Virtual storage. Cloud


Cloud file storage technologies are today considered a must-have tool for a modern Internet user. Each of them has an account on one of the cloud drives: Google Drive, Yandex.Disk or Mail.ru. Most have at least two of these services. In this article, we will look at the main network file storage services, ways to increase disk space on them, and provide tips on how to use them effectively and safely.

What is cloud storage

Local disks and memory cards are physically connected to our computer or tablet by wires. Network drives are physically located in special server centers, where stable power supply and comfortable operation are ensured temperature regime. The local computer communicates with them via the Internet. When you log in via browser or mobile client application to your cloud drive, the system shows a list of files located on the server. When a user transfers a file from local folder My documents are in Cloud storage, the document is physically copied via the Internet and goes to the server.

Therefore, even after the physical destruction of the phone or computer, the files will remain safe and sound. They can be viewed via a web browser on any computer or tablet.

To assess the popularity of disk storage, it is enough to cite one statistical fact. As of 2014, the most popular cloud was Google Drive. Storage works by default for everyone Android devices, except in Chinese, where access to Google is limited. Its users were 240 million people.

What can you use Cloud Drive for?

The main tasks solved by users using network storage:

Developers are constantly improving the security system of their services. The standard today is to store user files in encrypted form. Without special key it's a useless set of bytes.

The security of services should not be overestimated. In 2011, the reputable company IDC published its report, where it unsatisfactorily assessed the level of their secrecy and resistance to hacking. Experts recommended strengthening the level of authorization and encrypting files in storage and during transfer. Most developers listened to the recommendations and made changes to their applications.

Login to the Cloud Storage can be protected with two-factor authorization: specifying a password and confirming login using your phone. But for most users, one password is enough.

When compiling this rating, the company's experts took into account technological solutions to ensure the security of user data and the presence of failures in the service in the past. Considering that all storage facilities presented in the diagram have been operating for more than 5 years, the history of failure statistics is comparable.

    1. Recognized as the safest OneDrive. Experts listed the benefits of the service as innovative security system , when the keys to encrypted files and the data themselves are stored on separate servers. By gaining access to only one of these arrays, an attacker will not be able to benefit. Let us remind you that OneDrive is aimed at the corporate market and is the default drive when subscribing to Office365. Subscribers are allocated up to 100 GB at once, while free users they get only 6 GB.
    2. Ranked second in safety iCloud Drive . This cloud serves users of the Apple ecosystem: iPhone, MacBook and other proprietary solutions of the corporation. Data encryption is performed here both during storage and during transmission. Overall the storage is reliable and comparable to OneDrive in terms of security, but it earned a negative point for a failure in 2014. Many users were involved in this scandal. Private photographs of stars stored on their iPhones have been leaked online. if you use Apple technology, then you can’t do without a branded cloud. are executed on it backups data and system settings of your phone and laptop. With its help they restore deleted photos and documents.
    3. Third place awarded Google Drive. Reason - insufficient level of security when storing files . When transmitting data to the server and to the client device, the traffic is encrypted. Experts added two-factor authentication with password confirmation via SMS to the phone number specified during registration as an advantage of the cloud. Experts note that in business accounts designed for corporations, Google Drive provides an increased level of security comparable to OneDrive. Regular users are recommended to encrypt confidential data themselves. For example, archive them with a password.
    4. Russian takes fourth place Yandex.Disk. Experts identified the security benefits of this cloud as wide choose authorization methods, including TouchID, PIN code and QR code. An important advantage for ordinary users is checking files for viruses . The transmission channel of the Yandex storage is encrypted, like its competitors. The only serious failure is considered to be an error in the service’s client program for Windows, made by the company’s programmers in 2013. Users did not lose out. They were allocated 200 GB of disk space indefinitely free use as a compensation.
    5. Fifth place for an old-timer of the market - DropBox. Its security disadvantage is no client side encryption . In theory, this allows an attacker to intercept data as it is transmitted from the local device to the server. In 2011, there was a serious glitch in the DropBox service. It lasted only 4 hours. During this period of time, it was possible to access the entire storage, and not just the data area specific user. But we note that in 2011 there were simply no other competitors from the rating. DropBox was a pioneer in network-attached storage and had room for mistakes.

