There are many ways to store your data securely and effectively. From manual copies on multiple data carriers to online storage such as Google Drive, Dropbox or Amazon Drive. But can you really be sure that your data won't be lost? Hard drives can fall, USB sticks can break and data centers can be destroyed (although the latter is rather unlikely). I've been researching this topic for a long time and got stuck with an Italian startup. In this article, I would like to share my experience with Cubbit.io and why this storage solution is not (yet) for me.
One swarm, one goal
I was surfing the Internet and came across a company advertising a decentralized storage solution. My first impression was extremely good. The concept and the Marketing were right for me. The symbol of a honeycomb, the interaction of many people and the communication on Cubbit.io convinced me. I just like bees! And honey!
The system is very simple: a storage cell is set up next to the router, where the data is later stored. It can be accessed via PC, tablet or smartphone. A matrix ensures that your own data is uploaded to all other accessible honeycombs in file segments, encrypted and distributed. No one except the owners can access the data. This makes the system (crisis) proof and even if your own honeycomb is not connected, your own data can be accessed via your personal devices. Useful if you are on vacation and need important documents.
First impression of the Cubbit.io cell
Shipping my 4TB cell was very straightforward. After five days, I set up my storage cell and connected it to the router - the Structure is really simple. The instructions are printed directly on the box, which also saves resources.
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But what's actually inside?
You shouldn't do it, but I'm a rebel and grabbed the nearest tool belt and conjured up the right screwdriver. In fact, the inner workings are just as straightforward as everything else at Cubbit.io: a circuit board with power and network connections, an SSD and the Housing around it.
My big obstacle with Cubbit.io
As I work with a lot of important and large data, I need a storage solution that also offers good upload and download speeds. However, the hype surrounding the new storage solution was extremely slowed down by a measure that made working almost impossible. According to support, the network was in a test phase in December 2021, during which speeds were severely throttled. However, this test phase was completed in January 2022, shortly after I returned my cell.
Costs, and how to understand them
The cells are available in different (storage) sizes and prices. The smallest solution starts at 289 euros. There are promotional days at irregular intervals when Cubbit Cells are offered at a lower price.
Nowadays, a project like the one Cubbit is building is quite difficult to manage. You have to be convincing, and that's not easy. The competition in particular is huge - and sometimes very cheap. A Google Drive 2TB subscription is already available for 99 euros a year. That's the equivalent of 9.33 dollars per month. Not bad!
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Realizing a vision always requires a financial buffer and regular income. After all, there are people working there who also have to pay their bills. It is therefore not surprising that many reactions online are negative when it comes to pricing. At second glance, however, an invoice makes a lot of sense. For example, my 4TB cell cost 499 dollars. That's 41.58 dollars for one year and 8.32 dollars for 5 years. This makes Cubbit.io's storage cell around one dollar cheaper than Google's (current) storage solution.
And several advantages speak in favor of the HoneycombStorage expansion through additional SSDs, saving money in the long term and disaster-proof storage of important data.
An update from Cubbit.io from February 2022
This article is based on my experiences from December 2021. As the Cubbit.io team has many construction sites, they are also working hard and there are new updates several times a month. There is now also a monthly subscription that works without a local storage solution - just like the classic drives, but 100%ig decentralized. Both services should be considered separately, but work together at their core. A prankster who didn't see this coming... 😉
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My conclusion
The memory cell promises a lot, but Cubbit.io has not yet been able to fulfill its promises to me. I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to functionality. But I recognize that the company is a startup and has a firm vision... and I want to live it. So this review is not negative, but a checkpoint to the final product with final functionality. So thumbs up if you want to back up a small amount of data. In agency mode, however, the system is still quite slow, even if the speeds have recently been adjusted for the better. I look forward to being able to enjoy the dream of decentralized data storage to the full in the foreseeable future... and for now, a Spoonful of honey!