hiveDisk

Cloud computing is a convenience of our times. Storing your data on the cloud to access it from anywhere is certainly nothing new, but new permutations can appear every now and then, making them all the more interesting to try.

Looking to provide a more sustainable form of cloud storage, hiveDisk employs a peer-to-peer mechanism to support its cloud storage architecture. Any file or folder you store will be safely stored and encrypted, and the service also employs a few interesting tricks to make peer-to-peer transfers more reliable.

The program is a bit of a departure from the more mainstream solutions, and it starts with the initial set-up. Namely, when it comes to managing your cloud storage, you've got to contribute with some of your drive space.

To put it simply, the amount of cloud storage you receive is directly proportional to the one you contribute from your personal drive. While those with large drives can get copious amounts of cloud storage, those looking to offload some data on the cloud due to space constraints might feel a little awkward.

Nevertheless, this is a new take on cloud storage. It's all free, meaning that you won't have to pay for higher storage tiers, so it all comes down to how well the peer-to-peer architecture manages transfers.

Peer-to-peer transfers are known to be unreliable, as you rely on other users' computers and internet bandwidth to support your download. As a result, uploading and downloading may feel a little slower than on your usual mainstream solution.

The developer claims there's no danger of your files getting in the wrong hands, as they're separated into encrypted chunks, which are stored on several "nodes" to ensure that everything stays private. There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes, yet casual and power users should be able to use this one without any difficulties.

If you're looking for something new in terms of cloud storage, hiveDisk is quite intriguing. It's all free to use and you get as much storage as you're willing to contribute, and while transfers may be a little slower, this is quite an exciting project overall. The lack of mobile and web apps may feel like a downside to users, however.