How to get more free cloud storage space

All cloud storage services are commercial. Their main task is to earn the money required to cover the costs of supporting the development team and developing the server infrastructure. Therefore, users are provided with a limited amount of free space. To get additional free place To store photos and documents, you will need to fulfill certain conditions of the service or participate in promotions.

For example. Yandex.Disk offers 32 gigabytes of free space. auto-upload photos to mobile device.

Other cloud services also offer opportunities to increase space for free:

  • For inviting friends.
  • For installing a cloud drive mobile application or program on a computer.
  • Students and teachers for providing a photograph of a student ID or university pass. Yandex.Disk provides an additional 32 free gigabytes for this promotion.

Also, cloud file storage services provide free space under an affiliate scheme. For example, when purchasing laptops or tablets of a certain brand.

A universal way to repeatedly increase space by cloud storage ah free - creating multiple accounts.

How to install a cloud drive on your computer

Three network storages are most suitable for a computer:

  1. Google Drive. It is chosen by active users GMail services and a powerful online document and spreadsheet editor - Google Docs.
  2. Yandex.Disk. A good choice when you don't need to use Google services. This is a reliable Russian cloud drive, for which you can easily get up to 42 GB or more free space by enabling auto-upload of photos on your mobile device.
  3. OneDrive. Users of computers and laptops with operating Windows system 10 receive support for this network drive “as a load”. In the presence of Windows account, 5 GB of space is allocated on OneDrive. In the This PC shortcut, a folder of the same name is created, synchronized with the cloud.

Installing the program on your computer will only be required for the first two services. OneDrive support is available on system level. Let's give step by step instructions installing an application using Yandex.Disk as an example.

Every modern smartphone comes with support for at least one cloud storage out of the box.

  • Apple phones come with iCloud support for Reserve copy settings, system files and photo synchronization. Additionally, you can connect the Yandex storage using the download and install from official store Apple programs applications.
  • Samsung phones include support for two clouds at once: the proprietary Samsung Cloud and Google Drive. Owners of smartphones of this brand have a Google account, like Android users and a Samsung account for the manufacturer’s branded services.
  • Xiaomi phones out of the box support communication with Xiaomi's own cloud, MiCloud. Everything works similarly to the iPhone: backups are made to storage on the network and photos from the camera are sent.
  • Smartphones Windows Phone come with OneDrive access enabled. If you have an Office365 subscription, your available storage will increase by 100 GB.
  • Android smartphones from other manufacturers support one cloud storage - Google Drive.

You can purchase extra bed, fulfilling the requirements of service promotions or buying it for money.

Please note that Android smartphones support Google Drive, but to work with Google Docs and Sheets you will need to install separate mobile applications. There is also a client program from Google Drive for easy navigation through network storage. The latter is most often preinstalled on the phone.

If the capabilities of the pre-installed network storage are not enough for you, install a third-party one. The most popular: Yandex.Disk, DropBox, Mail.ru.

We'll show you how to install an application for them using Yandex Drive as an example.

Create a complex password. Your private photos and videos are more likely to be leaked online if you have come up with a simple password. A complex one can be generated using a special program or you can come up with it yourself using the following algorithm: !-!123HELLO-WoRlD123!-!. This combination is easy to remember, but is a very difficult password to crack.

Encrypt sensitive data before uploading it to the network. Passwords and keys to accounts are stored in open form dangerous. If you don't have a dedicated encryption program, archive sensitive files with a password before sending them online.

Use dual authentication. A number of network storages support dual authentication. You need to enter a password and confirm the entry by sending a code from an SMS sent by the service. This procedure seems less convenient, but provides greater data protection.

History of cloud file storage technologies

The phrase “ cloud technologies” first used in 1997. The new global global network required a new computing paradigm. Professor Ramnath Chellup from the University of Texas has proposed a move to cloud computing as an alternative to increasing local computing power.

Real developments in terms of sharing resources on the network date back to 2000. We owe the commercial launch of the service on the new cloud scheme to Amazon. This happened in 2002.

Pioneer in implementation and development cloud applications working through a browser has become Google company. New technology started on the market in 2009.

