File Sharing Options Made Simple
If you work remotely, collaborate online with others, or have more than one computer, file sharing software is a practical and economical solution. The following 5 options can assist you with file version control and act as a safeguard to backup your data: most applications are password protected and use SSL encryption to keep your information safe.
Mozy
Mozy backs up your digital data at regular intervals while you continue working on your computer. Unlike some software, Mozy only backs up the data that has changed, which helps it run quickly without expending computer resources. The two products offered are MozyHome for individuals and MozyPro for businesses. MozyPro includes all of the features of MozyHome, with the addition of server support, network drive support, 24-hour technical support, customized domain, and centralized billing.
- Private File Sharing: yes
- Public File Sharing: no
- File Search: yes
- Drag-and-Drop: no
- Online Chat Support: paid subscribers only
- Price: MozyHome – 50GB for $5.99 per month, 125GB for 9.99 per month
A-Drive
A-Drive gives a generous 50GB of storage free of charge. Features include File Transfer Protocol (FTP, available to paid memberships), the ability to edit documents online, Zoho Editor, and international character support. Need a lot of storage? Buy up to 10TB.
- Private File Sharing: yes
- Public File Sharing: yes
- File Search: yes
- Drag-and-Drop: no
- Online Chat Support: no
- Price: 50GB free with Basic Plan; 50GB is $6.95 per month with Signature Plan; additional plans available.
Box
Box offers a Personal plan that is somewhat bare bones. Try the Business version, which is $15 per user per month (take advantage of a 14-day trial) for features like Google Apps integration, document version history, and download stats tracking.
- Private File Sharing: yes
- Public File Sharing: yes
- File Search: yes
- Drag-and-Drop: no
- Online Chat Support: no
- Price: 5GB free with Personal Plan; 25GB is $9.99 per month; 50GB is $19.99 per month.
IBackup
IBackup offers several plans, all of which support unlimited PCs and Macs. Watch for promotions; sometimes IBackup will increase the number of GBs – for example, if you sign up at the right time, the 10GB plan would give you 100GB for the same price. Check the website for a plethora of products – there’s surely something to meet your needs.
- Private File Sharing: yes
- Public File Sharing: no
- File Search: no
- Drag-and-Drop: yes
- Online Chat Support: yes
- Price: 10GB is $9.95 per month; 20GB is $19.95 per month; 50GB is 49.95 per month; 100GB is 99.95 per month; 200GB is 199.95 per month; 300GB is 299.95 per month.
SugarSync
SugarSync updates changes in real-time, a feature that most file sharing systems do not offer; however, it does seem to zap the computer of its resources, which may outweigh the benefit. Are you mobile? SugarSync works with BlackBerry, iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Mobile, and Symbian. SugarSync also offers media options that many competitors do not.
- Private File Sharing: yes
- Public File Sharing: yes
- File Search: no
- Drag-and-Drop: no
- Online Chat Support: yes
- Price: 30GB is $4.99 per month; 60GB is $9.99 per month, 100GB is $14.99 per month; 2500GB is $24.99 per month.
Consider using one of the above systems – or another file sharing software application – if you are concerned about data loss or want to work collaboratively with others. Anyone who has lost important files in the past can avoid doing so in the future.
