A cloud is usually a large object that occupies a large area. In the technical field, a cloud is a virtual remote service that 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 basically three kinds 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, such as 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 storing the user's local files 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 under active development and due to potential threats such as loss of data or information, hacks, and other similar cases, many organizations are releasing their own cloud solutions that guarantee data privacy, this strengthens confidence in the success of cloud technologies.
In this article, we will look at several solutions from this area. We will focus on open source software that is used by a huge number of people and large organizations. We will analyze only the best cloud services of 2016.
In the list of the best cloud storages, OwnCloud is in 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 this 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, non-public cloud storage. It is written in PHP, JavaScript, and is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS, and has mobile apps for Android and iOS.
OwnCloud uses a Webdav server for remote access and can integrate with a large number of databases, including SQLite, MariaDB, Oracle Database, PostgreeSQL.
A large number of functions are supported, such as encryption, file storage, music streaming, content sharing by URL, Mozilla sync server, RSS aggregator for reading news feeds, one-click installation of programs, watching videos, PDF, 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, and the latest stable version is 4.4.3, which was released on October 15, 2015.
The best Seafile cloud storages provide a desktop client for Windows, Linux and OS X, as well as mobile clients for Android, IOS and Windows Phone. Along with the free implementation of the Community Edition, released under the GPL, there is a professional edition under a commercial license, which provides additional features - some user protocols and the ability to search for text.
The project moved to an open source distribution form in July 2011, which has attracted a lot of attention. Its main functionality is data synchronization, with an emphasis on security. Main 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: the University of Mainz, the University of Berlin and the 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 purpose 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 delivered on all NAS equipment from LaCie.
Pydio is written in PHP and JavaScript and is available for Windows, Linux, MacOS as well as Android. There are now about half a million downloads from Sourcefoge. The service is endorsed by companies such as RedHat and Oracle. It is one of the most popular cloud storage on the market.
By itself, Pydio is just a core that runs on a web server and can be accessed through any web browser. The Webdav interface makes it an ideal online file management solution, SSL/TLS encryption makes data transfer secure and keeps your privacy. Also available is a text editor with syntax highlighting, audio and video playback, integration with Amazon S3, FTP, or MYSQL, an image editor, sharing files and folders using public URLs.
4. Ceph
Ceph was originally developed by Sage Well for his PhD, but in the fall of 2007 he continued to work on the project and expanded the development team. In April 2014, Red Hat took part in the development. So far, eight versions of the program have been released, the last release was on April 7, 2015. It is a distributed cluster written in C ++ and Perl with a high degree of scalability and, moreover, freely available.
Data can be pushed into Ceph as a block device, file, or object via a RADOS gateway that supports Amazon S3 and OpenStack Swift.
These free cloud storages are data safe, scalable and reliable, here are some additional features:
- Network file system with great performance
- Compatibility 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 storage and file sharing. Now actively developed by Philip Haeckel and available as a command line tool for all systems. The graphical interface is still under development.
One of the most important features of Syncany is that it is just a tool. Therefore, you need to have your own storage available via FTP, SFTP, Webdav, Samba, or Amazon S3.
6. Cozy
This tool provides not only file access and synchronization, but a complete package of functions that will help you build your own application platform.
Like Syncany, Cozy provides flexibility for the user in terms of disk space. You can use your personal servers or trust data to Cozy servers. This software needs two more projects to function properly - 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, synchronize it all between a laptop and a smartphone.
Another notable feature is that Cozy is resource-intensive. A version of Cozy Light has been released that can even run on Raspberry Pi or cheap VPS hosting.
7GlusterFS
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 their 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 its own protocol over TCP/IP, Infiband or SDP and store files on the GlusterFS server. To ensure the reliability of data storage, data mirroring based on files and replications, load balancing, disk caching scheduling, etc. are used.
Another useful feature is that the data is stored in native filesystems such as ext4, xfs, etc.
StackSync is a Dropbox-like tool that runs on OpenStack, designed to solve the problem organizations have to keep all their data in sync in one place. It is written in Java and released under the GPLv3 license.
Its structure consists of three main components: synchronization server, OpenStack, desktop or mobile client. The server handles metadata and logic, OpenStack is focused on data persistence, and desktop clients help users sync data to their personal cloud.
SyncStack uses various data optimizations that allow you to scale the system to meet the needs of thousands of people for efficient use of cloud resources. Additional features: RESTFull API as a Swift module that allows you to use mobile and third-party apps to synchronize data. There is also a separation between data and metadata making this solution very flexible to deploy on different configurations.