The idea of ​​​​creating cloud storage on the Internet is described by its inventor Drew Houston as follows. The guy was sitting on a bus traveling from Boston to New York, with a laptop, but without a flash drive, left at home. To overcome the problem, he began to think about accessing files wirelessly and came up with an application that would implement this idea. The first DropBox code was written, according to this version of events, right on the bus.

According to the founder of DropBox, the project at the startup stage wanted to acquire Steve Jobs, but was refused. Today the company is worth approximately US$4 billion.

All subsequent network storage: iCloud, Google and Yandex appeared much later. Their main promotion paradigm is that the service is conditionally free. The user receives part of the gigabytes immediately, free of charge and unconditionally. The rest must be purchased by subscription.

Modern cloud drives have become not only a place to store information, but also offer a number of technological solutions for collaborating on files for people living in different parts of the world. Below are the most popular problems solved with their help.

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    Storing files online much more reliable than on your computer. One serious virus and all your photos and videos from your vacations, holiday events, your wedding, your memoirs, your unfinished book, important documents, and other files dear to you are destroyed. It would seem that there is nothing worse. But this could have been avoided if all your dear files were stored not only on your computer, but also on the Internet.

    There are many online services and sites to store your files on the Internet. If you try to find such services in search engines, then you can find at least a hundred free online file storage sites. My eyes are wide open as to which one is better to choose. In this article I will tell you about more popular, reliable, convenient and spacious

    Where to store files online?

    Below I will give you a list of services that I have ever used myself and which inspire the most trust. This list will be useful as ordinary users Internet, and site owners who are looking for where they can upload files of various sizes.

    1. Yandex.Disk. Today it is one of the most popular and convenient services for storing files on the Internet. Yandex Cloud has a very user-friendly interface both from a computer and from a mobile application. Most documents (office, pdf, images and videos) can be viewed in a browser directly inside the disk interface, without downloading them to your computer. Links to files from Yandex.Disk can be easily shared with other people (in a couple of clicks), and they can also be attached to letters right while writing a letter. To upload files you must have your Yandex account. When registering, you receive 10 GB of space on Yandex.Disk for your files for free. Also, by registering using my link and installing the program, you will receive another 1 GB on Yandex.Disk for free. The storage period for files on Yandex.Disk is unlimited. Cloud storage from Yandex is perfect for storing files big size, for a long time.

    2. [email protected]. A simple and convenient service for storing your files on the Internet. Gives each new user 25 GB of space in its cloud. The storage period for files is unlimited. The interface of this storage is not so convenient and has its limitations compared to its previous competitor. You can increase the amount of available space for a fee, starting from RUB 499. For more detailed conditions, see the help section of the service.

    3. Google drive. Excellent service both for storage multimedia files(photo, video), and for text documents, presentations and spreadsheets. Initially, this service was positioned as a storage service office documents and was called Google Docs. Later it transformed into a full-fledged Google Drive cloud service for storing files of any type and large volumes. Google Drive has tools for creating and editing text documents, excel tables, presentations - wonderful Microsoft alternative Office, which allows you to work with your documents from any computer connected to the Internet. Google Drive gives you 15 GB of free disk space. It is possible to install sharing to your files or restrict them from everyone. A very convenient, safe and reliable service for storing your files on the Internet. It is possible to increase the amount of disk space for your files up to 1 TB (1000 GB) for $1.99 per month.

    4. Picasa Web Album (closes May 1, 2016). Another Google product. Designed to store your photos online. In addition, you can download and install Picasa on your computer, which will bring order to your computer. In Picasa you will see all the photos that are stored on your computer, even those that you have long forgotten about. With Picasa it will be very convenient for you to upload your photos to the Internet, directly from the program. I uploaded my first photos to Picasa web album, back in 2008 and they still lie there quietly to this day. In 2015, Google launched the service Google photo which became an analogue of the Picasa service. In 2016, the decision was made to close Picasa and concentrate all efforts on one product - Google Photos.

    5. DropBox. If you don’t have a flash drive on hand that you need to quickly transfer files to, upload your files to virtual flash drive DropBox. On this service you will be prompted to download a program, after downloading and installing which, a synchronized file will be created in the "My Documents" folder of your computer DropBox folder. You can drop any files into this folder, after which they are automatically saved on the Internet. You can access these files from any computer by logging into your DropBox account or a synchronized folder on your computer. With DropBox you get 2GB of storage for your files for free. You can increase the amount of space for free if your friends register using your DropBox link, for each of whom you will receive 500 MB extra space, until your account has 16 GB.

