Cloud Storage: Sync’ing Dropbox, Google Drive, Box.com

Cloud storage has some fabulous benefits for a small business or solopreneur, but it can also have some drawbacks – particularly when your clients use different systems!

As a small business owner, who works in distributed client teams, I find that I am often overwhelmed by the number of Cloud services that I have to use to be effective in my client teams.  I have my own online folder system that allows me to easily manage my business from anywhere, on any device (Android, iPad, iPhone, computer, Web interface) – but I also have to be able to share my files with the client, using their preferred system.  It can get very complicated at times – particularly if you forget to copy a file from one system to another!

To overcome this complication in the Cloud Computing model, smart app developers have created some services and programs that help us Sync files between Google Drive, Drop box, Box.com, FTP and more …

My Backup Box is a service that lets you connect Box.com, DropBox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, FTP, SFTP and even mySQL servers and transfer content via a few clicks of a mouse.

The paid version of this service will also allow you to schedule transfers between your various Cloud computing folders to ensure that you have the documents you need, WHERE you need them.

Attachments.me is a GMail add-on that will allow you attach documents from Box.com, Dropbox or Google Drive, right into your GMail interface.

This nifty little extension will also let you upload a file to your cloud storage account and attach it to your emails.

A feature that I have yet to explore in any great detail is the automatic ‘attachment management’.  You can set rules that will take attachments from your received emails and store them in your cloud storage system.  I’m certain that this will make life easier for Small Business Owners who receive invoices and work orders (to name just two things) via email.

Cloud Storage when Mobile?

Being able to have files sync’d between the different cloud storage systems is one thing, but being able to access files on your mobile devices without accessing the Internet is sometimes a requirement.  Two apps that I like – one for an Android and one for ios Devices (iPhone / iPad etc) – are:

Folder Sync for Android:  enables the synchronisation between cloud storage and Android devices.  This app enables simple sync to cloud based storage to and from local folders on the device.  It currently supports multiple SkyDrive, Dropbox, SugarSync, Ubuntu One, Box.net, LiveDrive, HiDrive, Google Docs, NetDocuments, Amazon S3, FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV or windows share (Samba/CIFS) accounts…. a wide variety of cloud storage systems.

So far, the best app I’ve found for ios devices is GoodReader.  GoodReader works with Dropbox, SkyDrive, SugarSync, Box.com, FTP and SFTP servers and any IMAP Email server.

Using the “connect to servers” function, when using WiFi, to connect to other ios or WebDav servers.

Cloud Storage: Make Your Life Easier

With distributed teams and more businesses taking advantage of cloud storage systems – the different systems can introduce a level of complexity for service providers.  Knowing what options are available and deciding how to structure your use of the different systems will help business effectiveness…

What systems do you use to keep track of the different Cloud Storage services available?