Paying for Cloud Storage is Stupid

Summary

The video script discusses the 'snatch and smash' trend, where an elderly man is seen taking and smashing a young person's phone, potentially as a promotional stunt for iCloud and Google One. The host then introduces a cost-effective method to safeguard data using a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, specifically the FriendlyElec CM 3588 NAS kit, which offers significant value compared to cloud storage subscriptions. The video explains the setup process, the benefits of modularity, and the potential for future upgrades. It also covers the selection of SSDs, the use of Open Media Vault (OMV) for NAS management, and the setup for Windows-based computers. The script highlights the advantages of a NAS over external hard drives, emphasizing data sharing, redundancy, and the 321 rule for data backup. The video concludes with a demonstration of the NAS's performance in tasks such as video editing and streaming, and a comparison of its cost-effectiveness with major cloud providers.

Takeaways

• 📱 The 'snatch and smash' trend is a viral phenomenon where people's phones are stolen and destroyed, raising concerns about data security.
• 🚀 The video discusses a potential stunt involving a man with contracts at Google and Apple, possibly to promote iCloud and Google One.
• 💾 The presenter introduces a cost-effective way to safeguard data using a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device as an alternative to expensive cloud storage.
• 🔩 The FriendlyElec CM3588 NAS kit is highlighted for its value, costing roughly the same as 2TB of cloud storage per year.
• 💻 The NAS device features an ARM-based processor from Rockchip, which offers efficiency and can be powered by a 2Amp 12V input.
• 📦 The NAS bundle includes a comprehensive set of ports and slots, such as HDMI, USB, and M.2 PCIe Gen 3 slots, providing modularity and future upgrade options.
• 💿 The NAS supports various SSD configurations and allows for scalability, with options to add more drives or upgrade to higher capacity ones over time.
• 🔒 The importance of data backup and the 321 rule (three copies of data on two types of media with one offsite) is emphasized for protection against data loss.
• 🌐 Open Media Vault (OMV) is recommended as a flexible and open-source operating system for the NAS, with a user-friendly installation process.
• 📺 The NAS device is tested for tasks such as video streaming and editing, showing its capability as a media server and for handling demanding workloads.
• 🔒 An AI-powered photo library application, PhotoPrism, and a sync tool, PhotoSync, are mentioned for protecting against data loss from theft or damage to personal devices.
• 💰 The total cost and value proposition of the NAS setup are discussed, comparing it to the annual fees of cloud storage services and emphasizing its one-time cost and potential to pay off quickly.

Q & A

What is the viral trend mentioned in the script that involves damaging personal property?

The viral trend mentioned is 'snatch and smash,' where an elderly man is shown sneaking up on a person, taking their phone, and smashing it.

What does the man in the video claim about the 'snatch and smash' trend after conducting a reverse AI search?

The man claims that the trend might be a stunt to promote iCloud and Google One, as the same person appears in different hats and has contracts with Google and Apple.

What is the purpose of the Tech Tip Minute segment in the script?

The purpose of the Tech Tip Minute segment is to show an affordable way to safeguard data by using a network-attached storage (NAS) device instead of expensive cloud storage.

What is special about the friendly elec CM 3588 NAS kit mentioned in the script?

The friendly elec CM 3588 NAS kit is special because it offers great value, costing about the same as 2 terabytes of cloud storage per year, and it features an efficient ARM-based processor from Rockchip.

What is the benefit of using a NAS device over external hard drives for data storage?

NAS devices offer the benefits of being shareable across a network, reducing the risk of data loss from a single point of failure, and they are less prone to malware or malfunctions compared to personal machines.

What is the 321 rule for data backup mentioned in the script?

The 321 rule for data backup states that you should have three copies of your data on two types of media, with one of them being offsite.

What is the name of the AI-powered photo library application that can be used with the NAS device?

The AI-powered photo library application mentioned is called PhotoPrism.

How much storage capacity was achieved after setting up the NAS with four 4TB SSDs in RAID 5 configuration?

After setting up the NAS with four 4TB SSDs in RAID 5 configuration, they achieved almost 11.2TB of storage capacity.

What is the name of the operating system that was installed on the NAS device?

