A method, comprising: copying a set of data comprising a plurality of data objects (224; 424; 624; 724) from a data store (106; 406; 406; 606; 706) located at a first location (102; 202; 402; 602; 702) to a portable storage unit (104; 204; 404; 604); modifying a first data object of the plurality of data objects in the data store after said copying; receiving , via a network (226; 426; 626; 726) from a cloud-based synchronization service (114, 116; 216; 422; 616; 716), a notification that the set of data copied to the portable storage unit has been uploaded from the portable storage unit to a cloud-based server (110; 210; 402; 610; 710) located at a second location; generating a first hash value for the modified first data object; providing , via the network, the first hash value generated for the modified first data object to the cloud-based synchronization service in response to receiving the notification, the cloud-based synchronization service being configured to compare the first hash value to a second hash value generated for a second data object uploaded to the cloud-based server that corresponds to the first data object to determine whether a difference exits between the first data object and the corresponding second data object; receiving, via the network, an indicator from the cloud-based synchronization service specifying whether the first hash value is different than the second hash value generated for the second data object uploaded to the cloud-based server; and providing, via the network, the modified first data object to the cloud-based synchronization service in response to the indicator specifying that the first hash value is different than the second hash value. copying a set of data comprising a plurality of data objects (224; 424; 624; 724) from a data store (106; 406; 406; 606; 706) located at a first location (102; 202; 402; 602; 702) to a portable storage unit (104; 204; 404; 604); modifying a first data object of the plurality of data objects in the data store after said copying; receiving , via a network (226; 426; 626; 726) from a cloud-based synchronization service (114, 116; 216; 422; 616; 716), a notification that the set of data copied to the portable storage unit has been uploaded from the portable storage unit to a cloud-based server (110; 210; 402; 610; 710) located at a second location; generating a first hash value for the modified first data object; providing , via the network, the first hash value generated for the modified first data object to the cloud-based synchronization service in response to receiving the notification, the cloud-based synchronization service being configured to compare the first hash value to a second hash value generated for a second data object uploaded to the cloud-based server that corresponds to the first data object to determine whether a difference exits between the first data object and the corresponding second data object; receiving, via the network, an indicator from the cloud-based synchronization service specifying whether the first hash value is different than the second hash value generated for the second data object uploaded to the cloud-based server; and providing, via the network, the modified first data object to the cloud-based synchronization service in response to the indicator specifying that the first hash value is different than the second hash value. <EOS>