The cloud is a wonderful thing, as you probably know from reading our coverage on the Structure blog and posts from my colleagues Stacey and Derrick — among other things, it allows us all to keep almost unlimited backup copies of our documents, photos, music and other files on a remote server somewhere, and thanks to services such as Amazon’s AWS suite, such backups are pretty cheap as well — pennies a gigabyte. At least, they’re supposed to be. But when the cloud meets an Internet service provider’s bandwidth cap (something that is unfortunately becoming more and more commonplace) it can be a less than happy experience.

I know this all too well. And while some of what happened is my fault, it’s probably not that unusual, so I thought it might be helpful to tell people about it.

Some readers may recall that I wrote recently about my problems with bandwidth usage, and how I thought I had solved them. In a nutshell, my ISP — a Canadian cable and media conglomerate called Rogers Communications — started warning me that my household was using huge amounts of bandwidth, far more than I had ever used before. One particular day last month, the online bandwidth meter showed that we had consumed 75 gigabytes of data, more than three-quarters of our 95-gigabyte allotment for the month.

As I described in my last post, I wracked my brain to try and figure out where this could be coming from. At first, I (and the Rogers technician I spoke to) thought that it was our wireless network, which was unencrypted. So I locked it down with a 64-bit password — but the downloads continued at huge levels, sometimes 20 or 30 gigabytes a day. I interviewed all three of my daughters, aged 13 to 21, and my niece, who is living with us. All denied downloading huge amounts, but one daughter said she had been using a Bit Torrent program for some Japanese TV shows.

I checked every computer in the house to make sure there were no programs running in the background or viruses or malware — we have seven computers in all, including four desktops and three laptops, as well miscellaneous wireless devices like iPhones and a streaming media box connected to the TV. The download usage didn’t even budge. I even borrowed a network switch to try and see which ports on the network were using all this data.

Then a day or two ago, I got an email from Amazon with the bill for my Amazon AWS service. I have about 25 gigabytes of photos, music and other documents backed up to Amazon’s S3 server cloud, which usually costs me about a month — but this time, the bill said 9. Suddenly, a light bulb went on (one that probably should have gone on before then, I admit): that would explain how we could have been downloading 20 or 30 gigabytes a day without our computers overflowing with data. What if something was backing up all that data multiple times from Amazon’s S3 cloud?

I checked JungleDisk, which is the software from Rackspace that I use to manage the S3 instance I rent, but I didn’t have it set to sync or automatically mirror the data. So what could have happened?

After fishing around on the Internet, I finally found a support forum posting at Amazon’s AWS site that described exactly what had happened to me — except it was the user’s mother, and she had somehow download more than 800 gigabytes in a month without realizing it. The culprit, apparently, was either Windows indexing the files or an anti-virus program scanning them, or both. Since JungleDisk maps the Amazon cloud folder as a network drive, Windows and some other programs simply treat it as a regular drive and download all the files to scan them — even multiple times.

Since the amount of data that Amazon says I consumed in April (a little over 600 gigabytes) is almost exactly the same as the amount of extra bandwidth that my ISP says I used in the month, this seems to be the solution. And luckily for me, Rogers has a maximum bandwidth over-usage charge of per month. If it didn’t have this cap on a cap, I would be liable for almost ,000 based on the company’s per-gigabyte usage fees. So I have to pay 0 to Rogers for overage charges and 0 to Amazon.

A fairly cheap lesson, comparatively speaking, but a lesson nevertheless. And yet another way in which bandwidth caps threaten to turn us all into network administrators and bandwidth cops, whether we like it or not.

Thumbnail photo courtesy of Flickr users Ryan Franklin and Arthur Caranta

Related content from GigaOM Pro (subscription req’d):

• Report: Delivering Content in the Cloud
• Infrastructure Q1: IaaS Comes Down to Earth; Big Data Takes Flight
• Defining Hadoop: the Players, Technologies and Challenges of 2011

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If you have ever wondered if it is possible to copy XBOX 360 games, you’ll be thrilled to know there’s a way to make actual backup copies of any XBOX 360 game.  It is a bit more difficult than just utilizing the same software as you do to burn music cds, but it’s easy to get the hang of. 

The secret to being able to copy Xbox 360 games is to find software that’s specifically designed to make backup copies of video games.  Video game discs have “copyright protection” measures in place that won’t let you make copies by using the regular burning software used to replicate music cds.  To get passed that problem, there are software companies that have developed specialized software that will “knock-out” these protections and copy Xbox 360 games ( together with other types of games ). 

Without this programme, your PC doesn’t recognize a video game disc.  When you have the software in place , all of a sudden the disc makes “sense” to you computer and it can read the disc so as to make a copy. 

As a side note, the software doesn’t only copy Xbox 360 games.  It also works for PS3, Nintendo Wii, PS2 and virtually every other major game system.  This makes it a load more convenient if you have multiple game systems.  You won’t have to buy a new programme for every one. 

The software works in 3 simple steps :

First, you insert the Xbox 360 game disc and your computer will make a copy “image” of the game.  When this is done, you insert a blank disc and the software will transfer the image onto the disk.  After you are left with an exact backup copy of the game you can use when you need to. 

If you’ve got any interest in making copies of Xbox 360 games, this program gives you an easy and effective way of doing so.  It’s important to repeat Xbox 360 games in case they ever become scratched or damaged.