The operating system installed on the NAS device is Open Media Vault (OMV).

What is the cost comparison between the NAS setup in the script and Google's 10TB cloud storage plan?

The NAS setup in the script costs $160 (with SSDs), while Google's 10TB cloud storage plan costs $600 a year, making the NAS a more cost-effective solution in less than a year and a half.

What additional services or applications were mentioned to enhance the functionality of the NAS device?

Additional services or applications mentioned include Plex for media streaming, Jellyfin as an alternative to Plex, and PhotoSync for synchronizing photos with the NAS.

What is the name of the sponsor mentioned in the script, and what do they offer?

The sponsor mentioned is Supermicro. They offer high-performance servers designed to support data-intensive workloads like AI and machine learning, with options for 1U and 2U storage servers.

Outlines

00:00

📱 'Snatch and Smash' Trend and Affordable Data Safeguarding

The first paragraph discusses the 'snatch and smash' viral trend, where an elderly man is seen taking and smashing a young person's phone, supposedly as a promotional stunt for iCloud and Google. It highlights a TikTok clip with over 6 million views and skepticism about the news. The speaker then introduces a tech tip on an affordable way to safeguard data using a network-attached storage (NAS) device. The NAS device, a friendly elec CM 3588 kit, is presented as a cost-effective alternative to cloud storage, with its ARM-based Rockchip processor outperforming more expensive options. The NAS kit's features, such as 2.5G Ethernet, HDMI ports, USB connections, and M.2 PCIe Gen 3 slots, are detailed, along with its modularity and potential for future upgrades. The importance of data backup and the 321 rule (three copies of data on two types of media with one offsite) is emphasized.

05:01

🖥 Building a Custom NAS for Data Storage and Streaming

The second paragraph delves into the process of setting up a custom NAS for various uses, including data backup, video streaming with Plex or Jellyfin, and running a server. It contrasts the NAS with external hard drives, highlighting the NAS's advantages such as shared access on a network and reduced risk of data loss from malware or hardware failure. The installation process of OpenMediaVault (OMV), a storage operating system, is outlined, including the selection of RAID 5 for a balance of protection and capacity. The NAS's performance in file transfers and CPU usage is discussed, along with its silent operation due to the lack of a fan. The paragraph also addresses the 'snatch and smash' threat by recommending the use of an AI-powered photo library and a sync application for photo backup. The NAS's capability for Plex media streaming and video editing tasks is explored, noting some limitations when handling 4K content.

10:03

💾 High-Value NAS Recommendation and Supermicro's Storage Servers

The final paragraph provides a strong recommendation for the small, scalable NAS that can expand up to 32 terabytes of storage, emphasizing its value against the cost of major cloud providers' storage plans. It calculates the payback period for the NAS investment and compares it to Google's cloud storage pricing. The paragraph also promotes Supermicro's storage servers, which are designed for data-intensive workloads like AI and machine learning. Features of Supermicro's servers, such as rear IO and front configurations, support for PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSDs, and redundant power supplies, are highlighted. The paragraph concludes with an invitation to learn more about Supermicro's products and a reference to another educational video about building a large-capacity NVMe server.

Keywords

💡snatch and smash

A viral trend where an elderly man is seen taking away and smashing a young person's phone. This is a central theme of the video, illustrating the potential risks of carrying valuable electronic devices in public, and it serves as a segue into discussing data protection.

💡Zoomer

A term used to describe a younger generation, typically those who are active on social media platforms like TikTok. In the video, a 'Zoomer' is the person whose phone gets snatched and smashed, highlighting the generational aspect of the viral trend.

💡AI search

A method of searching using artificial intelligence to analyze and identify individuals or content. In the script, it is mentioned that an AI search was performed on the man from the viral clip, tying into the broader theme of technology and its uses in the modern world.

💡iCloud and Google One

Cloud storage services provided by Apple and Google, respectively. The video suggests that the 'snatch and smash' trend might be a stunt to promote these services, indicating a discussion about the role of cloud storage in data protection.

💡Network Attached Storage (NAS)

A type of storage device that allows multiple users and devices to access data over a network. The video presents NAS as an affordable and efficient way to back up data, contrasting it with the costs associated with cloud storage services.