    6. QIP files. Allows you to store any type of files online. The service provides 2 GB of free space. The storage period for files is unlimited. You can increase the amount of available space in this service by inviting new members.

    7. Evernote- amazing service with the motto “Remember everything”. Evernote allows you to quickly save any information on the Internet, organize it and synchronize it between all the devices from which you access the Internet. The service is designed to store on the Internet small text, handwritten, audio notes and photos taken with your phone, which are immediately uploaded to your Evernote account on the Internet. An incredibly convenient service that allows you to save all your important information on the Internet and have access to it wherever you are. In one of the following articles I will describe this service in more detail.

    Below you can see a table in which I described the most important characteristics each of the services listed above. With the help of this table it will be easier for you to choose where to store your files online.

    Online information storage services

    ServicePriceFree VolumeShelf lifeMaximum file sizePrice per add. place
    Yandex.Diskfreeup to 20 GBis not limited10 GBfrom 30 rub./m.

    Today, cloud storage with large amounts of data occupy an important niche in storing the necessary information, and many of them are completely free.

    Hello my dear readers and blog guests. Today, many Internet users practice cloud storage data. All important information can be saved in the cloud, which avoids file loss, for example, if the hard drive is damaged. And if you need to use data far from your computer, then you just need to find a device with Internet access and use the cloud web interface, which eliminates the need to carry a flash drive with you.

    Majority modern smartphones supports automatic download photos taken and video recordings directly to the cloud as soon as a connection to Wi-Fi network. This eliminates the need to establish a connection between each gadget and the computer when USB help, because there is disk space that is the same for all your devices. If necessary, you can configure synchronization of other files other than the media format.

    On this moment Any Internet user has access to about a dozen large-capacity cloud data storage facilities for free 2018. Thanks to such diversity, everyone can find a cloud that suits their needs. Let's consider free cloud data storage services.

    The best cloud data storage with large capacity for free

    1. Yunpan 360 - 36 TB

    The undoubted leader in the list of cloud data storage is the Chinese project Yunpan 360. The cloud provides as much as 36 TB (yes, yes, terabytes) of free space for storing personal data. The only drawback of the portal is the only interface language, of course, Chinese. Fortunately, Russian craftsmen have already developed step-by-step instructions and a method of Russification; you can find them on the website yunpan.ru.

    The mechanism for obtaining 36 TB is as follows:

    1. Register on the site and receive 10 TB after installing the client for Windows.
    2. Adding 26 TB to your account after installing the client on Android.

    If you cope with the difficulties of the Chinese language and make friends with the project's interface, you can get disk space that will last almost a lifetime. Well, if 36 TB is not enough for you, then there are two ways to expand this volume:

    2. Mega - 50 GB

    The name “Mega” is an acronym that stands for MEGA Encrypted Global Access. Developers pay great attention to security and the process of protecting information. This file storage service rightfully takes second place on our list. The company offers 50 GB for free free space, something that competing cloud storage systems in our market segment cannot boast of. In addition, all files are encrypted using the AES algorithm right in the browser window. Those. Even the project administration cannot open the files you uploaded, because they are reliably protected by cryptographic transformation. Information access keys are not available in clear text and are transferred on a Friend-to-Friend basis, i.e. between users who trust each other.

    3. [email protected]

    This is the development of the domestic holding Mail.ru Group. Provides 25 GB of free disk space to store any files, but this requires register Mail.ru mail. The cloud for storing data and the mail service are mutually integrated, for example, a file from an incoming letter can be sent to cloud storage with one click. For mobile device users, the developers have provided automatic synchronization files shot on the gadget's camera. After connecting to fast internet connection The smartphone automatically starts sending new files from the camera to the cloud. [email protected] is a fairly young project that appeared in 2013. It is possible that over time the functionality will increase significantly. Unfortunately, it is impossible to expand the amount of disk space for free, although there used to be promotions where they first gave 1 TB of space for registration, and then even 100 GB.

