Home servers offer inexpensive cloud storage to consumers

Space Monkey is another alternative to energy-consuming data centers that replaces standalone hard-drives with inexpensive home cloud storage devices.

 6th June 2013 in Homes & Housing, Telecom & Mobile.

We recently wrote about AOTERRA‘s decentralized server network that doubles as eco-friendly heating for homes. Now Space Monkey is another alternative to energy-consuming data centers that replaces standalone hard-drives with inexpensive home cloud storage devices.

To have access to digital data at home, consumers currently need to buy an external hard-drive – which they have to connect to their computer every time they require a file stored on it – or use a cloud service – whose prices are aimed at businesses and can often be as high as USD 800 a month for 1 terabyte of storage. One reason for these high prices is the cost of running a data center, where servers are packed next to each other and require intensive cooling to avoid overheating. Space Monkey’s alternative is a device around the same size a large external hard-drive, which sits in the home. Rather than placing their important files onto the device, it works as part of a network of cloud servers located in other residents’ homes. Users’ data is stored across the network and – instead of high monthly costs – the Space Monkey is available to buy USD 120, while cloud storage is a more affordable USD 10 a month. The video below explains more about the product:

Space Monkey raised triple its funding target on its recent Kickstarter campaign and previously won Best Overall Startup at the LAUNCH Festival in 2012. Are there other ways to innovatively decentralize cloud services in this way?