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File cloud. Cloud storage test: where to store data more securely

  • no connection to a specific device
  • Data on the Internet is much better protected than on your device.

The best cloud services

Advantages: fast file synchronization, better cross-platform functionality.

Flaws: poor integration with mobile applications.

The online service will be convenient for users for exchanging “large” files and for those who prefer Yandex services. Mobile application developers are integrating support for Dropbox and Google Drive services, allowing you to download new videos and e-books directly from the cloud. "Yandex. Disk, a service from the most popular search engine on the RuNet, is not popular among foreign developers, but its main advantages are different:

  1. It provides high synchronization speed because... The company's servers are located in Russia, not in the USA, which can be useful for exchanging “heavy” files.
  2. You can connect to Yandex.Disk in a variety of ways, including using any WebDAV client, Windows Phone, and even the almost dead Symbian mobile OS.
  3. The “cloud” will help you easily transfer information (SMS, contacts, call history) from an outdated phone (Java, Windows Mobile, etc.) to a new one (Android, iPhone).

The basic volume for storing content on Yandex.Disk is limited to 10 GB. To expand it, you can bring friends to the service (512 MB for each) and participate in various promotions. Now, for example, the Russian search engine gives buyers of products from the Samsung ATIV series 50 GB “on top” for a period of 2 years.

Dropbox - the best file storage with mobile access

  • The provided volume is 2 GB. You can “earn” additional space for a referral.
  • Simplicity, support for all major platforms (Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Kindle Fire).
  • Convenient creation of photo galleries
  • Tariffs: 100 GB - $9.99/month, 200 GB - $19.99/month, 500 GB - $49.99/month.

The service is suitable for owners of mobile devices and computers with a variety of platforms, as well as for those who need a lightweight “cloud” to store files and, if necessary, quickly send links to them to friends. Due to its flexible pricing policy, Dropbox can be an excellent choice for corporate users.

Advantages:

  • there is no limit on the size of the downloaded file through the client;
  • simple interface and setup, cross-platform;
  • Dropbox support is widely integrated into numerous iOS/Android apps.

Flaws: if you need to rent more than 500 GB, you will have to buy a business account (at least 5 users).

Dropbox is built entirely around file storage. The Dropbox website has a very user-friendly interface with easy navigation, and its many clients make it extremely easy to set up. At the time of registration, users are allocated only 2 free gigabytes, but additional space can be “earned” (16 GB maximum) by inviting friends (500 MB per referral), connecting your account to Facebook and Twitter, uploading photos and videos, installing the Mailbox application, etc. P.

Apple's iCloud

iPhone and iPad users should pay attention to the service from Apple iCloud. Free (basic version) storage automatically syncs all apps, books, photos and music. The provided volume is 5 GB for your personal data, such as mail, documents and settings, without the opportunity to earn space through referrals. As you might expect, there are only a couple of supported platforms: iOS and OS X, so the online service is suitable only for Apple users. Apple offers the following tariffs: 10 GB - 650 rubles/year, 20 GB - 1300 rubles/year, 50 GB - 3250 rubles/year.

Advantages: free web office (Pages, Numbers, Keynote), easy setup;

Flaws: limited by the Apple ecosystem, small amount of free memory.

The Apple cloud is not an additional space on your computer into which you can drag and drop the desired file. iCloud is primarily a service that syncs certain types of data exclusively between Apple devices. For example, if you take a photo or video on an iPhone, you can save it to the cloud, but you won’t be able to view the captured content on an Android or Windows smartphone.

iCloud is convenient, but only if you use several Apple devices - say, a MacBook Pro laptop and an iPhone. Once you set up the service, you can forget about transferring reminders, contacts, and Safari bookmarks. However, if you want to take full advantage of iCloud, you still have to buy additional storage. The 5 GB provided for free, even though purchases and photos are not taken into account, is clearly not enough to store all the necessary information: passwords from Keychain, events from Calendar, application data, letters from Mail, backup copies of Apple devices, etc. other things.

If the user focuses on the photo, then I advise cloud service from Google— (especially useful for photographers, your portfolio will always be at hand, since Picasa mobile applications exist for all platforms). Picasa is also worthy of attention due to the integration of an online photo editor into its photo service Picnik, which is quite suitable for simple photo processing. Picnik is based on effects and semi-automatic processing.

