Personal network disk product should be how to design

Cloud computing is a popular concept in recent years, the concept of the most close to ordinary users can now branch, that is, personal cloud storage. From the famous dropbox, to various domestic "network disk" products, more and more Internet users began to move their own information from the computer hard drive to the cloud.

When we look back at history, we can understand that in fact, "the need to keep documents anywhere (such as online) and then access them anywhere" has always existed.

Many years ago, when we were still using the DOS6.22 era, then the popular way is to use a floppy disk. Just copy the files you want to use to a floppy disk, and you can bring the floppy disk to you. Anytime, anywhere, as long as there is a floppy drive installed on the computer, you can use the floppy disk files.

Later, a floppy disk 1.44MB capacity began to be unable to meet the needs of more and more people, and due to technical constraints, the floppy drive read speed is too slow, coupled with the emergence of USB, U disk came into being. This mobile storage device not only smaller than the floppy disk, faster than the floppy disk, not easy to damage, it is important that its capacity can be much larger than a floppy disk.

Later, the Internet started to popularize, but at that time, there was not a very convenient file storage service for ordinary Internet users on the Internet at that time. So everyone "development" out of a unique way: many friends log in their own mailbox, and then send myself an e-mail, with attachments. In this way, the files in the attachment can be permanently stored in the mailbox, which can be used on any computer with Internet access. Operating the browser is much easier than plugging and unplugging U disk (especially, there are some assembled chassis, the front USB interface is not enough power supply. We often need to climb to the back of the chassis ...), more importantly, many mailboxes can Free application, even the money to buy storage devices are saved.

In recent years, we have found a problem, that is, the general upper limit of about 20MB attachment mailbox started not enough. Because everyone starts to store more and larger files. There are some mailbox services continue to upgrade the mailbox capacity, but the attachment capacity has not changed, did not solve this part of the user's needs. QQ mailbox was found this pain point, introduced a "large attachment" function, successfully alleviated this part of the demand. However, perhaps due to cost constraints, "oversized attachments" are generally deadline-for example, only seven days. Although every seven days you can go manually click on the "renewal." But when once forgotten, it tragedy.

On the other hand, many people start to have more than two computers, and are using smartphones, iPads and other devices at the same time. In this environment, it is natural that there is a need to "share (synchronize) information on all devices." Dropbox found this requirement, but the team at the time was not yet sure how big the demand was. So the smart dropbox team created a video called "What is Dropbox," telling users a tool called "dropbox" that not only saves your files, but also automatically syncs them to all your devices. This video got a very high clickthrough rate on YouTube. So they expanded the team, started really developing this product, and succeeded.

Recalling the above history of "personal storage needs", we may wish to make the following points:

Storage is the foundation. A cloud storage product, on the basis of its basic functions, must have a stable storage service. To ensure that the user's data will not be lost, at the same time, transmission services must be stable, to ensure that users want to save or want to use at any time to be able to "get in" and "get it." At the same time, privacy, speed and other factors in-depth exploration, will give products plus points.

What is the purpose of storage? Of course, to "use", that is, "consumer." As a cloud storage product, "storage" drives "consumption." If we can do to allow users to quickly view the contents of the network disk he exists, to share, or even modify, will give the product points. Exaggerated a bit, if we can do this to the extreme, maybe after the user's computer will not install any other software, all the content generation, precipitation, consumption, can be done in the cloud.

"Consumption" is the "storage" of the downstream, then the storage of "upstream" is what? In microblogging, SNS and other products, there are two important ways to produce UGC. One is "create", send a photo, write a passage, are created. The other one is "forward", that is, get the existing content, direct "consumption." So in the upper reaches of storage, if it can be more convenient and cheaper for users to get the content they want, the whole ecological chain is complete.

Based on the above three points (or three links in the eco-chain), we gossip and YY look at the most basic functions and scenarios:

Storage and transmission

1, the basis of storage

dropbox has done a lot of work on its main "sync" feature. Dropbox now not only stable storage of user content, but also with the least amount of bandwidth and time to synchronize and update content. dropbox will detect a part of the file is updated, and then only this part of the content is updated to the other side, do not need to re-upload "download" the entire file.

2, speed and stability

Dropbox no problem, after all, is a foreign service, most of the time not fast, but also sometimes the wall. This gives natural opportunities for domestic related products. Jinshan network disk like this product, now in most parts of the country is very stable and rapid provision of storage services. With high-quality stability and speed, it will slowly accumulate user stickiness.

3, the transmission between devices

Many users have this scenario: want to download the mp3 on the computer to send to the phone, so you can always play. This requirement, of course, is the easiest way to use the data cable, but carrying the data cable is very troublesome, and often plug. Now many places provide wifi, why can not connect wifi send files directly?

4, backup and recovery [Mobile]

Mobile phones take a long time to get slower and slower, want to "restore the factory settings," but worried about the loss of information? Or for a new cell phone, hoping to quickly transfer the original text messages, photos, address book? Apple provides iCloud services, Can solve these problems. For android, it's even possible to make ghost-like tools.

Content consumption and source

1, read

In addition to browsing the news, tweets and other needs to use a specific app, read on a mobile device is a more clear need. Especially in big cities, people spend more and more time on the road to work every day, and these fragmentation times are suitable for reading.