Git-annex is another prominent item on the best cloud storage 2016 list, and 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 linked by 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 they are needed. It should be noted that git-annex is available for many Linux distributions, Fedora, Ubuntu, Debain, etc.
10. Yandex.Disk
Yandex Disk is a cloud storage 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 sync their data between different devices and share it with all users on the internet.
Yandex Disk provides its users with many different functions: a built-in flash player, file sharing between users by exchanging links, synchronizing files between different devices, unlimited storage time, WebDav support.
11. Bitcasa
Developed by Bitcasa Inc, a California company, this is another cloud storage and sync service. Available for Windows, OS X, Android and Linux. Not all components of the program are open source, but it is still relevant because it uses projects such as gcc/clang, libCurl, OpenSSL, APR, Rapid JSON, etc.
The main features are file storage, sharing, as well as encryption, which makes storing data much safer. It is these features that make it popular with customers from more than 140 countries around the world.
12.nas4free
NAS stands for Attached Network Storage or Attached Online Storage. 4free stands for its free and free nature. The program was released in May 2012. It is a network storage server with a user interface written in PHP. It supports i386/IA-32 and x86-64 architectures.
Nas4Free supports partitioning across 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 a USB, and can also be run from a 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 gained a lot of popularity over the years or just released and are ready to make a huge contribution to this industry. Our review of free cloud storage is over. If you know of other great cloud services that you or your organization use, please let us know in the comments.
In the computer world cloud called a virtual environment that allows you to store data and work with them over the Internet and without the participation of local drives. Simply put, a cloud is a collection of servers connected to the World Wide Web where you can save your files and, in some cases, install applications. Key features of cloud storage:
- storing data on several servers at once. If one server fails, they will be available from others.
- availability of data from anywhere in the world. You can access your data from any computer that is connected to the Internet.
Advantages
Using the cloud is very convenient for several reasons:
1. You can access and edit the file from different devices: work laptop, home computer, tablet. At the same time, you do not need to replace old copies with new ones and think about where and what you changed so as not to overwrite the desired copy.
2. The cloud serves as a backup storage. You can store files on your computer and have copies of them in the cloud. Thus, you provide an excellent safety net in case of information loss on the computer (disk failure, virus infection, laptop theft, etc.)
3. Ability to save disk space on your computer. Nothing prevents you from dropping 15 GB to Google Drive, some more to Yandex Disk, and another part to Dropbox. At the same time, you can delete files from the local drive and free up a large amount of space if you urgently need it.
4. Reliability. The cloud is an infrastructure of many redundant servers. Your information is stored on several sites at once, and the risk of data loss in Google Drive or OneDrive is much lower than in the case of storage on a computer.
Cloud data storage, what is it and why are they needed? The answer is simple - this is a replacement for the usual flash drives or disks, because why carry a data carrier with you and waste time if you can store and transfer files using the cloud! And for business, this is a convenient tool for remote work with documents. Well, or if you simply don’t have enough memory on the device and it doesn’t even help anymore, in this case, the cloud drive will be the solution. Transferring files via the cloud is absolutely safe: you yourself specify who will have access to the data!
What is cloud storage?
Cloud storage is a place allocated to you on numerous servers of the service provider, the file storage system is decentralized - two of your files can be on completely different servers! We upload the file using the application to the server and it gets into the "cloud", depending on your wishes and needs, the files can be both in public and only in private access: to selected people. Files from the cloud can only be accessed via the Internet, which makes the files available to you anywhere and from any device.
The Pros and Benefits of Cloud Storage
- Files are available EVERYWHERE there is internet: you can access them from your phone or PC
- Save space or expand memory: photos and videos can be stored in the cloud to save space
- High file transfer speed thanks to a wide geographical network of servers and CDN
- Storage reliability: even if one server fails, there are copies of data on other servers
- Great opportunity for business and remote employees: one file is editable by everyone with access!
The only downside is that you need internet.:)
How to start using Cloud Storage and which one to choose
- In order to start using cloud storage, you need to download the client program and install it. If you do not know what to choose, read our "".
- To upload a file or photo to the cloud, follow the prompts built into the application, otherwise look for the "+" icon or the inscription "Upload / Upload"
- Now you just have to set up access from outside to your files: it will be only you, or the owners of the direct link that you create will have access
To transfer your file or folder from the cloud to another user, you need to send him a link: to find it, click on the desired file or folder, find the link and send it to whom you need to provide access to the file in your cloud.