If you need a full-fledged photo editor program, I recommend taking a closer look at Pixlr. The service is free and has a wide range of functions.

We store music in online storage

Amazon Cloud Drive

  • The offered free volume is 5 GB of space in online storage
  • A client for downloading music from a PC and a mobile application for playing on the Android platform.

Mspot

  • Provided volume - 5 GB of online storage
  • An application for working with a PC and playing content on the main mobile platforms - Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7 (an online radio function is also available on Android).

The largest file storage on the Internet

[email protected]

  • Free disk space - 100 GB without the ability to “earn” space.
  • Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, OS X, Android, iOS (iPhone only).

Advantages: huge space absolutely free

Flaws: The functionality of the service is currently weak.

"[email protected]" is a young online service, opened only in 2013. In this regard, it does not yet have paid options, and many functions are in development. For example, there is no client version for mobile devices, there is no integration with Mail.ru mail and no downloading of attachments from the cloud, the web interface is not fully developed. It is worth noting that 100 GB is not offered by any competing cloud.

ADrive

  • The provided volume is 50 GB.
  • Access from the Desktop or via FTP is paid - about 200 rubles per month
  • Lack of applications for mobile devices.
  • Upload size limit - 2 GB
  • Usage cloud service as a file hosting service (sending a link by email).

Microsoft's OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive)

  • Available free space – 7 GB with the opportunity to “earn” additional space
  • Tariffs: for 50 GB - $25/year (up to 200 GB);
  • Supported platforms: Windows, Windows Phone, OS X, Android, iOS
  • Suitable for active users of Windows devices, including tablets and Windows Phone smartphones.

Advantages: integration with the Microsoft Office office suite.

Flaws: linking to a Microsoft account, which opens access to services that may not be in demand (Outlook, Xbox Live, etc.).

The OneDrive online service, formerly known as SkyDrive, is a “cloud” from Microsoft with all the ensuing advantages. The service provides deep integration with computers and laptops based on Windows 8 and 8.1, Xbox consoles and Windows smartphones. However, unlike the closed iCloud, OneDrive can be run on competing platforms. More importantly, OneDrive is tightly coupled with Windows applications (Office, Photos, etc.), meaning users can easily open and edit documents with a couple of taps. You can get more space in two ways: invite a friend (additional 5 GB) and set up automatic synchronization of file storage with your smartphone’s photo gallery (another 3 GB).

Universal online office

Drive from Google

I recommend it to almost everyone cloud service Google Drive for use as an online office and more.

  • Providing access to documents to other users.
  • Work with text documents, tables and presentations.
  • Insert images and videos with one click.
  • Mobile applications for iOS and Android (access to your documents from a smartphone).

P.S. It’s impossible to list all the possibilities, it’s easier to try it yourself or read it.

Connecting online storage in the form of a disk to Explorer

Majority online storage support the WebDAV protocol, so to integrate the online storage drive into Explorer, do the following:

  • Right-click on “My Computer | Map network drive" and select the desired letter.
  • Enter address: URL of your service/your_drive, having previously registered on the project website.

Allows you to integrate the disk into Explorer if cloud service does not support this function.

Connecting the utility:

  • In the installation menu, select “Add My Cloud Storage Account” to integrate the storage drive into Windows Explorer.
  • Click on the desired service, give the disk a name and log in.

Gladinet supports the following online file storage services Google Docs, Picasa and Windows Live SkyDrive.

Box

Supported OS: OS X, Windows, Android, BlackBerry, iOS;

Advantages: high reliability, flexible privacy settings.

Flaws: strong limitation on the size of the downloaded file, lack of version history in the free subscription;

Box is one of the oldest “clouds”, but it is not as popular among ordinary Internet users as Dropbox. This online service is focused on corporate and IT users. It offers them fine-tuning of file access rights, shared folders with an “expiration date”, ample opportunities for previewing and editing documents, FTP access, recording logs, etc. Secondly, the size of a single file in Box cannot exceed 250 MB, although, in turn, Dropbox does not impose restrictions when downloading from a mobile client. Thirdly, the free Box account does not support version history, i.e. it is impossible to return to the previous contents of a file a couple of days ago.

Still, Box is considered reliable storage. It uses 256-bit encryption, and all information is transmitted to the cloud via a secure SLL protocol. The service is integrated (plugins required) with Microsoft Office, Salesforce, NetSuite and Adobe Lightroom, and the browser version allows you to create simple text documents.

