http://sia.tech/img/siainfo3.png

Each time we have more data, and fewer places to store them. A BIG problem for computer addicts, although this problem is not strange to the rest of the population. How many of us have encountered that annoying little space symbol in our devices. Maybe some think "**But I have a high-end 128 GB internal memory**" easy, in 2009 having 2 gigabyte of storage in our devices was an exaggeration, and having an expandable memory of **4 GB** was a waste of space. Sovery easy my friend, someday you'll need to save your files elsewhere, since your **128 GB** will be full.

Daily the amount of data created increases, and the problem is: where to store them. One of the options of the last decade has been cloud storage, an excellent option but not at very low costs, nor so little so safe. Options like Apple's iCloud offer 2 TeraByte storage services for just **$20 a month**. Economic Right? But there is a precedent that many Hollywood celebrities remember very well. In March 2017 more than **300 million iCloud accounts were hacked**, and its "explicit" content was posted on the Internet. Now you are sure that you agree to these types of options?

So, what would you think if you could pay the same amount of storage for a fraction of the original price, and also expect that your data would be stored in encrypted and decentralized networks? Well no, we do not talk about fantasy, that's the storage service **Sia** offers.

**Sia** is a storage service that divides your files into parts and shares them in its own blockchain, achieving, first of all, that there are no intermediaries or people outside of us who can see our data. In the same way our files, in case that some node of the network fails, will be simultaneously distributed in all the nodes of the network; That is, there is no risk of loss. Finally, we have that due to the encryption received by our data, only we have the key to view them. It is a blockchain network storage service that offers high security and low costs.

 But how low are those costs? Let's look at the following comparative table with 5 Terabyte of storage space.

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmeKQKpLPPoLmvfpdKwVRawvHN5MrWEHzmzZBR5UwHkyui/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-08%20at%2010.02.35.png

As we can see we can save up to **90%** and we will also have the benefit that our data will not be compromised.
 Making it clear now what Sia is, it's time to try it out. 

## DOWNLOAD AND INSTALLATION OF SIA 

To begin we must download the client to create a node in the network Sia, for this we will go to the main website of Sia; in the top menu we will click on "**Downloads**" and we will download the version for our operating system. One thing to keep in mind: this tutorial focuses on the data storage section on Sia's network, but Sia also offers Host services, Siacoins mining software, as well as the Sia API for its implementations. That is why when downloading we must select the files that are under the SIA-UI section. 

Having downloaded the file, we will unzip the folder and execute the Sia-UI file that will open the following.

https://i1.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/principal_sia_nosincronizado.jpg?resize=1024%2C521&ssl=1

Here we will find the main interface of Sia, where we can manage our wallet of Siacoin and the files that are in the network. In the same way we will also control subscriptions to Sia's storage services. In the upper right corner, at the moment of starting, we will see a bar that tells us that Sia is synchronizing with its blockchain; This can last a long time given the size of this network, so do not despair, it will all depend on the speed of your Internet provider.
 
The first thing to do in this whole process is to create a wallet and get us a little Siacoin. But what is Siacoin? It is the platform's own cryptomoneda, which is used to pay for the services that Sia offers, such as storage services.
 Knowing this, we will create a wallet from the application, for this we will click on the side menu on "Wallet" that will show us the following.

https://i1.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cartera_nueva_siacoin.jpg?resize=1024%2C529&ssl=1

Here, for the first time, we will click "Create new wallet" that will generate a new wallet.

https://i0.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/frase_recuperacion_siawallet.jpg?resize=1024%2C528&ssl=1

The phrases that appear on the screen correspond to our recovery phrases. These should be kept in a safe place, so that in case you want to restore our wallet in another device, be possible through these words. It is advisable to store these words in a physical medium, such as paper, thus avoiding theft by hacking. 

Once we have copied our recovery phrases, we will click on the lower button where we will enter the words copied previously, including the spaces between words.

https://i0.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/confirmar_recuperacion_wallet_sia.jpg?resize=1024%2C530&ssl=1

We will click on "Unlock" and wait a few minutes until our wallet is unlocked.

https://i0.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cartera_sia_creada.jpg?resize=1024%2C529&ssl=1

We already have our wallet ready. It's time to get some Siacoin, with which we can buy storage space on the platform. We have to take into account that 1 tb costs ~ 500 SC which is around $ 5 at the current price change of bitcoin (2500). To achieve Siacoin we can follow the following steps: 

**First step**: To change our fiat or currency in circulation by bitcoins, we can do this in portals like Localbitcoins. In case you already have bitcoin skip this step. 

