File Sharing over the Internet
If you’ve ever been away from your computer and realized you need a file from it, you’ll appreciate Windows Live Sync. Windows Live Sync allows automatic file synchronization and sharing between multiple personal computers. Cost? Free.
File Synchronization
The service works by connecting selected computers over the internet. For each computer that you want to synchronize, you install Microsoft’s Live Sync Client (Windows & Mac software available), designate the files/folders to be shared, and the software does the rest. As long as both computers are on at the same time, Live Sync will synchronize the selected files, so they are available on either computer. Once synchronized, the files are available on either computer, even if one is off or unavailable.
File Synchronization is great for:
- Laptop users. You have a Desktop computer and a Laptop for the road. Designate files to be synchronized, and any work you do on your Desktop is automatically available on your Laptop while you travel.
- Collaboration. Workgroups often need access to shared files. This is traditionally accomplished through network servers using VPN for remote users. With Live Sync multiple people in a geographically separate workgroup can share files without needing a central server.
- Backup. Use Live Sync to backup files and folders to a second computer.
Remote Computer Browsing
Live Sync can also be configured to give you access to all the files on your personal computer from anywhere (while your computer is on). Just log into your Microsoft Live Share account on any internet connected computer to browse your computer and download files.
Common Sense Privacy and Security
Be sure to obtain permission from the computer’s owner (employer, parent, friend, etc.) before connecting a computer to Live Sync. If you do use the browsing and download features, please exercise caution. Consider enabling browsing only when you are away. Make sure that whatever computer you use to access files while away does not “remember your password” and that you “Log Out” of Live Sync before leaving the computer. Do read Microsoft’s Terms of Use during the signup process and understand the implications of sharing your data in this way.
To get started, just visit sync.live.com. And let us know how you make out.
.mac has this feature as well.
So…. given Microsoft’s history of lying, cheating, stealing, etc… why would anyone trust their files to them? I attended a little (150 university CIOs & me) meeting with Bill Gates and we asked him this question, then riddled him with variants and the legality of it all. He really didn’t have a reason that the public should trust them, and shelved the idea shortly after that meeting. But now that he’s no longer running the company, the idea has come back. I would not trust .mac either, BTW.
UPSHOT: convenience is not worth the security risk. Once your data is out of your computer, you have no idea who has access to it, such as system administrators. Imagine that you’ve stored a picture of your 2-year-old taking a bath on your computer. Now that you’ve sent it across the net, you’re trafficking in kiddie porn. Imagine that a secure transaction is stored in a web browser cookie; now that’s in the hands of a guy who backs up tapes at Microsoft and about to be laid off…. Can you sue them if your data is posted on the net? I bet you have to sign away that right to use their service…
So just buy a NAS (hard drive) with good security and mount it whereever you are and then get some good sync software.
This message will self-destruct in 30 seconds…
-g
Greg, can you suggest some “good” sync software that will:
1. Automatically sync (rather then having to remember to run a comparative sync every once and a while, or setup a schedualed task for idle time)?
2. Sync directly with several other computers without using the NAS as a middle man?
3. Sync to an NAS like you’ve described.
I have several computers, all setup with windows live sync so that my My Documents are the same. My only gripe about windows live sync (other then what you descibe) is I’ve got an NAS and I’d love to sync to the NAS as a middle man, because even though I have several computers, two are rarely on at the same time (but I made not using a middle man NAS a requirement above because not everyone has an NAS).
I also have two accounts on each computer (mine and my wifes) so if I could somehow get my account on computer A to sync with my account on computer B when I’m not logged into one or either that would be even better.
Waldo: I’m using SyncBackSE from BrightSparks, http://www.2brightsparks.com, and am very pleased. You can backup and/or synchronize to other PCs, NAS devices, Servers, and even FTP sites. It even does versioning, keeping archival copies of changed files so you can go back to older versions.
Dropbox.com..the way to go