

Choosing the Private Cloud for secure file syncing - yurisagalov
http://blog.aerofs.com/choosing-the-private-cloud-for-secure-file-syncing/

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nodata
Or you could choose an open-source tool like syncthing
([http://syncthing.net](http://syncthing.net)) or clearskies
([https://github.com/jewel/clearskies](https://github.com/jewel/clearskies))
or turtl ([https://turtl.it](https://turtl.it))

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egeozcan
My biggest fear is some tool/technology/protocol which is not well-tested
destroying my data and all copies. My second biggest fear is that thing being
closed source.

~~~
nodata
Snapshots + rdiff will get you the reassurance you want.

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egeozcan
I actually have 2 ZFS based arrays in different locations, rsync-ing happily
but... let's say I really like my data.

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rdl
In the interests of full disclosure, I'm a happy AeroFS user; we use it to
sync normal corp files plus also larger files (.isos and VM images) across a
small number of users and a larger number of workstations. It was a little
annoying in the past having to get Mac Java to work, but now that everything
is bundled I don't have any major complaints.

It's pretty much my go-to answer for small team file syncing. It probably
doesn't make sense for individual users unless they're technically
sophisticated with a lot of computers. For larger enterprise use, no one has
yet asked me to set up file sharing, but AeroFS would be a top option I'd
consider.

The biggest problem with AeroFS now is that there isn't a whole lot of
adoption on the mobile API, so mobile apps tend to support Dropbox, iCloud,
and maybe Box (if enterprise focused), but not "save to AeroFS".

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runjake
What do you recommend for individual users with 3-5 desktops/laptops and 2 iOS
devices?

Note for the unclued: rdl is the author of the linked article.

~~~
rdl
If you need in-app syncing on iOS, Dropbox -- just be aware of the security
limitations. iCloud has serious issues if you're not all-Apple, and moderate
issues if you are all-Apple.

SpiderOak might be a good option, although there (like AeroFS) isn't much
integration with iOS apps yet. Their security model and general thinking is
probably the best of the public options. (Tahoe-LAFS is interesting too, but
not really ready for prime time; it's a lot more like AeroFS in design with
commercial providers added on.)

I still use Google Docs/Drive to share collaboratively-edited files with some
people, and iCloud for iOS device backups, so I think the answer is there
isn't a single answer.

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mysteriousllama
My solution to cloud storage has always been encryption. TrueCrypt,
Boxcryptor, gpg with a frontend, etc.

If your files are properly encrypted you can safely store them anywhere you
like, using whatever technology that best fits your usage scenario.

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aganek
Full discloser: I'm a founder at Cloudtenna.

AeroFS is a great option for file-syncing. Compare public file sync (Dropbox),
private file sync (AeroFS), and traditional network file shares (CIFS/NFS).

Can you risk files in the public cloud? If no, you're limited to just private
file sync and traditional network shares. And this is where AeroFS can shine.

You may already have a network share. Its secure. But its a pain to access
remotely (VPN) and mobile devices are not compatible at all. So you may choose
to migrate your files into an AeroFS Private Cloud so you can sync files
instead of browsing files via the network. Syncing files to your desktop gives
you offline/remote access.

I'd argue the most secure option is probably leaving data where it already is.
If you already have a file server, with permissions and such thats already
vetted secure. Cloudtenna adds mobile file access to your on-prem file server.
No need to migrate files to a new storage platform.

My blatant pitch aside, AeroFS is right solution if you want to replace
mounted network file shares with file sync. Cloudtenna, instead, is good for
adding the web/mobile access features of Dropbox to your existing network
shares.

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Down_n_Out
Maybe not entirely the same, but I'm a happy user of BitTorrent Sync
([https://bittorrent.com/](https://bittorrent.com/)), it keeps all my machines
in Sync flawlessly (Windows, Macs, iDevices ...) There's even a client for
Synology, so you could create some folder on your NAS and sync it with your
devices .

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MartinMond
Yeah I have to second BitTorrent Sync.

It really shows that they have experience transferring big files over the
internet (via P2P). With Dropbox I often only get 100-300 kb/s upload,
BitTorrent Sync maxes out my connection. Download is a similar story.

And with encrypted secrets the server part is easy too. (Obviously you've got
to trust them, but I'm writing this on OS X so...)

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markshepard
Tonido FileCloud (www.getfilecloud.com) is another great option for Secure
Private Cloud File Sharing and Sync for Enterprises. The mobile apps are
polished and no java client requirement for sync clients. Check it out. You
will be glad.