💡Rockchip processor

A brand of processors known for their efficiency and use in various tech devices. The video mentions an ARM-based processor from Rockchip, emphasizing the performance and value of the NAS device being discussed.

💡Modularity

The concept of designing a system so that its components can be easily interchanged or upgraded. The video highlights the modularity of the NAS device, allowing for future upgrades and adaptations to meet changing needs.

💡PCIe Gen 3

A third-generation interface of the PCI Express standard, which provides high-speed data transfer between devices. The video discusses the use of PCIe Gen 3x1 connections for the NAS device, which offers flexibility in terms of storage options.

💡RAID configuration

A method of storing the same data on multiple hard drives in a way that can provide a balance between data protection and storage capacity. The video mentions RAID five as a choice for the NAS device, which is used to maximize both protection and space.

💡Open Media Vault (OMV)

An open-source network attached storage operating system. The video describes using OMV for setting up the NAS device, which allows for customization and control over the data storage and sharing process.

💡321 rule

A data backup strategy that recommends having three copies of your data on two different types of media, with one of them being offsite. The video emphasizes the importance of this rule for safeguarding data against potential threats like theft or hardware failure.

Highlights

The viral trend of 'snatch and smash' is discussed, where an elderly man is shown smashing a phone in a video with over 6 million views on TikTok.

The video's authenticity is questioned, with a character claiming it's fake news, while another reveals the man is linked to Google and Apple, suggesting it's a stunt to promote cloud services.

A tech tip minute segment introduces an affordable way to safeguard data by using a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device instead of expensive cloud storage.

The friendly eLEC CM 3588 NAS kit is highlighted for its value, costing roughly the same as two terabytes of cloud storage per year.

The NAS device features an ARM-based processor from Rockchip, which is noted for its efficiency and ability to be powered by a low amp 12V input.

The modularity of the NAS device is emphasized, with potential future expansion options like SATA versions or PCI Express lots.

The compute board comes with 4GB of DDR4X memory and no onboard storage, suggesting the use of an SD slot or upgrading to versions with more RAM and included eMMC storage.

The benefits of using a NAS over external hard drives are discussed, including shared access, reduced risk of data loss, and adherence to the 3-2-1 backup rule.

Open Media Vault (OMV) is suggested as an operating system for the NAS, with a simple installation process from an SD card to eMMC storage.

The NAS setup with RAID 5 configuration is described, offering a balance of protection and capacity, resulting in 11.2 TB of usable space.

Connecting the NAS to Windows-based computers is explained by enabling SMB protocol and creating a shared drive.

The silent and fanless operation of the NAS device is highlighted, with its low CPU usage during file transfers.

Photo Prism is recommended as an AI-powered photo library for the NAS, with the ability to sync photos across different storage solutions.

The NAS device's capability for handling video streaming via Plex server is tested, with successful results at 1080p and potential limitations at 4K.

The potential for using the NAS in video editing tasks is discussed, considering its performance with 4K footage.

The NAS setup is compared to larger storage plans from cloud providers, noting the cost-effectiveness and scalability of the DIY approach.

Super Micro's storage servers are promoted as high-performance solutions for AI and machine learning workloads, with detailed specifications and benefits.

