The buzz word of 2012 is THE CLOUD, and these days every large company seems to be introducing their own cloud service. But can you really trust content stored by online service providers? Only recently, the Justice Department's shutdown of the popular file-sharing site megaupload.com left millions of users without access to their files. In fact, read the fine print of these popular cloud service providers and you will soon discover that they are likely not liable for any losses or security breaches.

When you look into the cloud, you will see that it is merely a trendy catch phrase for online storage. If you are a privacy conscious user, you may be hesitant to use their cloud offerings.

What would you say if you could effortlessly set up a personal custom server that runs on your own hardware and where backing up your data is no problem? Enter BarracudaDrive, an easy to install file server that supports open protocols and allows you to access the server with any client (such as a browser) that supports the same open protocols. Since BarracudaDrive is exclusively hosted by you, it becomes your personal cloud, allowing you to store and access your files and appliances anytime from anywhere, but without the vulnerability inherent in third party web portals.

BarracudaDrive transforms your home or business network into a powerful online storage system, letting you access and share files from any computer, anywhere. With BarracudaDrive, you can give your friends limited or unlimited access to anything on your cloud server. Best of all, there's no need for any client-side software installation, so you can get to your files from anywhere, even your internet-enabled phone.

Check out the YouTube video demonstrating how to use BarracudaDrive as a file server!

BarracudaDrive also includes software that will ensure your online privacy, and it provides secure, unblocked, encrypted access to the Internet and VoIP services, such as Skype, from anywhere on the Globe. Also available is the MxTunnel, a free BarracudaDrive ad-on that provides additional peace of mind. The MxTunnel secures your web connection when using open access points (such as free Wi-Fi hot spots) and this ensures that there is no unauthorized observation of your Internet activity.

BarracudaDrive can be installed on most standard hardware such as Mac, Windows, and Linux, as well as many cool specialty devices such as WD My Book Live, the Raspberry PI, the SheevaPlug, and so on. You can even install it on an online server, but now when using that online server, ownership of BarracudaDrive puts you in full control.

Creating your own cloud service is a smart, secure, and affordable option, whether you install it on your own computer, or on an online Virtual Private Server (VPS). The BarracudaDrive web site includes many tutorials that show how you can setup your own online cloud server for as little as two dollars a month. Plus, we have only mentioned here a few of the things you can do with BarracudaDrive. The server, in fact, includes much more. Why don't you visit the BarracudaDrive home page, check it out, and discover the advantages behind building your own personal cloud?

But wait, there's more!

In addition to the free license, BarracudaDrive is running a raffle for a pre-paid online BarracudaDrive powered server! The online server, which is located in the U.S., is specifically setup for users that can benefit from using a VPN/Proxy solution. See the MxTunnel product page for cool use cases and ideas for how you can benefit from using a VPN/Proxy solution.

The link to the raffle will be emailed to you together with the receipt your receive when you sign up.

The server is active and waiting for you. You can visit the server by typing the following IP address in your browser: 199.167.29.89