Resource Review: Dropbox

Dropbox
File storage and transfer service
http://www.dropbox.com/

Have you ever:

• Been frustrated by your firm’s flaky FTP site? 
• Spent hours waiting for your files to upload, only to receive a failure message? 
• Had to apologize to clients or partner firms for your FTP site’s lack of reliability? 
• Lost all of your files on your home computer when your personal hard drive crashed?

It seems almost every firm has a sob story about their FTP site. Many of us have also experienced the devastating loss of personal data when a home computer crashes. Dropbox, an online file storage and transfer service, is working to change that.

Dropbox does all of the things you need your FTP site to do – and more. In addition to providing a secure environment in which to store and transfer files, Dropbox offers an incredibly user-friendly interface and the ability to access your information from any device – even your mobile phone. Once you create your account, you can access your files either by logging into the Dropbox website or by accessing the desktop or mobile application. You can download this application to an unlimited number of devices – your work computer, home computer, iPhone/iPad/Android/Blackberry, etc. Uploaded files are automatically synced throughout all of your installed devices, so your files are available virtually anywhere and anytime you want them.

Dropbox allows you to create an unlimited number of folders to organize your data. By default, all of your folders can only be accessed by you. However, you may choose to share a folder with a friend, a group of friends – or perhaps a project team – so that all invited members can access the files. Just like your private folders, changes to your shared folders are reflected immediately. So regardless of when or where you are accessing Dropbox, you know that the files you are working with are the most current. Also, Dropbox keeps a one-month history of your work, so changes can be undone and files can be undeleted, if necessary.

The standard free account comes with 2GB of storage, and different pricing options are available starting at about $10/month for 50GB. Dropbox can also customize a pricing plan with shared quotas – a feature designed for teams sharing large amounts of information above 100GB.

Whether you are interested in sharing photos with family and friends, collaborating with a volunteer organization, or managing a large project team, Dropbox’s flexibility, reliability, and elegant user interface make it a valuable and affordable option for storing and transferring files.

Katie Harris, LEED AP
Encotech Engineering Consultants