Transcripts

snatch and smash it's the viral Trend

that's Breaking All the Rules and maybe

your phone this clip with over 6 million

views on Tik Tok shows an elderly man

sneaking up on an unsuspecting Zoomer

snatching her phone and smashing it

right in front of her hey Billy did you

see this on the TV news it's fake news

dad look it's the same guy in a

different hat I reverse AI searched him

and his LinkedIn employer just says he

has contracts at Google and apple it's

just a stunt to promote iCloud and

Google one you have the high drive right

no dad my generation can't afford BMWs

unsettling if true now it's time for

today's Tech tip minute where we're

going to be showing you an affordable

way to safeguard your data watch this I

press this button and instantly my

photos are sinking over the internet but

instead of to an expensive cloud storage

provider I'm backing up to the nas board

right behind me wow look at it Go of

course network attached storage or Nas

devices are nothing new what's special

here is the value the friendly elec CM

3588 Nas kit costs about what you'd

spend for 2 terab of cloud storage per

year and its arm-based processor from

Rockchip crushes the CPU in this $700

bigname NZ as a bonus it's so efficient

it can be powered by just a 2 Amp 12vt

input there is one more thing you'll

need to know before you can stop paying

that monthly subscription and we're

going to tell you all about it after the

break super micro if you're in need of

high performance servers to support your

AI and machine learning workloads super

micro is here to

serve up some great options check out

their pedis scale oneu and 2u storage

servers at the link down

below despite being able to purchase the

CM 3588 Standalone it's really intended

to slot into their bundle $35 Nas kit

that comes equipped with 22 gig ethernet

three HDMI ports one in two out USB 3

USBC a Micro SD slot and the star of the

show four full-sized m.2 pcie gen 3

slots how is this only

$35 I mean I guess if you take away the

expensive bits like the so and the ram a

PCB and some connectors it even has gpio

still doesn't cost very much all we got

to do is install a cute little heat sink

click it into place and we're done but

this ease of use is only part of the

story the other part is modularity for

now friendly El only has this one board

but in the future who knows a SATA

version for hard drives or maybe one

with a PCI Express lot that would be

sick and what's cool is in the future if

your daughter board still meets your

needs but you want more performance you

could potentially upgrade the brain of

your tiny NZ without having to scrap the

whole thing I mean no promises the first

iteration kind of has to succeed for

there to be a followup but as it stands

right now I kind of love it this version

of the compute board comes with 4 gigs

of DDR 4X memory and no onboard storage

so the expectation is you either use the

SD slot on the nas kit or you upgrade to

the 8 or 16 gig ram versions which

include 64 gigs of emmc storage we ended

up with the ladder which brought our

price to

$160 it's not cheap but it's a really

solid value when you consider that

that's a onetime cost kind of like our

LT screwdriver HH One driver many

different bits let's get these drives

installed but while we're doing that

let's talk about the options that we

have each of these slots is a pcie gen

3x1 connection so that does limit our

bandwidth a little bit but it also opens

up some very interesting options for

example with inexpensive adapters we

could turn each of these into as many as

five SATA ports giving us support for 20

conventional hard drives we were more

interested though in a tiny power

efficient solid state Nas now with only

one lane per Port we're not going to be

setting any speed records here but

realistically our 2 and 1/2 gig network

interface is going to limit us long

before those pcie Lanes will which

realistically gave us a lot of

flexibility with when it came to

choosing our ssds we obviously don't

want anything unreliable so we're not

going to go with the cheapest thing but

we don't need to spend a fortune either

so we picked these 4 TB mp34 drives from

Team group for $165 each they're only

gen 3 but they have a 5-year warranty

and they even come with a dam cach

though that shouldn't really have an

impact on the relatively sequential

video editing work that we would do off

of this thing at a trade show or

something and for that matter most Naas

Duties are pretty similar whether you're

using it for PC backup photo and movie

backup or even running a video streaming

server with Plex or jellyfin and besides

because you're configuring your own you

can choose lower capacity drives or you

can populate just two slots run them in

a mirror for redundancy then 6 months

later when you get a nice paycheck you

can add one or two more so some of you

are probably wondering then why do you

need a NZ instead of just using external

hard drives anyway well for starters

these things suck they're a single point

of failure and they're super easy to

lose by comparison a Naz can be shared

with anyone else on your network which

leads to point two having all of your

data on your personal machine is

something that I have advocated against

for years your daily driver is the most

likely to be infected by malware or to

suffer a malfunction putting any data

that's on it at risk with that said a

single copy on a Nas isn't best practice

either and you should always follow the

321 rule three copies of your data on

