flam

free and secure data storage

Overview

You need a data store. You want it to work. You want it to scale. You want it simple and secure. You don't want to set it up and configure it. You don't want to maintain it. And you don't want to pay for it.

Where is the data stored? There's a company in Mountain View, CA which is known for its search engine. Their servers do all of the heavy lifting.

flam is fun because it's free, and just works!

Security

By default, flam keeps your data safe and cozy via AES crypto, based on the Rijndael cipher. Belgium makes great ales and cryptographic algorithms.

Installation

npm install flam

Configuration and Examples

flam can be used in two ways:

1. as a command line program
2. conventionally require flam as any other npm module

Let's try a few examples from the command line. Open up a terminal.

cd into flam's root directory, where flam.js is located. Execute the script without arguments:

./flam.js

The following message should display:

Error: You must change the placeholder password in `config/config.json`.

flam.js will not execute unless you change the preset password. Edit config/config.json, as the message instructs.

You've changed the password, right? Good. Let's try that again:

./flam.js

You should see Usage and options:

Usage: flam [options]

Options:

  -h, --help                   output usage information
  -V, --version                output the version number
  -f, --file <filename>        set filename content to be stored
  -c, --content <inline data>  set data directly in the command line to be stored
  -g, --get <key>              get value referenced by key
  -d, --disable-encryption     disable encryption (default is crypto enabled)

Let's try a basic example to store content expressed directly in the command line:

./flam.js --content "My Swiss Bank Account No: 1337-1337-1337"

What?! Another error message?

Ok, one more tiny hurdle; you need to supply a Google API key to store data. For getting data (./flam.js -g <key>), only a password is required.

If you don't have a Google API key, it's easy to get.

1. At the Google Developers page select "Developers Console."
2. Sign in if necessary.
3. Create a project if necessary.
4. Public API access -> Create new Key.

Edit config/config.json and replace the empty string placeholder with your API key.

Let's try again one more time (and thanks for your patience):

./flam.js --content "My Swiss Bank Account No: 1337-1337-1337"

Response is displayed:

Content successfully stored with key: 191yFg

Of course, the key in this documentation is ficticious; the key that you see in your own terminal is real.

Let's be sure and retrieve your stored content. Use the key displayed in your console instead of the fake one:

./flam.js --get <key>

Again, the Google API key is not required for getting data. However, the password is still required to decrypt.

The command line interface by default keeps a simple log of write events (using -f or -c options). View keys.log to see your first entry.

Let's safely store the content of a text file.

./flam.js --file ~/essential_ingredients.txt

Use the same get option to retrieve the content.

./flam.js -g <key>

Another example using flam as a module.

cd in to the examples directory and run the app:

node app.js

Binary Files

When using the --file or -f switch to save a file in storage, binary files are also supported if detected by conventional filename extension, e.g., .jpg, gif.

When getting the binary file out of secure storage, just redirect to restore the content as a file:

./flam.js -g bZtGSk > image.gif

Otherwise you'll be spewing binary data to your console.

Caveats

To preserve balance in the universe, the free service that flam provides has some limitations:

1. A record cannot be updated or deleted.
2. A content record cannot exceed 45K.
3. Expiration of stored data, if any exists, is unknown.

These restrictions may be too severe for your requirements in a professional setting. That is a judgement you must make yourself.

Have fun!

Gerry Gold April 2015