How to use Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud
How to use Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud cloud storage solutions
Cloud storage solutions were in one case considered less reliable than concrete storage, but not anymore. Nowadays, individuals and businesses happily store essential documents and personal information on the deject. Providers offering hundreds of gigabytes or fifty-fifty terabytes at affordable rates, and more consumers are choosing to switch to the best cloud storage solutions.
1 huge advantage is that you can admission documents from any device with an internet connection. Important information isn't spring to one physical desktop, which is especially useful for teams who collaborate on projects. However, the market is saturated with options, and it can be difficult to decide which cloud storage solution will best serve the needs of you or your business.
Simply before you consider switching to cloud storage, in that location are several critical questions to enquire. For example, can the cloud really supervene upon the trusty hard drive every bit your main location? How piece of cake is it to access important files and documents from other devices? And perhaps most importantly of all: will your data be safe?
In this commodity, we'll answer these questions and provide insights into how to make the most of your cloud storage solution, no thing which platform yous cull. We'll explain how to use Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, and iCloud. When yous see these service'southward capabilities, yous should be able to decide which is right for you.
Cloud storage solutions: How to choose yours
The near important pace in moving to cloud storage is making sure you choose a platform that suits you. For case, iCloud is best suited for people who predominantly use Apple tree devices: if you lot regularly use a Windows figurer or an Android device, iCloud probably isn't right for you lot.
Likewise, if you apply Microsoft 365 applications exclusively, so Microsoft OneDrive will likely be the most seamless platform for y'all. If you use Google Workspace or Google Docs, so Google Bulldoze will probably be your best choice. The point is to find the provider that best fits your computer and software usage.
Free or paid?
It tin frequently be tempting to use free cloud storage solutions, but we suggest against it for business. The reality is that these plans offer limited storage, can be less reliable, won't provide high-quality customer support, and data security protocols are more likely to exist below standard.
We likewise discourage business users from using a complimentary solution because providers of the best cloud storage for business offering highly affordable packages. Compared to the frustration and lost productivity of a poorly performing platform, or the costs of information loss or a cyberattack, investing in a loftier-quality service is a no-brainer.
Some storage-every bit-a-service products even come up included in other software bundles. For example, all Microsoft 365 subscribers become 1TB of included OneDrive storage. If y'all already apply the Microsoft 365 suite of applications, it's probable you already have 1 of the all-time cloud storage platforms at your disposal.
Security, encryption, and backups
Your account is only as secure as the devices that access it. Your data is at risk if your device is compromised (whether due to damage, theft, or cyberattack). Potential data loss is an unavoidable chance, whether due to cybercrime, accidental deletion, or hardware failure. Businesses managing sensitive customer data or financial data demand to be particularly prudent about how they manage data online.
At a minimum, you should protect devices with a strong Pin lawmaking or countersign. You should also brand certain to modify your countersign regularly. If you want to seriously up your data security game, investing in one of the best password managers is the way to go.
There are a few extra steps individuals and businesses can take to protect their cloud storage data. Two-cistron authentication (2FA) makes it nearly impossible for hackers to access your account, even if they know your password. Information technology ensures that before signing in from a new device, you must enter the password and a unique i-time lawmaking sent to your e-mail address or mobile phone.
Encrypting data ensures information technology is inaccessible fifty-fifty if your business relationship is compromised. Without the proper authentication keys, any would-be thief will but run into an incomprehensible serial of numbers. If you take data security seriously, encryption is not-negotiable.
If someone does gain unauthorized admission, y'all'll want to know as soon equally possible. Services can help you find out when, where, and from what device someone was able to gain admission, and proceed track of where y'all have logged in, in case you forget to log out when using a public reckoner. If y'all notice a suspicious login, you can log out of all devices at the same fourth dimension.
Many 3rd-party applications can admission files stored on a deject storage platform. From your account dashboard, you tin run into what apps take access to your data, and what information they have access to. You tin revoke permissions for apps you would rather non have admission to sensitive files and documents.
The final pace is to ever have a fill-in. Although exceptionally unlikely, in the case of a major attack on your platform, yous desire the condolement of knowing you have another copy of your data stored in a secure location. This could be either another service, a physical server, or a hard drive, and like your cloud storage files, should exist encrypted and secured with 2FA.
How to use Dropbox: Preparation
Decide what tier plan you want. Virtually individuals will exist fine on the free plan, which allows you lot to store 2GB. Withal, if you're a freelancer using Dropbox for work, you'll likely need the Plus plan, which costs $9.99 a calendar month and allows for 2TB of storage. Businesses will probable demand the Professional person plan, which costs $sixteen.58 a month, gives you 3TB of storage, and allows access from unlimited devices.
Step 1: Choose where y'all'll use Dropbox
Sign upwardly and and so decide which devices you're going to need Dropbox on. Dropbox allows yous to store files on the deject, then view them via a web browser, from your estimator/laptop'south desktop, or via the mobile awarding. Nosotros'd suggest you to download Dropbox on your desktop/laptop, so your files synchronize automatically.
If you want to use Dropbox on your laptop/desktop or prison cell, download the relevant awarding and log in to your account.
Step 2: Add together content and tools
Dropbox'due south desktop awarding integrates with your Windows system tray or macOS menu, so you can save content to Dropbox as hands as you lot would your personal calculator.
Dropbox integrates with cloud content applications, including Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, and so they're saved alongside all your other files in Dropbox. This allows you to go on track of all your content in one place, something which business users consider invaluable.
Pace iii: Set security measures
Business organisation users can alter the privacy settings on private Dropbox folders to let the whole team or only specific members admission certain files. Use Dropbox Security to bank check which devices are active on your account, or if any tertiary-party applications you haven't approved take access, and remove them if necessary.
