Google to Offer Online Storage Service

Google is in the midst of setting up an online storage and backup service that will enable users to store word-processing documents, digital music, video clips and photos onto its (Google's) servers. The endeavor of the Mountain View, Calif. Based Company is to move more user data onto the internet cloud.

The storage service would let users triumph over the hurdle of being able to access the data from one particular machine. Once launched, the users would be able to access data from multiple computers through a password protected Google search box.

A Google spokesperson said, “Cloud computing is going mainstream. The apps people use every day, such as e-mail, photo sharing and word processing, are moving to the Web because it's easier to share and access your data from anywhere when it's online in one place."

While Google’s move endows the web computing an enhanced feature, at the same time it encroaches on Microsoft's territory. The latter announced its free 500MB online storage service dubbed Windows Live Skydrive in August this year.
Google would also be piped against rival Amazon.com which guaranteed 99.9% uptime for its year-old S3 online storage offering and Facebook, which unveiled its open Data Store API program.

Referring to the fact that Google lacks the know-how on backup, recovery and archiving, Gilbane Group analyst Geoff Bock said, “I think it's an idea whose time has come, but I think Google is getting into a very sticky area where success is not assured.”

As of now, there are more questions than answers. Will Google encrypt users' data? Who will manage the encryption keys? What if the cloud goes down and people can't access their files? What if Google can't figure out how to help people access their online files offline? How this new offering would compete in price and features with its competitors' services is another grey area.

Google has declined comment on the subject. Moreover, there is no guarantee that future developments wouldn't cause Google to alter tack or abandon the project.