    4. Hubic Data Warehouse

    An online data storage service with a fairly generous affiliate program. The company provides 25 GB of free disk space after registration. Does it seem like this is not enough? The developers give 2.5 TB of additional space for 5 invited friends, and the friends themselves also receive 30 GB of consolation prizes each.

    5. Google Drive

    Probably the most famous cloud data storage, because... is one of the services of such a search giant as Google. The project is integrated with most Google services, such as Google Sheets(spreadsheet), Google Slides (presentations), Google Docs (text documents), Gmail (email). When creating, for example, text document V Google cloud, it is automatically saved to Google Drive. After activation, the company is ready to provide 15 GB of free space. Experience shows that this volume is quite sufficient for work purposes.

    Excellent balance between quantity and quality, one of the best cloud storages with a large volume for free 2018. There is an application for both computers and mobile devices that synchronizes files automatically. To increase space, you can take advantage of the promotion that Google holds every year. The algorithm is simple: you pass the Google account security check and receive additional gigabytes for free.

    6. 4shared

    The file storage service, which ranks 82nd on the list of the most popular Internet resources according to Alexa, processes more than 300 TB of traffic every day. After registration, 10 GB of disk space becomes available, you can add another 5 GB if you confirm your address Email. Unfortunately, there are no other ways to expand the volume of cloud data storage. For free accounts There is a limitation on the storage period of files - 180 days from the time of the last interaction with the account. The user interface resembles that of Windows Explorer.

    7. Yandex.Disk

    Another domestic project, which is a cloud data storage with a large volume for free 2018. As in Google Drive and [email protected], here mail and storage are interconnected. Yandex makes it possible to use a cloud disk of 10 GB in size. It is possible to expand it by 10 GB if you bring 20 friends, for each of them they give 512 MB. And if you took part in a partner’s promotion, you will be rewarded with another 50 GB. The conditions for these events change regularly, so you need to constantly monitor the project news.

    8. MediaFire

    Cloud service for storing files, functionality similar to 4shared or dropbox. First of all, it was created for storing and sharing media files (videos, images or music). 10 GB of free space is available for free, and also with advertising. The Windows client has certain problems in use, for example, you cannot share a file on your computer. Therefore, it is recommended to use the application on a mobile device, and on a computer to use the interface on the project website.

    9. Cubby

    Cloud data storage, which allows you to use 5 GB of free space upon completion of registration. Cubby is a development from LogMeIn, which creates and supports networking products for businesses, so there is no doubt about the reliability and stability of this solution. Earlier registration was impossible without an invitation, now every Internet user can access the service. If desired, disk space can be increased to 25 GB if you take part in the referral program.

    Conclusion

    Choose cloud storage with a large volume, which is provided free of charge in 2018, depending on the type of tasks solved using the cloud and specific requirements for the service. There is no point in learning the intricacies of the Chinese language for the sake of 36 TB of free space if you only have 7 GB of important information. And using cryptography to protect the privacy of a photo of your favorite cat makes very little sense.

    Do you do video shooting or do you do it all the time? make backups? Then be sure to pay attention to Yunpan 360. Are you a busy person and you need to have all the documents at hand, and each of your devices needs to have up-to-date information?

    Google Drive along with integrated office services will do the job perfectly. Are you afraid for the safety and confidentiality of your data? Take a look at Mega, which uses the AES cryptographic algorithm. Well, if you regular user Internet users who sometimes take photos on their phone and are looking for a place to store files in the cloud, then [email protected] will more than cover your needs.

    Many of you have already heard the concept of cloud storage or just the cloud. Now this model storage is increasingly taking over compared to home hard drives, flash drives and optical media. If you don’t know what cloud storage is and which cloud to choose, I’ll tell you everything in detail in this article.

    Cloud data storage is a server structure organized by an organization that provides users with free space for free or for money. You can upload files of any type to the storage, which will subsequently be accessible from any device.

    That's all certain. There are a lot of companies that provide data storage space, and some have already gained trust. The structure itself is very simple - regular servers, consisting of disks, most often SSD drives. You can set up the cloud so that it syncs with your device, such as a phone, and then some files will be automatically uploaded to the cloud. If you need to provide access to your files to another user, then nothing could be easier; everything is done in a couple of clicks. And you don’t have to go to your friend with a flash drive to transfer a video or game.