How to employ OneDrive: Training
OneDrive is pre-installed on all Windows 10 devices, so is the natural selection for Windows users. You can download OneDrive on a Mac, but it'south unlikely Mac users would cull this service above Dropbox unless they're working for/with an organization that keeps its content on OneDrive.
OneDrive is completely integrated with Microsoft Teams, so is an excellent application for remote offices and distance learning programs. Notwithstanding, business organization users should be aware that they must have some kind of Microsoft 365 subscription before using OneDrive. Personal plans start with a complimentary plan including 5GB of storage, scaling up to Microsoft 365 Family at $seven.99 a month, with 6TB of storage.
Business organization plans meanwhile start at $v per user a month, with 1TB of storage per user, scaling up to $10 per user a month for unlimited deject storage and avant-garde security tools.
Stride 1: Install and configure
If you intend to employ OneDrive on a Mac or mobile device, you must download the OneDrive application, which allows you to synchronize files instantly from your menu bar or system tray. Windows users on pre-2016 versions of Windows volition have to install and configure the app on their devices.
Most individuals volition never take to tinker with the sharing options unless they want to enable link sharing files, but business organisation users often want to hide some files from certain employees. From the admin center, you tin choose on what devices you desire your employees to access OneDrive, prohibit link sharing outside the system, and restrict access to files or folders.
Footstep 3: Acquire how to maximize OneDrive'south potential
OneDrive encourages business users to train their staff on how to use OneDrive to go the about from the application. One example of a hidden but very useful feature is that OneDrive allows you to share files with other team members of Teams or Outlook as though they're electronic mail attachments, and allow for alive editing.
If you've sent an electronic mail with an attachment, but realize the attachment needs updating after it's been sent, the update will automatically synchronize so the viewer will receive the most recent version of the attachment. Grooming videos are bachelor on OneDrive'southward website, and even personal users will do good from learning the extent of OneDrive'southward capabilities.
How to use Google Drive: Preparation
Google Bulldoze is gratuitous for individual users to beginning with, with paid plans available via Google 1, and is available via Google Workspace for businesses. The free plan offers 15GB of free storage, while the paid personal plan start at $1.99 a calendar month for 100GB, scaling up to $9.99 a month for 2TB.
Business users can choose betwixt iv plans, the nearly expensive of which is past quote, while the to the lowest degree expensive ($6 a calendar month) simply allows for 30GB of storage per user. Most businesses will favor the Concern Standard plan ($12 a calendar month), which accommodates 150 users with 2TB of storage per person, or the Business Plus plan ($25 a month) for 250 users with 5TB storage per person.
Step 1: Upload files to drives
Any type of file can be uploaded to your Google Bulldoze. Windows Office files are automatically converted into the equivalent Google Workspace format, so you lot can work on them via the Google Workspace cloud. All files are scanned for viruses equally they're uploaded.
Step two: Set sharing and viewing permissions
Elect an administrator to decide what files/folders members of your organization can see. The administrator tin edit individual permissions and so files can't be seen by certain members or shared exterior your organization, if that's what you choose. Individual users can cull whether to enable link sharing on documents, share with a specific accost, or continue documents private to them.
Sharing/viewing permissions can exist edited on all types of Google Drive files, including Docs, Sheets, Slides, Maps, and Folders.
Footstep 3: Edit offline admission permissions
Offline access is automatically available on all business Google Bulldoze accounts, and is not freely available for private users. Let members of your system to disable offline access in instance they're working on older devices with express data storage. Administrators can disable offline admission remotely in case of employees leaving or information breaches.
How to use iCloud: Preparation
iCloud was designed for personal use, so those with a Mac desktop/laptop, iPhone, and/or iPad could enjoy the convenience of their personal information (their music, notes, photos, etc.) synced across devices.
Because it wasn't designed with business concern users in mind, even with Apple's most expensive plan ($nine.99 a month), you cannot integrate iCloud with Windows or Google Workspace.
Step 1: Cull a pricing programme
We'd advise those kickoff trying iCloud to use the cheapest plan possible ($0.99 a month) until they run out of information. The majority of users won't need more than 50GB for personal storage of photos, notes and calendar information.
We recommend that you lot only upgrade your iCloud programme to the 200GB ($2.99 a month) or 2TB ($9.99 a month) plans when yous're notified by Apple that you need more than data: every bit presently every bit y'all buy a plan, your deject storage updates automatically.
Step two: Cull the content you want to sync
iCloud is automatically enabled on Mac devices. Once yous've signed into your account, head to "System Preferences" (from your desktop, cell or iPad) and make up one's mind what content/data you want to save on the cloud.
When y'all've what y'all want to synchronize, content including messages, photos, music downloads, voice notes, notes, agenda appointments and emails will automatically synchronize across devices. iCloud will simply quietly run in the groundwork afterwards these ii steps.
Cloud storage solutions: Summary
Among all cloud storage solutions, Dropbox best integrates with other applications, including Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive are both attempting to be total suites for business users, encompassing communications and workflow management in improver to data storage.
If you desire a complete business suite, whether you lot prefer Google Bulldoze or Microsoft Office is down to personal preference, as their capabilities are equivalent. iCloud is well-nigh essential for a modern Mac user and protects data loss in instances where devices are damaged or broken. All the same, its inability to work with other operating systems is its fatal flaw.
Further reading on cloud storage
Read our reviews of the services mentioned in this feature, including our Dropbox review and our Dropbox Business organisation review; our OneDrive review and our OneDrive for Business review; our Google Drive review, and our iCloud review.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/how-to/how-to-use-dropbox-onedrive-google-drive-or-icloud
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