The enterprise world has been savvy to the benefits of offsite file-hosting and synchronization for some time. IT experts are aware of the convenience, security, and utility of these services.
However, in recent years, a group of startups has been bringing the idea of cloud storage to consumers, adding efficiency to small business and personal file management. Dropbox in particular has gained acclaim for its popular file hosting service.
Dropbox lacks the extensive features of enterprise systems such as those offered by Zetta. But for many individuals, I suspect that’s just fine. The service offers drag-and-drop functionality, an extremely simple set up process, and a free account with up to 2 Gigabytes of storage.
How Dropbox Works
Dropbox has 3 main components: PC software (Windows, Mac, Linux), web access, and mobile phone apps (iPhone, Android).
Install the PC software, and you’ll be left with a folder in your file system that looks and behaves like any other. Software running in the background periodically uploads and syncs the contents. The iPhone app is surprisingly useful, enabling viewing of PDF and even MS Office files (though I can’t edit them in-app.)
Paid versions run at $9.99 a month for 50 Gigabytes of storage and $19.99 for the 100 Gigabyte version.
Easy to Use But Low on Features
The desktop software is easy to install, and the service requires no technical expertise to initiate. I’ve been using the free, 2 Gig version to host a small group of files, eliminating my reliance on thumb drives and e-mail as file storage.
For all its ease of use, Dropbox offers limited functionality. For instance, data on a local hard drive cannot be synced with the service: It’s either in the Dropbox folder or it’s not. If you wanted regular backups of your home computer’s photo folder, you would need to either manually copy it to Dropbox on a regular basis or implement another software service that could handle the task. I simply don’t see the practicality of Dropbox as a backup service.
That said, for what it is, Dropbox is a fantastic service. They call it a “magic pocket” in their marketing, and that’s probably the right pitch. It’s a handy folder that works without any maintenance or setup, and which you can access anywhere. Furthermore, savvy developers have implemented creative uses for the service, including remote PC access, iPhone text editing, and password backups.
However, it’s not a replacement for your hard drive or more robust backup solutions. For true enterprise requirements with features like automatic synchronization, 7-year version history, snapshots, multi-site replication, and instant restore, check out Zetta Data Protect™.