    How cloud storage works

    Well, here, I think, it’s clear. Especially what this storage consists of. It is important to understand that the files are not stored on your PC, but on someone else’s. The disadvantage here is that the company at some point may turn off the servers for maintenance, which means access to files will be temporarily impossible.

    To work with the cloud service, it is not necessary to use a browser. All companies have a special application that can be installed on a computer or smartphone. Then you enter your data and you can work, for example, upload files to the cloud.

    Some cloud storage services allow you to edit files or folders. Let's say you changed something on your PC text file, if this file is also in the cloud, then the changes will occur there too. The same thing is the other way around - if a change in a file occurs in the cloud, then the same file will be updated immediately on the computer.

    When using the cloud, you can store whatever you want in it, but I do not recommend uploading important confidential data, such as passport scans or documents, there. Like any hosting and server, cloud storage is also susceptible to hacking by hackers. It is better to use the cloud to store multimedia, photos, games and more.


    Pros and cons of cloud storage

    Let's first look at the advantages and disadvantages of the cloud, and then look at some services that you can use for your needs.

    Advantages of the cloud:

    • Access files from any device, be it a computer or smartphone.
    • Collaboration between companies and users with documents and files.
    • The likelihood of losing files due to hardware failures is reduced to zero.
    • You only pay for a specific amount of space.
    • High protection of your files and creation of backup companies by the provider. You don't need to do anything.

    Disadvantages of cloud storage:

    • According to statistics, some companies refuse to use cloud storage because of security, but this was only in 2011, now the time is different.
    • Hackers can get your files.
    • Sometimes the price for the total amount of disk space can be very high.

    It is known that the Dropbox service experienced a glitch, due to which, within a few hours, any user’s files could be received by anyone. But, again, this was back in 2011.

    How to choose cloud storage

    Cloud storage size

    There's no need to explain much here. If you need a large amount of memory, for example 5, 10 or 15 GB, then you can find such an option for free. But you will have to pay higher.

    Reviews about the company

    If the company providing storage space has proven itself, then you can safely use their services. You should not use unfamiliar services. As an example, I can cite Dropbox, Cloud Mail.ru, SkyDrive and others.

    Increasing storage capacity

    If it is possible to increase the disk space of the cloud, then this may come in handy at some point. The increase, of course, is paid.

    Software for computer and smartphone

    The cloud storage service must have a client that you can install on your PC or phone and synchronize. Working with the cloud will be easier.

    Restrictions

    If there are any restrictions, for example, not only in the amount of memory, but also in the size of the downloaded file, then you should know about it.


    Which cloud storage options to choose in 2017

    • Cloud Mail.ru – 100 GB free.
    • Mega – 50 GB free
    • MediaFire – 10 GB free. To get additional space, you need to work.
    • SkyDrive – 25 GB free.
    • Copy – 15 GB of free space. For each referred client you are given 5 GB.
    • 4Sync – 15 GB free use.
    • Google Drive – free 15 GB.
    • Yandex Disk – approximately 10-20 GB of free space.
    • Dropbox – 5 GB for free, and for example 1 TB for $100.

    Other cloud storage services may be either unreliable or provide little storage space. Now you know what cloud storage is, what their advantages and disadvantages are, and how to choose a cloud.

    A cloud is usually a large object that occupies a large area. In the technical field, the cloud is a virtual remote service, which provides users with data storage, application hosting or physical space virtualization services. Nowadays, cloud computing is used not only by large but also by small companies.

    There are mainly three types of cloud services.

    SaaS(Software as a Service, software as a service) - providing users with access to other public clouds of large organizations to store their data, for example, Gmail.

    PaaS(Platform as a Service, platform as a service) - providing the ability to host and run applications on their clouds, for example, Google App Engine allows users to host their applications.

    IaaS(Infrastructure as a Service, infrastructure as a service) - allows you to virtualize any machine and, using the client, the user can get the feeling of a real machine.

    Cloud storage means storage local files user, on special dedicated servers on the network that are designed for this. CompuServe was the first to offer its customers 128 kilobytes of disk space that could be used to store their files. Now this area is at the stage of active development and due to potential threats such as loss of data or information, hacking, and other similar cases, many organizations are releasing their cloud solutions, guaranteeing data confidentiality, this strengthens confidence in the success of cloud technologies.

