Data transfer to a remote packet-communicating device over a network is effected using a network-based cache to selectively store data. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a network-based server facilitates selective, rule-based storage of a registered user's data in a network-based cache. The registered user's data is available via the user's data source coupled to a packet-based network (e.g., via a user's home or business computer coupled to the Internet). The server controls remote access to data stored in the cache as well as data accessible via the registered user's data source. For instance, when a request for data transfer is received from a remote packet-communicating device, the network-based server authenticates the request and, for authenticated requests, facilitates a transfer of the requested data from one or both of a registered user's data source and the cache.