Today, cloud storage is an integral part of our lives. Many people and organizations store their files there, thereby ensuring their safety and security, as well as ease of access to them by various users, comfort in work. At the same time, the functionality of these services in 2018 may differ in the presence (or absence) of any essential elements for cloud services, inspiring the user to make a choice in favor of the most convenient of them. In this article, I will tell you what free cloud storages with a large amount of memory are in this year 2018, describe the features of their functionality, and also explain how to work with them.
Exploring cloud storage with large volume for free 2018
Nowadays, there are a sufficient number of cloud services on the network that offer users their services for hosting and storing user files. However, these services are different:
- by the amount of paid and free space provided;
- on the possibilities of encrypting data located in the cloud;
- by the speed of working with them;
- if possible, support the service on mobile devices (in the form of specialized applications);
- if possible, restore previously deleted files, the presence of a built-in media player, support for various languages, and so on.
At its core, cloud storage works on a similar principle. You go to such a storage, register there, and get a predetermined amount of empty space for your needs. You can upload and download files from there, share links to these files with the right people, view them, and perform other relevant actions.
Many storages support file synchronization: for example, a folder is created on your PC into which you copy the necessary files, and these files will be automatically copied to the cloud service.
I also note that over the past couple of years, the leading market players have been pursuing a policy to reduce the space provided to the user for free. In particular, in 2016, Microsoft reduced the amount of free space provided in its OneDrive from 15 gigabytes to 5 gigabytes. Other well-known players are pursuing a similar policy, significantly reducing the amount of free space on their resources.
The best cloud storage for free
Consider cloud services, the free services of which we can use.
Service "pCloud" - allows you to store and send large files
- To get started with the service, follow the link above and go through the registration procedure.
- After completing the procedure, you will be taken to the Yandex.Disk workspace, where you can create directories, upload files to them, delete files, share the desired folder, and so on.
Working window "Yandex.Disk" Cloud.Mail.ru service
Cloud Mail.ru is another well-known cloud service with a large volume from Mail.ru. 8 gigabytes of free space is provided free of charge. Supports work with shared folders, two-factor authentication, editing documents online, automatic, selective synchronization and other functions.
To work with this cloud service, follow the link, go through authorization (if necessary), and start using pretty classic cloud functionality.
Working window "Cloud Mail.ru" Service «Degoo»
The Degoo service offers as much as 100 gigabytes of free space, while this is not a standard cloud service, but a cloud service for storing backup copies of files.
- It does not support file sync.
- Does not allow you to share your files with friends.
- Does not support scheduled file copying.
- There are no other relevant bonuses in it that are available to the usual cloud service.
Degoo work screen At the same time, you can connect many devices to Degoo, including a laptop and a mobile phone. Scheduled backups are not available here, but the service automatically copies files once every 24 hours.
To work with the service, follow the link, download this application to your device, and start using its functionality. Working with uploading files using this service will also not cause you any problems, try this cloud storage for free.
Conclusion
This article described the best, in my opinion, cloud storages with a large amount of data that provide free functionality in 2018. In terms of overall functionality, the pCloud service is one of the best in its segment, so I recommend users to directly verify the multifunctional capabilities of this service. It is also worth looking at the other alternatives I mentioned above, all of which provide solid amounts of disk space at no cost to their user.
Users and businesses will continue to move away from bulky and expensive servers, choosing the cloud for file storage instead. Given the variety of available storage, the choice should be approached very carefully.
Lifehacker suggests paying attention to services that provide maximum free space with reliable data protection and quality service. Prices are indicated only for the initial tariff plans.
- Price A: 2 GB free, 1 TB $8.25 per month. A standard Dropbox Business subscription costs $12.5 per user per month.
- Applications:
- Russian language support: there is.
Initially, this cloud storage giant gives access to only 2 GB of free space. But it can be easily expanded up to 16 GB: just link your social media accounts and offer a referral link to several friends.
A Dropbox Business subscription allows you to use your corporate account for collaboration and also gives you unlimited space for your personal account. What's more, you get a number of advanced features like file recovery and setting access levels.
- Price: 15 GB free, 100 GB for 139 rubles per month.
- Applications: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
- Russian language support: there is.
One of the most obvious options for owners of Android devices, since the application is natively installed on smartphones and tablets based on Google's OS. However, due to the considerable amount of free storage, the service may be attractive to owners of other devices.
Among the minuses is not the simplest interface of the browser version. But Windows and macOS users can download a much more convenient app.
3.Mega
- Price A: 50 GB free, 200 GB €4.99 per month.
- Applications:
- Russian language support: there is.
Another service with a generous free plan and drag-and-drop interface. Mega has a handy mobile app for uploading files, as well as desktop clients for syncing them.
