Compared to all the file-sharing services I've used, Dropbox is the most reliable and easiest to use. They've also done a nice job of adding features/functionality over the years.
Actually, one thing I've yet to mention: Dropbox has done a great job of compatibility with …
Well-Suited Scenarios: Large Design Files: Dropbox is well-suited for architects who work with large design files, such as blueprints, CAD files, and 3D models. Dropbox's large file sharing capabilities make it easy to share these files with team members and clients, while its version control features allow architects to track changes over time. Limited Customization: Dropbox may be less appropriate for me who require a high level of customization in my workflow or project management.
SpiderOak is well suited for local backups of the computer the client resides on. It is well suited for local area storage backups. It is less suited for remote backups, over a VPN or wide area where the data is continually changing. For data that continually changes, like in our document management system, the client needs to be on the same network as the data.
At one point 2 gigs [were] deemed enough for the "Free" version of Dropbox and its competition. However as even the most simple picture from a phone gets larger, 2 gigs might no longer be enough. Might want to increase the free size to adjust for file size inflation.
Dropbox's app is very presumptive of updating itself every time you log on to a system that it's installed on. I know that's a feature you can turn off, but the assumption to turn that feature on by default is annoying.
Dropbox could use a phone app function that would initiate a download to a designated computer hard drive. It would eliminate having to see the file on your phone, go to your computer, turn it on and then download the file.
Dropbox is a user-friendly, easy tool which requires little to no skill and they offer a free version with a good amount of storage available. There are other file sharing tools available however at a cost. Dropbox free version I have used for years and it serves every purpose I need.
Dropbox is dead simple to us since right out of the box, it creates a folder on your PC and anything added to it gets synced to the cloud and any other device signed into that account. You can then dive deeper into permissions, version history, etc. Overall though, the minimalist approach is welcome since not everyone we work with is highly technical and that itself saves us time and money. Many of our colleagues already use Dropbox for their personal cloud so no training is required when using it at work other than going over our own company guidelines and best practices.
Dropbox is really useful, you can access any file from anywhere and you can upload and even edit files online, but, sometimes it can be slow. Downloading, uploading, and syncing is a bit slow, it can take several minutes. Furthermore, the search engine for large amounts of data can be slow too and it is not powerful.
It has not been necessary to go to customer support lately, since everything works perfectly. However, I must add that at the beginning when I started using Dropbox, and I had any doubts about how it worked, customer support was always attentive and found the best solutions effectively.
While I gave them a 7, it is in regards to the access to support. This is a business application and not being able to call them can sometimes be a problem especially when you need immediate support. They still tend to manage their support on a consumer line model and not a business grade model. With that said, I will say they are very knowledgeable of the product and how to resolve most any issue when I contact them.
I needed to stay current in improving my daily operations. Dropbox was suggested to me by a former colleague two-years ago and I've been using it just fine ever since.
Compared to Google Cloud Storage, the Dropbox app has proven to be more stable and dependable. In the meantime, Google has improved and is a great alternative. But now that we've decided to stick with Dropbox, we'll keep using it. In terms of ease of use, Dropbox appears to be the better option. It has all of the features that we require and more. It's easier to use for simple tasks, making it more convenient.
In regards to overall performance SpiderOak is not as customizable as Unitrends, but based on the annual cost for SpiderOak and how we use the product, for a "Backup" to our primary backup solution, it is a welcomed option to our backup strategy when you consider the versioning, zero knowledge, share features and unlimited data.
