup style, let's see what it can offer you:

iCloud vs On-Prem vs Hybrid

Now this brings us to our final destination (no, not the movie). In all reality when we are dealing with an Apple device (more so with iPad, iPhone) you would want to go with a mixed backup approach. This would include a system like Synology, QNAP or, TrueNAS. Why? At the end of the day it comes down to having the option of all of your data rather than some of it.

It's beneficial to have iCloud backup things you can't backup such as your iMessage and everything else Apple whereas, backing up your photos, documents and videos (and in some cases music -- if you have a Mac) can be done with other utilities that put you in control of the data you collect and create over time. It's important to also point out that this data will in fact be the biggest consumer of space on any of your devices. Without a dedicated solution for your media it becomes very easy to chew through space in no time flat (Memes, videos, photos, screen shots, etc.) Splitting your data to where it needs to be can help alleviate some space and cost restrictions but that is something you'd need to decide. Although we can help you decide and setup which products you feel work best for you -- at the end of the day it also depends on how much your data is worth to you to justify a product like TrueNas, QNAP or Synology.

Will This Data Always Be Mine?

When dealing with services like: Amazon, Drive, etc. There will come a time when the service will be shutting down. This can become problematic for many people who utilize the service or, services that will be affected by a shutdown. Either the users of the service wont get their information in time or, they wont know how -- worse yet, they could run into problems obtaining that data and before you know it... It's gone for good.

The few things that users have to understand is that when dealing with an outside entity to backup, maintain, store your information there are two things that are well out of your control. 1) How long you will be able to access that information and, 2) What they do with that information, share it with, who accesses it, etc. One issue to be worrisome in the very near future is what happens when AI starts mulling through our photos and begins classifying innocent photos as something more extreme? 4^th of July photos with fireworks being labeled as terrorist attacks, a day at the range video turning into a mass killing, etc. Errors are bound to happen. Exposures to your data will in fact happen as well. It's up to you to keep your data accessible and safe.

One of the key take-aways from an old class in university that I had paid close attention to was the following: "Data governance is you selecting what data you share, to who you share it and what they do with it" - FBI Special Agent John Iannarelli. From then on everything clicked. Whether it's potentially incriminating evidence, future only fans content, embarrassing photos or things you just wouldn't share; think twice with who and where you share your data. Today's joke can become tomorrow's headache depending on context of the viewer.

While it's always best to keep your own data to your own viewing -- be astute as to which companies you share it with, is it backed up and can it cause you grief? Storing information locally can help you with this and help you avoid a lot of issues from data loss to God only knows.

One other advantage that you can use is the use of Chat-GPT. Take any EULA's for companies you are seeing to do business with and run it through with: What is the policy of data privacy, who is my data being shared with and can I opt out?Additional variations of these questions can also provide you with enough information to make an informed decision on whether you want to do business with said entity or opt-out completely.

Need Assistance With Deploying a backup solution?

For assistance with configuring a Backup or setting up one for your environment, please feel free to use our Contact Form and choose: Service Type: and choose the RAID / NAS - Data Backup & Disaster Recovery option. For help and or assistance with a deployed device please see the Knowledge Base - RAID / NAS Support section for more information.