According to the company, all data is encrypted on your device before it ends up on the servers. The source code for the Mega client is available on GitHub and can be reviewed by any expert. Therefore, the statement inspires confidence.
- Price: 10 GB for free, another 10 GB for 30 rubles per month.
- Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, LG Smart TV.
- Russian language support: there is.
The cloud from Yandex works quickly and stably, constantly acquiring new features. The service has a high synchronization speed. Platform capabilities are built into some third-party applications.
Despite the presence of clients for all popular desktop and mobile platforms, the Yandex.Disk browser interface is also very practical. The service also has very good opportunities for expanding space through partnerships with companies. For example, if you are a Muscovite and use the OnLime tariff plan from Rostelecom, then the disk capacity is increased by 100 GB.
- Price: 5 GB free, 50 GB for $140 per month, 1 TB for $269 or $339 with an Office 365 personal or family subscription, respectively.
- Applications: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Xbox.
- Russian language support: there is.
The former SkyDrive is built into the standard Windows 10 File Explorer. No need to download the app - everything is already downloaded for you.
The Photos app built into the operating system can use OneDrive to sync all of your pictures across devices.
When installing a client for macOS, you should take into account not the most positive reviews about it.
In addition to regular pricing plans, Microsoft has "Office 365 Personal" and "Office 365 Home" products. Both subscriptions include 1TB in the cloud, full Office apps for Windows and macOS, and a host of other benefits. The second option gives 1 TB to five users at once.
- Price: 8 GB for free, 64 GB for 69 rubles per month.
- Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Windows Phone.
- Russian language support: there is.
The closest analogue of Yandex.Disk in terms of available features, web version interface and supported platforms. Loses to its main competitor due to an extensive referral program. Benefits include more free storage.
Among other things, the service has a tool for quickly creating and saving screenshots in the cloud.
- Price: 5 GB for free, 50 GB for 59 rubles per month.
- Applications: Windows.
- Russian language support: there is.
5 GB of free space might not be enough, but iCloud is the most convenient way to back up iPhone photos.
The service is integrated into the Finder program on macOS - the desktop of all MacBooks. Documents created through the iWork office suite are also stored in iCloud and can be synchronized between devices. The platform also has an official client for Windows, with which you can keep files on your PC up to date.
8. Box
- Price A: 10 GB free, 100 GB €8 per month. Business subscription costs 12 euros per month.
- Applications: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
- Russian language support: there is.
The platform quickly gained popularity and is supported by a number of popular services for work, such as Google Docs and Office 365. Box desktop clients allow you to not only synchronize, but also edit files.
The company is actively promoting business subscription. It is she who appears in the center of the screen when you click on the register button. The plan gives you access to advanced collaboration features and unlimited cloud space.
- Price A: Free to set up and use, space pricing varies by hosting provider. Nextcloud Box costs 70 euros.
- Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
- Russian language support: no.
The company itself is not a cloud storage provider, but offers free software to set up a cloud on your own server. The main advantage of this option is speed. You can also enable encryption and not worry about files leaving your home network.
If you have no experience in setting up servers, you can buy a pre-configured option - Nextcloud Box. Inside the device is a 1 TB hard drive. It easily connects to an inexpensive single - board computer . True, in order to get a mini-server in your hands, you will have to use the services of third-party companies: there is no direct delivery to Russia and the CIS countries.
- Price A: 2 GB free, 250 GB $9 per month.
- Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
- Russian language support: no.
Another English-language platform that has been working on the zero-knowledge protocol for a long time. It was understood that the company interacts with user data without disclosing their content in any way. Recently it turned out that there are some caveats here, and SpiderOak abandoned its main feature. But this did not stop striving to provide files.
The storage has clients for all popular desktop and mobile platforms. You can use the web client, but for privacy fighters, this is the least preferred option, since this is how you give out your password to SpiderOak employees.
- Price: 5 GB free, 2 TB for $52.12 per year on special offer, then $69.5.
- Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Windows Phone.
- Russian language support: no.
The product maintains constant synchronization of all your files - even those stored on network drives. The web interface allows you to share data by mail, via Facebook and Twitter.
The advantage of IDrive is that files deleted from the computer from the cloud do not automatically disappear. The company also has an IDrive Express service: if you lose all your data, a hard drive will be delivered to you for quick recovery.
- Price A: 10GB free, 500GB $3.99 per month, pCloud Crypto encryption price $3.99 per month.
- Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
- Russian language support: there is.
The service has limits on the speed of downloading files, but there is no limit on their volume. The storage can be used from any platform - through the application or website.
The company is registered in Switzerland, a country known for strict privacy laws. For an additional amount, you can use the pCloud Crypto service to encrypt individual files.
