WebStorage & Web Research

In this session we will take a brief look at two 'cloud' storage options - Google Drive and OneDrive.  

We will also consider how can you find out the owner of a web site and where they are located and the two major reasons this is important for web researchers. And we will consider issues regarding storing your web research or client data in the so called cloud and how to use the cloud for collaboration in your web research.  I also want to warn you about doing your web research in a public place such as Starbucks.  Such wireless connections are not secure and someone can observe what you are reviewing on the web.  In addition, new pen cameras have been designed to record what you are viewing on your screen.  (see: https://www.zetronix.com/hidden-covert-cams/spy-pens.html )

First - Who owns a website and where are they located?

https://whois.is/

Second - Lets look at two 'cloud' storage services - Google Drive and Microsoft's One Drive that I am using.

A good article about ediscovery and Apple's Icloud service is at:

http://bciptf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Daniel-Carmeli-Cloud-Computing.pdf

Third:

When you do your web research for a case, you may decide to store this research in the so called cloud so that others on your team may add to it or access it.  So in this topic we will cover where the cloud is and issues involved in storing any data there.  We will also create a google website into which we could share our research information with each other as a legal team.

 The other option is to store your web research on your law firm's private in-house server where other team members may access that research or add to the research.  Your own computer administrators of your law firm and your own computer servers in your building would be the safest and most secure location for that research (assuming these persons and your computer system has been properly protected with a 'firewall' and with a good password protection system.  However, if all your web research and all your firm's data is JUST stored in this one building, then a natural disaster like a tornado or earthquake could destroy all your websearch and firm data.  So even if the data is stored on your own system, the backup of that data should also be stored in a different location.

You may contract with web storage companies to place your web research about the case in an online storage location.  Be aware, that there is no real 'cloud' and that each location where you store your web research information has a physical location on a computer somewhere on planet earth.

The word "cloud' is a misnomer that blurs logical thinking about a critical issue regarding your web research results and where these results are actually stored.

Here is a screen from a cloud storage company - notice they tell you where the cities are where they store your data.