**Step two**: Exchange our bitcoins for Siacoin. For this, we will use exchange houses like Poloniex, Shapeshift or Bitsquare.

**Third step**: Transfer the Siacoin to our wallet. To get us the address of our wallet, we have to select on the menu of our wallet the option Receive Siacoin, which will show us a dialog box with the address.

Already with the Siacoin in our wallet, we will be ready to start storing files. 

## LOADING FILES IN SIA

 To start uploading files we need to set an allocation, that is, to designate a quantity of Siacoin that will be used to load and download files in Sia, which means that each upload or download of files will be equivalent to a cost in Siacoin. This assignment lasts for 3 months and automatically renews itself in the middle of the period.

It is time to make our first assignment; for this we will click on the top menu in "File" on "Create Allowanse".

https://i0.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/crear_asignacion_sia.jpg?resize=1024%2C528&ssl=1

In this box we must place the amount of Siacoin for the corresponding assignment. It does not matter that this amount exceeds that available in our wallet; Remember that this assignment is only to define how much space we will require.

Before continuing we understand that contracts are Sia: Contracts are agreements between the client and the storage service provider, considering that in this network are the users themselves who offer storage space. These contracts are automatically created after the fixing of allocation, and are renewed, as we have before, half of the rental period.

Well, having clear that, as we were mentioning, no matter Siacoin allocation exceeds our funds in the wallet, as Sia will use the amount of available funds to create as many contracts as possible.

On the other hand, we must Sia requires a minimum of 20 contracts to upload files, this in order to give greater redundancy to our data and have a very low loss rate, thanks to Sia storage algorithm. This is because in the event that one of the storage nodes fails, our file can be reconstructed from any of the remaining ones.

Let's continue. After entering the amount we will click on "Accept" and we will wait for the contracts to be created corresponding to the assignment. Immediately, in our wallet we will see several movements.

https://i0.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/movimiento_cartera_sia.jpg?resize=1024%2C527&ssl=1

This only means that we are discounting the cost of each contract. If you placed a larger amount of Siacoin than the one available in your wallet, they will stop when there are no more funds available in our wallet. In case you want to add more contracts, and the amount of allocation you placed is greater than that available in your wallet at the time of creating it, you only have to add more funds to your wallet to generate new contracts; otherwise, you must create a new assignment.

https://i1.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/contratos_asignaci%C3%B3n_lista_sia.jpg?resize=1024%2C530&ssl=1

This we see is our storage interface ready to upload files. As we can see at the top, we find the contracts that could be created from our available funds, as well as the amount of Siacoin spent, and the allocation that we placed, which in our case was 1000.

To start uploading files, we need at least 20 contracts. If so, we'll click Upload Files. When you move the mouse over the button we will be displayed a menu: in case we want to upload a complete folder, we will click Upload Folder; In case of just uploading a single file, we will click on the menu button. Then we will be displayed a selection box, where we will only search the file.

In the section of File Transfer we will be able to see the state of the files that are being uploaded or downloaded from the network. We will also find the list that shows us our files on the network

https://i2.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/archivo_subiendo_listo.jpg?resize=1024%2C529&ssl=1

To download, modify or delete our file, just click on one of these and a menu will be displayed at the bottom.

https://i1.wp.com/criptonoticias.com/extra/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/modificar_archivo_sia.jpg?resize=1024%2C529&ssl=1

At the time of download it may take a while, because it must synchronize and find among your storage providers the file to then rebuild and download it, remembering that the file is divided into parts over the network.

## SIA VIEWS

As for costs, **Sia** has no competition. It is one of the most economical service in the cloud storage market. To this is added its security and the guarantee that our files will not be lost thanks to that they are stored simultaneously in different nodes. Similarly anonymity is found on files: since we can only visualize them, there is no way that other entities will check or delete them, as with other storage services.

Although not everything can be pink. One of the main **disadvantages of Sia is the synchronization time with its blockchain**, this can take weeks depending on how long the application lasts and the Internet speed with which we count. Likewise, there is the fact that we cannot create shared folders, and at the moment Sia does not exist for mobile devices.

https://nextcloud.com/media/Sia_Decentralized_Storage_logo.svg_-300x181.png?x16328

On the other hand, to avoid bad times, we must always use the latest version of Sia's client. We do not need to do much, just download and open the most updated file, and this will open with the same configuration as the previous one. This is because the platform may have some errors when using previous versions.

Despite these clear disadvantages, these do not eclipse the full potential offered by Sia. Recall that decentralized blockchain technologies are in full expansion, and the immediate confirmation of their transactions is only a matter of time. It is only our part to prove them.

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