two types of media with one of them

being off site now we usually turn to

tras for these types of projects but

with this board being Arm based we were

forced to look for another option and

eventually we settled on omv or open

media Vault conveniently friendly Alex

website includes a link to a Google

Drive that has all the install files and

instructions for the different methods

of installation we're going to be going

from an s d card to our emmc storage the

process took about 25 minutes and at the

end gave us an IP that we could use to

access the guey for open media Vault we

chose raid five for a balance of

protection and capacity and after

compiling and syncing we were left with

dang almost 11.2 tab of capacity now we

want to connect it to our windows-based

computers so we enable SMB the protocol

that Windows uses for Network file

sharing and then create a shared Drive

let's see how we did different media

file copying from our desktop to our

tiny Nas wow completely saturating our 2

and 1/2 gig interface that's awesome I

wonder how much CPU usage is happening

yeah you can actually check that we

could check that yep pretty substantial

amount it's not very powerful and

transfer back wow there you go it's

almost like that's a lot of interface

for a 2 and 1/2 gig connection did I

mention it's completely flipping silent

barely even hot to the

touch what am I even listening for

there's no fan on it just whatever it

doesn't matter do you know where there

are fans though float plane oh go

subscribe to float plane this is all

fine and good but it doesn't answer the

question of how do we protect ourselves

against the very real threat of snatch

and smash well under the plug-in section

in omv you can grab photo prism an AI

powered photo library that we can use a

separate application to sync to in our

case we used photo sync so for just over

$5 we're able to sync our photos with

almost any storage solution you can

think of including photo prism and

what's really cool is the sync can work

both ways so if your phone ever dies and

you need to replace it you just resign

into photosync and you can sync back

from your Nas to whatever new phone you

get no monthly subscription just a

one-time payment of this many dollars

for the app compared to more common

setups x86 processors on traz or unraid

for example we did have times when we

needed a little extra tinkering and know

how to get things working but after Jake

spent a couple of hours getting Plex up

and running in a Docker container this

little guy handled streaming just great

to two concurrent clients at least at

1080p it did once we bumped it up to 4K

that was a different story but hey if

you're not super satisfied with the

playback off of this device that's okay

you can run the Plex server on a more

powerful machine in your house say your

gaming desktop and then just use this as

a beef caked out little external hard

drive all you need is a network switch I

am curious to see how it'll handle video

editing though as it turns out the

entire editing department is on lunch

right now so I guess I get to do

this I am scrubbing I am starting to

thing we've got our Apple Vision Pro

video here this is the Facebook version

of though hence the super obnox ious

aspect ratio I can't even tell what the

heck's going on people watch videos like

this this is terrible but you know what

isn't the nas why don't we try 1/ half

resolution it's not the fastest thing

ever but realistically this is

reasonably heavy 4K footage this was

such a great moment in this video and

you can't really appreciate it at all

because stupid aspect ratio yeah

Facebook so it's pretty great and if

open media Vault isn't your thing elex

list of supported os's includes versions

of Debian friendly wrt Ubuntu and even

Android so what are you waiting for it's

a Linus siiz Nas that can scale up to 32

terabytes of storage with a top speec

price of

$160 if you're okay with doing a bit of

work and the value is especially

apparent when you look at the cost of

the larger storage plans from the major

Cloud providers Google for instance

wants $600 a year for their 10 TB cloud

storage plan that means it would take

less than a year and a half to to pay

off this exact NZ in this configuration

with all the ssds and that's with us

going full LTT and making a solid state

NZ so what can I say other than I give a

strong recommendation to this small boy

just like I give a strong recommendation

to this small boy oh and to our sponsor

super micro their pedis scale storage

servers are designed and optimized to

support data intensive workloads like Ai

and machine learning they have

convenient rear IO and front

configurations to make networking easier

they're available in 1u and 2u form

factors and they support up to 32 of the

latest generation pcie Gen 5 nvme ssds

they also tout single socket sp5 AMD

epic 9004 series processors and up to 24

dim slots that's not dim that's that's

smart plus their 2,000 watt redundant

titanium level power supplies will keep

them chugging along reducing maintenance

costs and downtime not to mention there

supercloud composer Cloud management

platform grants you access to a unified

dashboard to integrate tasks into a

single intelligent solution so don't

wait learn more about super micro's

pedis scale servers in the description

box down below if you guys enjoyed this

video go check out the 90 terabyte nvme

server that I ended up building and not

taking home to my house it's kind of the

opposite of this but it's still a fun

educational video