So far, the solution for mobile reading, more complete, only Amazon alone. In addition, related to payment, copyright and other factors, especially in the domestic environment, there will always be a large number of users trying to find their own resources, self-storage into the mobile device to read. The cloud storage products naturally have the advantages to undertake this demand.

If you can open the cloud files directly on your mobile device and provide proper reading aids (bookmarks, font size changes, etc.), you can keep a subset of those who read on the mobile side using reading tools. If you join the content source upstream operations, even within the cloud storage products can be completed directly from content to consumer closed-loop. Users can also be allowed under the premise of a certain extent, open the user's content, so that other users can more quickly and easily access to resources, and even search the entire cloud of open content.

Bottom: dropbox On the iPhone you can preview the contents of a common format file

2, video and cloud playback

Thinking and reading about the same, but the text picture into a music video, it is a more imaginative space a strong ecological chain.

Many users have the need to copy the movie on their computer to their cellphone or ipad and then watch it on the road. Currently, there are mainly two ways to realize this kind of demand: First, many video websites app will provide "save to local" function. Users in the home wifi environment directly cache these content to the mobile device. Another way is to use the traditional download tool, download it to your computer, and then transfer it to your mobile device.

The disadvantage of the first approach is that the content is not enough, not rich enough, very often, for more demanding users, video clarity is also a problem. The disadvantages of the second approach are mainly the time-consuming downloading and transcoding aspects.

In fact, the entire ecological chain, can be completed by the cloud storage as the core product.

a: "offline download" function: If I need to download a 4.8GB movie, the traditional way is to use the download tool to download directly to the computer. However, the upstream server may be fast and slow, if the download time is long, but also need to always boot. If my network drive can provide such a function, just need to throw a bunch of BT seeds into a specific folder, the server will automatically download these seeds for the file, and then automatically stored in my cloud network drive.

b: "cloud transcoding automatically" function: the next day when you wake up, open the web disk app on your phone and found that the movie has been downloaded, and has completed the automatic transcoding, you can directly play on your phone or other mobile devices It's

c: "Cache to Local" feature: Want to watch this movie on the go, but the traffic is limited, 3G signal is not stable, how to do? Easy to do, at home wifi environment, just transcoding in the cloud Movie directly through the network disk app cache to the phone on it. And because it turned into a suitable mobile phone code rate, this file is not 4.8GB, but only 500MB. An iPhone can put down a lot of movies, enough to watch the journey!

d: "share" function: my friend also want to see this movie, what to do? With just one click, you can generate sharing links. He opened this link, you can automatically deposited into his network disk. Also, since the previous "Download", "Transcoding" and other work has been completed, he does not need any additional operations can be played on any of his device or cache.

3, collection and content entrance

In theory, the disk drive is the same as the drive on the computer. The Web site into the network disk, you can form a network of favorites; the picture into the network disk, you can become a photo album; QQ chat records stored in the network disk, your favorite articles into the network disk, the laptop Notes into the network disk, can form a different application scenarios. But the premise of all these scenarios and features is "close." That is, a powerful content entry.

If a network disk products with a powerful browser plug-ins, a strong channel of cooperation, you can see any of a web page, news, you can store all UGC on social networking sites, will greatly enhance the product's user stickiness.

3, online documentation / collaborative work

Google Doc is already a very mature service, and with the perfect fit with Gmail. View, open, edit documents in your Gmail attachment directly. Microsoft also has cloud-based, browser-based Office software that lets you create editorial documents directly from your browser and store your services directly from Skydrive.

In addition, collaborative work is also a good direction for business users. In the company, often need to share some documents, customer information, and sometimes also need more people to work together to edit. We imagine the most simple product model, if a network disk, it's a folder can set permissions, A, B, C three users are free to edit, create, delete files in this folder, at the same time, D, E, F and other users can view these files through the password, this is a simple prototype of the internal work together.

4, personal data center

More and more people are starting to have a variety of electronic devices, PCs, Macs, cell phones, tablets, smart TVs, Google Glass and a variety of devices including in cars and offices. Each of these devices can be both a producer and a collector of information, as well as a consumer of information. So sharing information on these devices is very urgent.

Problems and challenges faced

1, data security and privacy

First of all, have to say is about data security and personal privacy. This includes two aspects:

The first is the level of ethics, the environment and the policy of the service provider, which you know at home.

The second is the technical level of information security.

Data security issues have been more and more Internet users aware. In my previous research, more than half of respondents were worried that it would be "unsafe" to store their photos, phone books, chat history and other information on the network drive. When I asked them why they were "unsafe", many respondents were not able to say the specific reasons. They were only affected by some incidents, media campaigns, etc., and their "physiological reactions" were "unsafe".

This level of problems is difficult to solve in the short term, just as intermediaries, insurance and other industries, it is difficult to rebuild trust in the short term. Excuse me, this is deliberately black.

2, the transfer rate, traffic and stability

The contents of the network disk in the transmission between different devices is still a big problem. At present, the Internet access speed in China is not fast on average. Several documents may still be ok. If it is a large number of photos taken, it is a bit difficult to transmit and manage. If it is a video, it is even worse. In the mobile Internet, the use of China Mobile 20M monthly GRPS users are still many.

Although I believe that with the development of technology, all the speed and flow problems will be eased, but at this stage, this is still an important obstacle.

This article address: http://uxcafe.org/blog/2013/07/769