Attention! Some services only accept certain types of files.

We all use cloud storage, and some of us even pay a subscription fee to store files beyond our allotted limit. This is convenient - if we have the Internet, we can access all the files that we have copied to the cloud at any time. But such services also have disadvantages: they can be hacked by hackers, files can get to strangers, and if the cloud owners are not satisfied with the content you store with them, your account can be blocked, and then all the files will be lost. Creating your own cloud is a great solution, although it has its drawbacks.

Advantages of a personal cloud:

No limits. You can store as many files as fit on the drives on your computer.
- No fees, everything is free (except electricity).
- Complete privacy. Files are copied from your computer to other devices without using a third-party server.
- Ability to share an unlimited number of folders and files with other users.
- Manage access levels to files and folders.

Disadvantages of a personal cloud:

You will have to keep the computer turned on all the time, otherwise remote access to files will be lost.
- It will not be possible to connect your cloud to most applications that work with popular storages.
- The risk of losing files due to a computer failure.

How to create your own cloud:

1. Go to the website and create an account.

2. Download the Tonido Server program. Install it, run it and allow it access to the network (if the firewall dialog box pops up). This program creates a server from a computer, so that files stored on it can be accessed from anywhere in the world via the Internet.

3. The Tonido Server icon hangs in the notification panel. By clicking on it, the browser opens the local address http://127.0.0.1:10001 with a service interface where you can specify which folders will be added to the cloud.

4. Download the Tonido mobile or desktop app. Launch it and log into your account. If you see files in the application that are stored on your computer, then the cloud is ready and you can use it. Now you will always have all the files you need with you.

The app can open several types of files, including videos, music and texts. Any file can be downloaded to your device or sent to a friend (by email or with direct access via a link in the Tonido service).

Strictly speaking, a server running on a home computer cannot be considered a full-fledged cloud service. The cloud is a professional solution that uses the technology of distributing files across several servers, making the risk of their loss almost eliminated. The likelihood of data corruption can be minimized at home - for this, for example, you can create a RAID array. But even in this case, other risks remain, such as physical damage to the computer or its theft. It's harder to protect yourself from this.

Hello friends! Today's article is about Mail.Ru cloud storage. Let's look at how to use the cloud via the web interface:

How to upload files there and share links to them;
How to create folders and configure access to them;
How to move, rename and delete files.
How to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations directly in the cloud.
And other subtleties of use.

The beauty of any cloud storage is that it gives you additional space to store your files online.

No need to clutter up your computer again.

It’s convenient to share files with other people (just open access via a link).

And since I have a mailbox on Mile, I decided to use this storage as well. Moreover, 25 GB of memory is available here for free. Insert from 2018 - now they give 8 GB for free.

In general, this is all theory. And we will move on to practice.

Watch my video instructions for working with the Mail.Ru cloud below:

So, as you already understand, to gain access to the cloud on Mail.Ru you need to register a mailbox here. By doing this, you create your account through which you can use other Mail services, including cloud storage.

Although it is not necessary to register a mailbox, you can use Mail to log into your mail located on another service. I showed this in the video (watch from the 11th minute 46th second). Thus, your mailbox, for example on Yandex, will open in the Mail.ru interface and you will also be able to use the cloud.

To go to the cloud, being on the main page of Mail.Ru, you need to click on the “All projects” tab and select “Cloud”.

Initially, pictures and a video file are already loaded there, which you can delete. Delete files possibly in several ways. If you need to delete several files at once, mark them with a checkmark and click on the “Delete” button at the top.

Or right-click on the file and select “Delete”. Again, if you have marked several files, they will all be deleted.

And one nuance - in the Mail.ru cloud there is no recycle bin into which deleted files go, as on the same Yandex disk. From there we can restore them. We delete it from the cloud immediately!

To add files from your computer to the cloud, use the “Download” button in the upper left corner.

You can upload using the “Select files on your computer” button, or drag them into the upload window with the mouse. There is a limitation - the uploaded file size is up to 2 GB.

Next to the “Download” button we see the “Create” button. We use it for creating folders, documents (Word), tables (Excel) or presentations (power point) directly in the cloud.