    In this article we will look at several solutions in this area. We will focus on open source software that is used a huge amount people and large organizations. We will analyze only the best cloud services of 2016.

    In the list of the best cloud storage services, OwnCloud is one of the first places. A Dropbox replacement for Linux users, it provides many features similar to those of Dropbox. Just like Dropbox, OwnCloud allows you to sync files between your local computer and a remote server.

    Since it is an open source solution, users can get unlimited free storage space for their data by hosting this software on their server. The project started in January 2015 with the goal of providing an open source replacement for private, closed cloud storage. It is written in PHP, JavaScript, and is available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS, and there are also mobile applications for Android and iOS.

    OwnCloud uses Webdav server for remote access and can integrate with a large number of databases, including SQLite, MariaDB, Oracle Database, PostgreeSQL.

    Supported a large number of features such as encryption, file storage, music streaming, content sharing via URL, Mozilla synchronization server, RSS aggregator for reading news feeds, one-click installation of programs, viewing videos, PDFs, editing office documents and much more.

    The latest version of OwnCloud 8.2 adds several new features such as an improved design, the ability to notify users, and a time limit for storing files in the trash.

    2. Seafile

    Another file hosting based on open source software. It is written in C and Python, the latest stable version is 4.4.3, released on October 15, 2015.

    Seafile's best cloud storage providers provide a desktop client for Windows, Linux, and OS X, as well as mobile clients for Android, IOS, and Windows Phone. Together with the free implementation of the Community Edition, released under GPL license, there is a professional edition under a commercial license that provides additional features - some user protocols and the ability to search for text.

    The project switched to open source distribution in July 2011, which attracted a lot of attention. Its main functionality is data synchronization, with an emphasis on security. Key features: online file editing, differential synchronization, minimal network bandwidth usage, and client data encryption. It is these features that have made this software popular in many foreign universities: University of Mainz, University of Berlin and University of Strasbourg, as well as among many people around the world.

    3. Pydio

    This is a free cloud storage, or rather file hosting, formerly known as AjaXplorer. Its goal is to provide its users with file hosting, file sharing, and synchronization. The project was started in 2009 by Charles DeJue and since 2010 has been supplied on all NAS equipment from LaCie.

    Pydio is written in PHP and JavaScript and is available for Windows, Linux, MacOS, and also Android. There are now about half a million downloads from Sourcefoge. The service is endorsed by companies such as RedHat and Oracle. This is one of the most popular cloud storage services on the market.

    Pydio itself is simply a kernel that runs on a web server and can be accessed through any web browser. Webdav's interface makes it an ideal online file management solution, SSL/TLS encryption makes data transfer secure and maintains privacy. Also available text editor with syntax highlighting, audio and video playback, integration with Amazon S3, FTP, or MYSQL, image editor, file and folder sharing using public URLs.

    4. Ceph

    Ceph was originally developed by Sage Well as a PhD thesis, but in the fall of 2007 he continued working on the project and expanded the development team. In April 2014 Red Hat took part in the development. Currently, eight versions of the program have been released, the last release took place on April 7, 2015. This is a distributed cluster written in C++ and Perl with high degree scalable and also freely available.

    Data can be brought into Ceph as a block device, a file, or as an object via the RADOS gateway, which supports Amazon S3 and OpenStack Swift.

    These free cloud storage services are data secure, scalable and reliable, here are the additional features:

    • Network file system with high performance
    • Compatible with virtual machine clients
    • Object-level mapping

    Syncany, released about two years ago in March 2014, is one of the lightest on the list - the best cloud services of 2016 for data storage and file sharing systems. Currently under active development by Philipp Heckel and available as a tool command line for all systems. The GUI is still under development.

    One of the most important things about Syncany is that it is just a tool. Therefore, you need to have your own storage available via FTP protocol, SFTP, Webdav, Samba or Amazon S3.

    6. Cozy

    This tool not only provides file access and synchronization, but full package features that will help you build your own application platform.

    Like Syncany, Cozy provides flexibility to the user in terms of disk space. You can use yours personal servers or trust the data to Cozy servers. For normal functioning this software two more projects are needed - CouchDB for database storage and Whoosh for indexing. The program is available for all platforms, including smartphones.