For much more info on Burn Ps2 Games, give this website Copy ps3 games a look now.

by ThiagoMartins

Question by Kevin Lang: How do you sinc one ipod to another ipod while still using your same itunes account?
At the moment, I have an ipod nano. I am hoping to get an ipod touch for christmas. My current ipod has lots of songs that I would rather not pay for again. How do I get my songs onto the ipod touch without paying for them again?

Best answer:

Answer by NONE
Register the new iPod to the same account then sync it to the same library just like the old one. Learn more about managing and BACKING UP content by downloading and reading your user guide.
If you had backup copies, you wouldn’t have to worry about having to pay for them again.

Give your answer to this question below!

Tips on how to Copy XBOX 360 Video Games – Make Exact Backup Copies Of Any XBOX 360 Game

In case you have ever been curious about if one can possibly copy XBOX 360 games, you will be pleased to know there exists a method to make exact copies of any XBOX 360 game. It’s actually a bit of trickier than just employing the same software as you need to burn music Cd, but it’s not hard to get the hang of.

The important thing to to be able to copy xbox 360 games is to discover a software that is specifically designed for making backup copies of games. Video game discs have “copyright protection” procedures set that is not going to allow you to make copies with the standard burning software which is used to copy music Cd. To overcome this problem, there are software companies that have specially designed customized software which could “knock-out” these protections and copy Xbox 360 games (along with other types of games).

Without this software, your PC does not recognize a video game disc. If you have the software set up, all of a sudden the disc makes “sense” for a computer and will be able to read the disc so that you can generate a copy.

As a side note, the softwarewill not only copy Xbox 360 games, this also works best for PS3, Nintendo Wii, PS2 and almost every other major game system. This helps it be even more convenient when you own multiple game systems. You may not have to buy a new program for each one of these.

The software works in three simple steps:

Very first, you place the xbox 360 game disc whilst your personal computer will make a duplicate “image” for this game. When this is successfully done, you introduce a blank disc and the software will transfer the image onto the disc. After that you’re left with a perfect backup copy for this game that you can use whenever you need to.

If you have any involvement in making copies of Xbox 360 games, this software provides you with an easy and efficient way of doing so. It is critical to copy Xbox 360 games should they ever end up scraped or dented.

Visit http://www.copyyourgames.com to obtain a risk-free trial of the top-ranked game copying software.

It’s the simplest way to burn xbox 360 games directly from your home pc!

Right side of the software to patch the file. Load the file that it outputs after it executed the procedure.

2. Open up Clone CD, anything higher than version 5 must work. Simply hit the 2nd button to open and image file and pick your new iso. You will need a dual layered DVD R to burn, your 360 won’t read other format correctly. Also, ensure you burn at 2x or close as it can be so your game is readable and would not skip. This is very important.

3. Put the game in your XBox360 and enjoy. You can also play on XBox Live with out a single problem.

Resource:burn ps3 games

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Everyone loves computers when they work. Each shouts on them when they do not perform the functions. Here are some ways to keep your computer works smoothly passes in the old age. Though I cannot promise that those ways will help you to protect the computer from constantly problems; but help to prevent them, and to make restoration easier when they happen.

1. Reserve copying of the data.

When was last time, when you have kept your data? Not “When was last time when you thought of it”, or “when last time was someone has told, how it is important, but when was last time, when you really backup copies of your data? And how many will you lose, if you flow a hard disk right now, and you should rely on what reserve copying?

Think of that for a second. Now go and create a backup copy.
If you do not know, how, have no regular plan, or simply wish to learn what is new in this area, Consumer Reports has good idea about the most widespread variants. Personally I have not enough mass media on my computer so I can write down my files on a compact disc once a year or about that, and copy files on flesh-disk. It is fast, inexpensive and safe enough for my requirements.

Other worthy decision is program use, as Folder Share for synchronization of files between two computers (that is even better, in two places).

If you have a possibility, to make a full image of a disk (‘ pictures ‘ of all your hard disk) right after reboots of an operating system and all your programs. It is given to you pure by a starting point to return, if you need to reboot all anew, and will be much faster, than to alter all manually.

2. Cleanliness of a dust from your computer.

Computers are one of the most effective detesters, known to the person. Besides looking gross and, probably, be a danger allergy, dusty computer will keep heat which can lower the productivity and service life. The simplest way is to clear it with compressed air – to open business, to accept its limits, and to blow up it from a dust. Outside case can be destroyed downwards with a damp fabric. Be attentive at use of household cleaners as they can easily destroy printed-circuit boards. For the majority of computers, cleaning of times in a year or ones and a half should be adequate.

Besides it is simple to receive it from a dust, here are some other steps to consider following questions: the Dust often gathers in the processor and video radiators of cards, we will consider dismantle and their cleaning if you are convenient to do so, or at least by means of compressed air particularly their blow. Though business opened to connect the computer and include it long enough to be convinced that all fans still rotates. Replace any which are dead or noisy (the general sign worn out the fan). If there is sticky dirt or the rests on assembly payments, it can be removed by the wadded tampon moistened in spirit which evaporates purely.

Today they are all over the world – the “mighty” computers. It makes no difference if you need them for fun or work or for serious industrial processes, in all cases the computer hardware must be of the best quality.

But this computer hardware is naturally flooded with all types of products. That is why it’s crucially important to visit this blog and read computer hardware tips that will help you to choose great stuff for your computer.