If you want to organize your files in the cloud, then create special folders for them. To move file to folder, select it with a checkmark, right-click, select “Move”.

A window will open in which you can select a folder to move or immediately create a new one.

Generally, we can use the right mouse button for different actions on files– delete, move, copy, download, generate a link for other people or send by mail. It is very comfortable.

By the way, if you need download several files from the cloud at once. You select them with checkmarks and they will be automatically packed into one archive for downloading.

If you open access to a file for a while, and then want to delete this link, then select the desired file with the mouse, right-click and select “Delete link”.

All your files to which you have shared access can also be found in the “Sharing” section.

If a link to a file from the Mail.Ru cloud was shared with you, then you can download it immediately or save it to your cloud. You will have the option to specify a folder (where you want to save this file) or you can create a new folder for it.

Now a few words about setting up access to folders. You can share any folder with the ability to edit. That is, other users will also be able to add files to this folder.

To set up access to a folder, check the box and click on the “Set up access” tab.

Editing access can only be made available to individual members you invite via email.

If you are going to send an invitation to a user with a mailbox other than Mail.ru, then he will receive the invitation only if he logs into his mail via Mail. More about this Here.

This user will see the following invitation in their mailbox:

Having accepted it in his cloud, in the “Sharing” section, he will find the folder that you opened for him and will be able to add his files to it. You, in turn, will see all the changes he made in your folder.

And also, you can change the display of files in the cloud. And instead of large icons, you will have this compact list:

Friends, if this is your first time getting acquainted with Mail.Ru cloud storage, I hope that the instructions were clear to you. In any case, I'm always happy to answer your questions in the comments.

I wish you success!

Sincerely, Victoria

With the advent of solid-state SSD drives, speeds have become higher, but the amount of free disk space has decreased significantly. Of course, a few thousand dollars can solve any problem, but if it is possible to solve the problem without investment, why not take advantage of it? Today's article is dedicated to reviewing ten most popular cloud services, who will be happy to take on the storage of a wide variety of volumes of your data.

Note.“Natural selection” was based on several criteria. Firstly, it is mandatory to have a client for desktop and mobile versions of operating systems. Secondly, many of the services presented below have stood the test of time or are separate projects of reputable IT companies. This top ten does not include “shared” services with free terabytes of free space (we’ll talk about them in the next part), but security and encryption are at the forefront.

Box
Website: www.box.com
Year of foundation: 2005
Clients: Windows, OS X, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Blackberry
10 GB

A true “old-timer” in the cloud services environment. This year, remote storage will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Upon registration, the user is given 10 GB free space with the possibility of paid expansion to an unlimited business package.

Significant disadvantage Box is the limit on the size of the downloaded file. In the free 10 GB plan, upload a file more than 250 MB is not possible. Paid packages are limited to 5 GB file size.

Bitcasa
Website: www.bitcasa.com
Year of foundation: 2011
Clients:
Free volume upon registration: 5 GB

One of the few services that support data transfer technology WebDAV. After installing the client Bitcasa, you get access to remote disk space without having to store the source on your computer.

The maximum amount of disk space provided is 10 TB. The Bitcasa service supports data streaming (in paid packages) and simultaneous access of several users to one account.

Cloud Me
Website: www.cloudme.com
Year of foundation: 2011
Clients: Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS
Free volume upon registration: 3 – 19 GB

The main feature of the service Cloud Me is support for the generation of “smart TVs” – Smart TV and some models of media players. Cloud Me works as a remote WebDAV network drive.

You can earn additional free space by sending invitations to friends. The maximum volume of a remote hard drive allowed within the services is 500 GB for a private user and 5 TB as business solutions.

Copy.com
Website: www.copy.com
Year of foundation: 2013
Clients:
Free volume upon registration: 15 GB

Cloud service Copy.com almost completely replicates the functionality of the Dropbox service. A distinctive feature of this cloud is the high level of data protection and the absence of any limits on the size of the downloaded file.

For IT companies and as a business solution, favorable tariffs are provided with shared account access and a minimum amount of disk space of 1 TB.

Dropbox
Website: www.dropbox.com
Year of foundation: 2008
Clients: Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, Windows Phone
Free volume upon registration: 2 GB

One of the pioneers of the cloud services market. Compared to competitors' offerings, the amount of remote disk space provided upon registration is meager 2 GB. To get additional space you will need to invite your friends (by 500 MB per person) and closely monitor promotions.

