Blackout Comms Data Storage
Data Storage On Your Devices
Blackout Comms stores all your data only on the devices in your cluster. The only exceptions to that are if you're using Blackout Comms Cloud or MQTT (see details further down).
Micro SD Cards
For communicators (T-Decks, Pagers, Full Touch) SD cards the preferred way to store your data. Using an SD card allows you to easily transfer everything to a new Blackout Comms device simply by moving the SD card to the new device.
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Your data can also be backed up easily onto a hard drive or other SD card, and remains encrypted at all times. Be sure to choose an SD card from the compatible SD card list.
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Flash Storage
If you install Blackout Comms and initialize it without an SD card, you'll be storing data on the flash memory of your device. This is the recommended way to store data only if no other option (SD card) is available on your device. You cannot backup or transfer data to another device if you're using flash.
FRAM
FRAM is what we use in our custom-built Altware Mesh Links. It is the preferred non-removable storage option, for many reasons (no file system, no wear leveling, etc). You cannot transfer data to other devices, but FRAM is very durable, fast, and lasts a long time, even in rough conditions.
Data Storage Outside Your Devices (Optional)
Storage in Blackout Comms Cloud
If you have cloud enabled on one or more of your devices, your cloud-connected device(s) may send encrypted packets through our cloud. If that happens, your device will first encrypt and sign the message/location (we can't read it), connect to our service using TLS/HTTPS, and send our cloud a copy of your encrypted packet.
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If you have other devices in the same cluster and they are cloud-connected, they may retrieve these packets to complete delivery. The packets are retrieved using TLS/HTTPS and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient(s) on your cluster.
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Any packets in our cloud, are 'in-flight' / transient, and are held until expiry or pickup in our Valkey centralized cluster. Since they are end-to-end encrypted, we cannot decrypt the packets, only your devices can.
Storage in MQTT
If you are using MQTT, packet storage depends on which service you use. You would need to consult the documentation of the service/system you select.
Regardless of the MQTT service, your message and location packets are encrypted and signed before leaving your T-Deck/pager/etc, so they remain encrypted even if they're stored on a file system somewhere.