As the trend to reduce reliance on costly hardware and infrastructure grows, interest in storing files and data in the cloud is becoming more prevalent. There are seemingly infinite cloud services to choose from, and because WebDrive connects to all of the most popular ones, our customers often ask us, “which cloud storage service is best?” The answer is, “it depends.”
Cloud services provide easy access to all of your data—your work files, and any other digital assets– from wherever you are. Which cloud service you should choose depends on things like who will access the files, what files types you will be storing, what applications you use, and whether files contain sensitive data. Here are a few points to consider:
Pros
- Works well if you and your collaborators are all standardized on Office365, as it is integrated into Windows 10’s file explorer.
- Known for its good collaboration capabilities and it’s clear, easy-to-use interface.
Cons
- Many versions of Office exist, and if you have people using all different versions, it can create significant challenges.
- Non-Office files can also be difficult to collaborate on.
Using a File Transfer client like WebDrive to access your OneDrive files allows you to open and edit them using the program of your choice. WebDrive can alleviate the issues of different versions of Office, or non-office files.
Box
Pros
- Great for enterprises, with business-oriented features.
- Gives 10GB of storage to free users.
- Very easy to use with a rich feature set.
Cons
- Doesn’t do as well as the other cloud services with upload speeds.
- Lacks some of the collaboration features that other competitors offer.
- Intricate feature set makes it a challenge for some to use.
Box is notoriously challenging and has a reputation of being for more “advanced” users. However, if your business uses Box, WebDrive can greatly simplify access for your users, and can be preconfigured with the correct settings for Box, so that setup is a snap.
WebDrive is the productivity tool that integrates the cloud into your desktop environment.
DropBox
Pros
- Very easy to use with an intuitive, basic interface.
- Works well on all operating systems.
- A great “starter” service for people who may be less familiar with cloud storage.
Cons
- The free version does not offer as much storage (2GB) as its competitors.
- There have been significant security issues with DropBox in the past. If you aren’t storing confidential data with DropBox , this may not be a concern.
WebDrive’s advanced security features can help to keep your files safe in the event that a new security issue with DropBox arises. Features such as Advanced Endpoint Protection and secure passwords make WebDrive the most secure file transfer client choice.
Google Drive
Pros
- A popular tool that is great for teams and collaboration.
- Includes large amounts of free storage space as long as you are using Google apps to create your files.
- Has a backup and sync feature that allows you to connect your Drive to your personal computer and any other files you choose outside the existing data in your cloud storage.
Cons
- Works best if your workplace is completely standardized on Google Docs. If not, it can be challenging to collaborate on files.
- If your collaborators aren’t all using Google tools, you could have some productivity problems.
- Google syncs your files to your local desktop to improve the speed of access. If you have a large amount of storage, this wastes space on all the PCs on your network.
Why store your files in the cloud, if you have to waste space by keeping copies on your PC? WebDrive connects to all cloud storage services without requiring a local file sync.
S3
Pros
- Very durable and easy to manage.
- Secure, with a variety of encryption services available.
- Features extensive documentation, so you will have little trouble getting issues solved.
Cons
- Not as intuitive for beginners, particularly during set up.
- Downloading data can become pricey, depending on how much/how often you are doing it.
A File Transfer client like WebDrive can give you the ability to preconfigure settings for your end users so that they don’t have to go through the difficult S3 setup process—saving you time and headaches.
How Can a File Transfer Client Help?
All of these services are excellent options, but they also have their shortcomings. As mentioned above, a file transfer program can help to resolve many of the limitations of these cloud services. WebDrive can launch any file in your native app, so you don’t have to worry about ensuring that you and your coworkers are using the same programs to collaborate on files.
Further, if you have a hybrid environment where some files are in the cloud and some are on an SFTP Server, WebDrive keeps you organized by allowing you to see all of your cloud storage/server files through one interface. Since WebDrive connects to multiple cloud services, SFTP servers, and SharePoint, it makes it easy to access each location as if those files were right on your workstation. It truly allows for easy access to any file stored nearly anywhere, and lets you use any version of any application to access and edit your files.
Users say: “If you use a variety of backend servers, WebDrive provides a consistent interface, and if you are updating remote files frequently, it can save you a great deal of time” and also that “WebDrive is an innovative and effective way of providing secure access to storage.”
Ready to try WebDrive File Transfer Client to connect to your favorite cloud storage?
