Observation: The trends and advantages of cloud computing in the storage area

Perhaps your computing life appears to be about sending and receiving emails and browsing the web, but for professional data users, create files, forms, tedious demos, and information stored in various ways. This raises the question: Where do you store your data? Are you ready to store your data in a service hosted by a third-party vendor?

Individuals and very small companies put important documents on their computer hard disks. But the hard drive will fail, although it looks as if it will run forever. Over the past few years, laptops have sold more than desktop PCs. But you're probably forgetting your laptop in a taxi. There is always a problem with storing data in a personal computer.

The local file server appeared shortly after the advent of the first PC. This server storage capacity is getting bigger and cheaper (many terabytes of hardware storage prices are 1300 to 2000 dollars) Novell's NetWare created the local file server market, but eventually lost the market leader, replaced by Microsoft. Local file storage devices do a lot of work at very low prices. However, the world has changed again.

What are the biggest changes for small businesses? They no longer have all their employees in one place. Only about 25% of small businesses operate in one place. Even in this small business, its employees still need access to company files when they work outside a company such as a customer's site. cheap, local file storage devices that work well in the Office are not accessible on the Internet.

There are many companies that provide online file storage for individuals and businesses. The Egnyte company, which claims to be a "cloud file server," offers m/drive (mobile hard disk) services to desktops and laptops, and even storage services connected to the iphone. Egnyte has client software for Windows, Macs, and Linux computers.

Considering that FTP is one of the earliest Internet protocols, this technology is not new. But the technology has become easier to use. And the U.S. broadband network services are more reliable, enough to rely on access to important business documents.

Egnyte proudly declared "I am a file server", although many companies have previously entered the field. For example, Box.net is a popular web site that allows users to store, manage, and share files. The Xdrive service appeared earlier. But its owner, AOL, said that although the site is still providing services, it will close the site.

There are also companies that include file storage services in their own collaboration services. A service called Hyperoffice includes all online collaboration tools, such as shared and proprietary contacts, calendars, task lists, and file storage. It even includes file versioning to allow large businesses to control such as Audit records, locked files, and multiple versions of files. The company's hyperdrive feature enables users ' Windows computers to connect to Hyperoffice's public and proprietary storage folders.

Another service called Iprismglobal provides similar functionality. However, it mainly provides the look and feel of the virtual workplace. Collaboration is the primary function of these two services, as well as many other services in this area, rather than simple file storage capabilities.

Transferring files from an online server is not as long as transferring files from local storage hardware, but large files may take longer. Of course, any time you visit something on the internet is worse than the performance on the local area network. However, accessing a managed service is as fast as connecting to your Office server over the LAN, and you don't have to pay for the hardware.

Since small business owners are still the most sensitive buyers in the technical field, let's talk about money. Egnyte the price for its service is 15 dollars per User a month. The price seems a little high. This price includes the default 20GB storage capacity and unlimited capacity storage for more than three users. This service is good compared to other GB-level storage hosts. Egnyte says its price is one-eighth of hardware-based systems.

However, collaborative services such as Hyperoffice provide online file storage and many collaborative functions with less monthly, per-user money (a small number of users less than 10 dollars a month). This service does not provide unlimited storage space in accordance with the price. However, users who create Office files do not typically require many gigabytes of storage space. Other services that provide sales or project management modules should be charged accordingly.

If you have a large number of music files, you can find mp3tunes and other professional music storage services. This service works in the music storage cabinet mode. Therefore, you can transfer your music files to any connected device. All of this is done in the cloud that is always available.

There are three main advantages to online folder and file storage. First, you don't have to put any upfront costs into the file storage hardware. and service providers have been promoting this fact. But the reality is that you can lease server hardware and software, reducing the cost per month to manageable sizes, both of which can get a known budget total.

Second, the host service provider maintains security and update issues for user file servers. The server can be leased and you can plan your budget. However, you cannot plan for security updates, errors, and hardware failures. The service provider is responsible for managing storage and keeping the system up to date.

Finally, sharing files with remote employees, customers, and partners on a physical server in your enterprise is a very painful thing to do. Every online service, whether it's a Egnyte Server service or a Hyperoffice collaboration service, is easy to control who looks at files. These controls allow you to share files with only the person you designate, whether they are your employees or external people. You can control the permissions of the visitors. And you don't have to allow outside people to access your corporate network.

Some people have so far not trusted cloud computing, although some people trust the services of companies such as Google more than trust their own it distributors. If you trust Microsoft more than you trust Google, you can focus on Windows Live SkyDrive. Even the largest local file server software vendor is currently providing server functionality as an Internet-based host service.

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)