The older we get, the more complicated our lives become; with that complication comes the responsibility of managing an array of sensitive information. While simply “jotting it down,” saving to an external drive, or attaching to an email may have worked in the past, today’s online ecosystem calls for a more secure and efficient manner of storing and sharing information. With a multitude of cloud services, as well as an increase in highly publicized hacks and breaches, navigating the world of online backup and synchronization can be overwhelming – but it doesn’t have to be. Both security and practicality can be achieved by adopting a file strategy that offers online and offline capabilities under one umbrella.
“The Cloud” – For the most part, we’ve all used it or at least heard of it. And, while its invisibility boggles the minds of many, cloud computing has become ubiquitous. The cloud can be an efficient and effective way to save and share information, while allowing users to avoid upfront hardware costs. As with any public service though, security risks are present. Here’s where GoodSync comes in. GoodSync software allows you to easily and effectively backup and restore your files without compromising your security. This can be done between a computer and another storage device (e.g. another computer, a removable disc, a flash drive or a smartphone), a computer and a remote computer or server, or on a single computer (backup only).
Because GoodSync also offers the capability of utilizing cloud services, you may wonder which options you should utilize when. The short answer is – it all depends on your specific need. If you’re producing something that you’d like to easily share with others, syncing to a cloud server such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive is most likely you’re best option as it will be easily accessible to all involved. If, however, you’re trying to store personal information such as your tax returns, rather than utilizing your cloud storage, especially since additional storage comes at a cost, it would be most beneficial to backup this information to another storage device such as an external drive.
In terms of security, regardless of whether you’re backing up and syncing to the cloud or a private device, GoodSync’s optional encryption feature allows you to safely save and sync both the name and the contents of the file. And, while the cloud does come with a level of security risk, if it were hacked, your information would be encrypted, creating a significantly more difficult time for the hacker.
In addition, programs such as GoodSync afford their users with certain conveniences that the cloud does not offer. Among them: Parallel Threads, propagated and unpropagated deletions, and automatic synchronization scheduling. With the former, GoodSync allows the user to run syncs parallel to one another, resulting in faster file transfer speed. The ability to turn on and off deletion propagation increases storage space and minimizes accidents, and with automatic synchronization you can set when you’d like your files synced (ie: Every X minutes, a recurring day and time of the week, when GoodSync Starts, when Windows logs off, or when any file in the sync folder changes. Another added benefit – no disruptions. Cloud services can experience outages, but when utilizing an offline backup option, this inconvenience disappears.
As you look to create a file strategy, we urge you to neither limit nor overwhelm yourself with options. Prioritize your objectives and list out any constraints you may have, whether that be time, cost, storage space, or security requirements. From there you’ll be able to determine what strategy (online, offline, or both) is best suited for individual tasks. And, by selecting software such as GoodSync, you’re leaving your options open, while maximizing speed and security and minimizing upkeep. After all, if you can have everything you need in one tool, why wouldn’t you?
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