It seems that the main motto Dropbox: "all or nothing". Tariff plans are limited to just two offers. Dropbox has a special tariff for corporate users, costing $15 per month from unlimited disk space. You can try out the benefits of the business version absolutely free with a 2-week trial period.

Google Drive
Website: google.drive
Year of foundation: 2012
Clients: Windows, OS X, Android, iOS
Free volume upon registration: 15 GB

The amount of disk space that the search giant provides to the user immediately after registration is 15 GB. In addition to the Web interface, Google Drive There is also a desktop version for Mac computers and clients for Android and iOS mobile operating systems.

A corporate version is also available Google Drive for Work, providing for the storage of more impressive amounts of data at special rates.

Another feature of Google Drive is the ability to work with documents without an Internet connection. To do this, just enable the Offline access function in the corresponding application.

Mega
Website: www.mega.co.nz
Year of foundation: 2013
Clients: Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, Blackberry
Free volume upon registration: 50 GB

Perhaps the most generous service, providing the user immediately after registration 50 GB. High degree of data encryption, access key generation, cross-platform and affordable tariff plans.

When registering for the service, create a strong password, ALWAYS remember it and save the encryption key. If the key is lost or the password is forgotten, it will be impossible to restore access to the downloaded data.

Microsoft One Drive
Website: www.onedrive.live.com
Year of foundation: 2007
Clients: Windows, OS X, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Xbox
Free volume upon registration: 15 GB

Company Microsoft decided to keep up with competitors and also joined cloud information storage services. You can get it absolutely free 15 GB free space.

Promotion! Two days ago, Microsoft announced a special offer: all Dropbox users will receive 100 GB free for 1 year. To get bonus space, you just need to allow files to be uploaded from One Drive to Dropbox via the Web interface.

[email protected]
Website: www.cloud.mail.ru
Year of foundation: 2013
Clients: Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS (iPhone)
Free volume upon registration: 100 GB

A relatively young service by cloud storage standards that provides the user with 100 GB upon registration from the domestic holding Mail.ru.

No additional tariffs in [email protected] is not provided, just as there is no possibility of additional “earnings” of free gigabytes by inviting friends and registering using referral links.

Yandex.Disk
Website: www.disk.yandex.ru
Year of foundation: 2012
Clients: Windows, OS X, Android, iOS, Windows Phone
Free volume upon registration: 10 GB

Domestic search engine Yandex is also a confident player in the cloud storage market. Cross-platform synchronization and 10 GB free disk space immediately after registration.

Clouds, clouds - gigabyte platforms!

If you are tired of running between work and home with a flash drive, constantly carrying a laptop with the necessary files, and you want your important files to be available to you or your team on any computer or mobile device, then they can help you .

Cloud data storage- an online storage model in which data is stored on numerous servers distributed over the network, provided for use by clients, mainly third parties. In contrast to the model of storing data on your own dedicated servers, purchased or rented specifically for such purposes, the number or any internal structure of servers is generally not visible to the client. The data is stored, as well as processed, in the so-called cloud , which is, from the client’s point of view, one large, virtual server. Cloud data storage.

Offers to your attention review of 10+ free and paid cloud storage services.

Cloud data storage:

1. Google Drive

Google Drive- cloud data storage from Google, which speaks for itself. Google Drive allows users to store their data on servers and share it with other users on the Internet. Cloud storage divides space between Google Drive, Gmail and Google Photos. The service can store not only documents, but also photos, music, videos and many other files - 30 types in total. Everything is very convenient and familiar to users of Google services.

Google Drive pricing plans

The maximum file size is 5 TB.

Available in web browsers, Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, etc.

2. Microsoft OneDrive

OneDrive- Microsoft SkyDrive, renamed in February 2014, is a cloud-based Internet file storage service with file sharing functions. By the way, SkyDrive was created in August 2007 by Microsoft. Now OneDrive one of the flagships of cloud data storage.

Service advantage OneDrive is that it is immediately integrated with Office 365, so directly from the application you can create, edit, save Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint and Word files to Windows Live OneDrive.

Service OneDrive allows you to store it for now for free 5 GB (although previously 15 GB were offered) information organized using standard folders. Images are previewed in the form of thumbnails, as well as the ability to view them in the form of slides.