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I use iCloud, and would pay for a solution that allows me to automatically archive on a monthly basis to Amazon Glacier. Anyone know of such a solution?

by voisin 5y ago

leipert 5y ago
I researched this a little yesterday. I am using a Synology NAS and their Photos App allows to easily sync new pictures. It also allows syncing to cloud storage like B2 or glacier. I don’t want to download the old photos that are just on iCloud to my device, but there seems to be this python script which I will try to use tonight: https://github.com/icloud-photos-downloader/icloud_photos_downloader https://github.com/icloud-photos-downloader/icloud_photos_do.... I assume that you could combine this script easily in a cron job with RClone which is rsync for the cloud: https://rclone.org/ https://rclone.org/
CharlesW 5y ago
Assuming you've considered using something like Arq on your photos library folder, mind sharing why that's not a great solution?
bryanp2021 5y ago
I wanted to use icloud. But I always got confused as there are different versions of the same media contents (on cloud, on the laptop, exported or non-exported? duplication between devices). And the cost. So I gave up. Unfortunately I still have to do manual export all media from i$$$ devices, move them to linux/android-based system. "move" really means that, because I never pay icloud again.
- Aperocky 5y ago
  icloud is so weird for someone who are used to simple file and folder.
- robertoandred 5y ago
  What different versions were you seeing? Everything just gets uploaded to iCloud automatically.
prirun 5y ago
I'm the author of HashBackup. I'd advise against using Amazon Glacier for pretty much anything, because retrieval requires a lot of mental, financial, and procedural gymnastics (4-hour delays, spacing our retrievals to keep costs down, etc). I implemented it for HashBackup when it was first announced, it was a nightmare, and I deprecated it a year or two later because alternatives like Backblaze B2 are nearly as cheap and have none of the retrieval headaches. When talking percentages, sure, Glacier is $4/TB and B2 is $5/TB, so Glacier is 20% cheaper. But if you have to actually retrieve your data, it will likely cost more than any savings you've accrued. If you take a look at the S3 pricing page and your head isn't swimming afterwards, you probably don't understand the complexity of it. For example, they have data "retrieval" fees that are sometimes per request, sometimes per GB, and sometimes free (they promote that of course). But there's still that pesky 9 cents/GB data transfer fee that's on top of the per-GB retrieval fee, putting you at 10 cents/GB to retrieve data. Glacier also needs special tools: S3 tools can't access data stored in Glacier. If you really want to stick with Amazon, I'd suggest S3 One-Zone Infrequent Access. It's a little more expensive, but you can use standard S3 tools to get your data back. You'll still have that 9 cents/GB retrieval cost, vs 1 cent/GB for B2.
lostlogin 5y ago
An rsync script can pull the files out the library bundle then put them anywhere. Done via a Cron job it’s fairly good. I have no prior experience of such stuff and managed it (off to a Synology and from there to Backblaze). Getting stuff out of iCloud in an automated and regular basis is surprisingly hard.

I use iCloud, and would pay for a solution that allows me to automatically archive on a monthly basis to Amazon Glacier. Anyone know of such a solution?

by voisin 5y ago

I use iCloud, and would pay for a solution that allows me to automatically archive on a monthly basis to Amazon Glacier. Anyone know of such a solution?

leipert 5y ago

I researched this a little yesterday. I am using a Synology NAS and their Photos App allows to easily sync new pictures. It also allows syncing to cloud storage like B2 or glacier. I don’t want to download the old photos that are just on iCloud to my device, but there seems to be this python script which I will try to use tonight: https://github.com/icloud-photos-downloader/icloud_photos_downloader https://github.com/icloud-photos-downloader/icloud_photos_do.... I assume that you could combine this script easily in a cron job with RClone which is rsync for the cloud: https://rclone.org/ https://rclone.org/

CharlesW 5y ago

Assuming you've considered using something like Arq on your photos library folder, mind sharing why that's not a great solution?

bryanp2021 5y ago

I wanted to use icloud. But I always got confused as there are different versions of the same media contents (on cloud, on the laptop, exported or non-exported? duplication between devices). And the cost. So I gave up. Unfortunately I still have to do manual export all media from i$$$ devices, move them to linux/android-based system. "move" really means that, because I never pay icloud again.

Aperocky 5y ago
icloud is so weird for someone who are used to simple file and folder.
robertoandred 5y ago
What different versions were you seeing? Everything just gets uploaded to iCloud automatically.

prirun 5y ago

I'm the author of HashBackup. I'd advise against using Amazon Glacier for pretty much anything, because retrieval requires a lot of mental, financial, and procedural gymnastics (4-hour delays, spacing our retrievals to keep costs down, etc). I implemented it for HashBackup when it was first announced, it was a nightmare, and I deprecated it a year or two later because alternatives like Backblaze B2 are nearly as cheap and have none of the retrieval headaches. When talking percentages, sure, Glacier is $4/TB and B2 is $5/TB, so Glacier is 20% cheaper. But if you have to actually retrieve your data, it will likely cost more than any savings you've accrued. If you take a look at the S3 pricing page and your head isn't swimming afterwards, you probably don't understand the complexity of it. For example, they have data "retrieval" fees that are sometimes per request, sometimes per GB, and sometimes free (they promote that of course). But there's still that pesky 9 cents/GB data transfer fee that's on top of the per-GB retrieval fee, putting you at 10 cents/GB to retrieve data. Glacier also needs special tools: S3 tools can't access data stored in Glacier. If you really want to stick with Amazon, I'd suggest S3 One-Zone Infrequent Access. It's a little more expensive, but you can use standard S3 tools to get your data back. You'll still have that 9 cents/GB retrieval cost, vs 1 cent/GB for B2.

lostlogin 5y ago

An rsync script can pull the files out the library bundle then put them anywhere. Done via a Cron job it’s fairly good. I have no prior experience of such stuff and managed it (off to a Synology and from there to Backblaze). Getting stuff out of iCloud in an automated and regular basis is surprisingly hard.