Sensitive data can always be encrypted at home, and then the container placed in the Cloud.

I think that's what I was trying to get at...in my prior post a couple above...

I presumed that the end user has the ability to encrypt their files locally BEFORE uploading them to the cloud. And then what lands in the cloud storage is already encrypted...with a key that only the uploader has.

In that scenario, it wouldn't matter whether or what kind of encryption the cloud provider is using. Because the uploading account holder would be the only one holding the encryption password for his/her files.

Is there any reason that isn't a perfectly viable approach with pretty much any of the cloud storage providers?

Chap that I know works in the same oil & gas industry as myself and also hot-shots all over the world swears by carbonite.co.uk

Never has issues with accessing his stuff and doesn't worry about his laptop or other luggable going tits-up at the 11th hour. As long as he has access to a computer with an internet connection, he is still in business.

Straight from their website..."Carbonite is online backup – not online storage." And it's not free.

Sensitive data can always be encrypted at home, and then the container placed in the Cloud.

I think that's what I was trying to get at...in my prior post a couple above...

I presumed that the end user has the ability to encrypt their files locally BEFORE uploading them to the cloud. And then what lands in the cloud storage is already encrypted...with a key that only the uploader has.

In that scenario, it wouldn't matter whether or what kind of encryption the cloud provider is using. Because the uploading account holder would be the only one holding the encryption password for his/her files.

Is there any reason that isn't a perfectly viable approach with pretty much any of the cloud storage providers?

You can do this with any service, but it is not very convenient. Its much better if the encryption is done automatically for you so you dont need to fiddle around. Spideroak works this way, as does Jungledisk which uses the Amazon S3 storage.