    The main features that make this solution one of the best: the ability to store all contacts, files, calendar in the cloud, and synchronize all this between a laptop and a smartphone.

    Another notable feature is that Cozy is lightweight. A version of Cozy Light has been released that can even run on Raspberry Pi or cheap VPS hosting.

    7. GlusterFS

    GlusterFS is a network file system for storing files. The project was originally developed by Gluster Inc, but has now been taken over by Red Hat. Following a 2011 lawsuit from Gluster Inc, RedHat renamed its product Red Hat Gluster Storage. It is available for most platforms: Linux, OS X, NetBSD, OpenSolaris. The project was used as a basis for scientific research.

    GlusterFS uses a client-server model, with servers deployed as storage clusters. The client can connect to the server using a native protocol over TCP/IP, Infiband or SDP and store files on the GlusterFS server. To ensure data storage reliability, file-based and replication-based data mirroring, load balancing, disk caching scheduling, etc. are used.

    Other useful feature is that the data is stored in native file systems such as ext4, xfs, etc.

    StackSync is a Dropbox-like tool that runs on OpenStack, designed to solve the problem of organizations to sync all their data in one place. It is written in Java and released under the GPLv3 license.

    Its structure consists of three main components: a synchronization server, OpenStack, and a desktop or mobile client. The server handles metadata and logic, OpenStack is focused on data persistence, and desktop clients help users synchronize data with their personal cloud.

    SyncStack uses various data optimizations that allow the system to scale to meet the needs of thousands of people to efficiently use cloud resources. Additional features: RESTFull API as a Swift module that allows you to use mobile applications and applications from third party developers to synchronize data. There is also a separation between data and metadata making this solution very flexible for deployment on different configurations.

    Another prominent entry on the list of the best cloud storage services of 2016, Git-annex is a file synchronization solution developed by Joy Hess and released in October 2010. This solution also provides file sharing and synchronization, but does not rely on any commercial service or central server. It is written by Haskell and is available for Android, Linux, OS X and Windows.

    Git-annex - manages the user's GIT repository without saving the session. Instead, it only stores links to files in the GIT repository, and manages the files associated with the link. It also provides file mirroring, which is necessary when restoring data.

    In addition, this service provides instant access to files as soon as you need them. It should be noted that git-annex is available to many Linux distributions, Fedora, Ubuntu, Debain, etc.

    10. Yandex.Disk

    Yandex Disk is a cloud storage system and synchronization service released in April 2012 and available for all major platforms, including Windows, Linux, OS X, Android, iOS and Windows Phone. It allows users to synchronize their data between various devices and shares them with all users on the Internet.

    Yandex Disk provides its users with many different functions: a built-in flash player, sharing files between users by exchanging links, synchronizing files between different devices, unlimited storage time, WebDav support.

    11. Bitcasa

    Developed by Bitcasa Inc, a California-based company, this is another cloud service for data storage and synchronization. Available for Windows, OS X, Android and Linux. Not all components of the program are open source, but it is still related to it, since it uses projects such as gcc/clang, libCurl, OpenSSL, APR, Rapid JSON, etc.

    The main features are file storage, sharing, and encryption, which makes data storage much safer. It is these features that make it popular among customers from more than 140 countries around the world.

    12.nas4free

    NAS stands for Attached Network Storage or connected Internet storage. 4free means its free and free nature. The program was released in May 2012. This network server for data storage, with user interface, written in PHP. It supports i386/IA-32 and x86-64 architectures.

    Nas4Free supports sharing between multiple operating systems, ZFS, data encryption, protocols such as Samba, CARP, Bridge, FTP, RSYNC, TFTP, NFS.

    Unlike other programs, nas4free can be installed and run from USB, and can also be run from Live USB or LiveCD. Nas4free has won several awards, Project of the Month (August 2015) and Project of the Week (May 2015).

    conclusions

    These were all the most interesting and best cloud services of 2016 for data storage and synchronization, they have either already gained great popularity over the years or have just been released and are ready to make their huge contribution to this industry. Our review of free cloud storage is complete. If you know of other great cloud services that you or your organization uses, please post in the comments.
    

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