Egnyte Releases On-Demand File Server

Egnyte, a provider of on-demand file server solutions for small businesses and professionals, announced the immediate availability of its on-demand file server solution. The Egnyte on-demand file server provides secure online file storage, enables easy collaboration with colleagues and business partners, and automatically backs up files and folders stored on desktop and notebook computers. The Web-based Egnyte solution is fast and simple to set up and requires no investment in expensive server hardware or other equipment. Egnyte is available for Mac (Tiger and Leopard) and Windows (XP and Vista) users. Pricing begins at $15.00 per ‘power user’ per month, and includes unlimited storage and access to the server by an unlimited number of ‘standard users.’

All-in-One Solution
Egnyte provides a single, integrated, on-demand solution to the three most common technology challenges facing every small business: data storage, information sharing, and computer back-up. Traditionally, many small businesses have not adequately addressed these challenges because of the expense and complexity associated with deploying file-server hardware and other point solutions like ftp, vpn, and tape backups. The Egnyte solution eliminates the need for file-server hardware, storing users’ files on secure, always-available servers connected to the Internet.

Direct Desktop Access
Egnyte users install a small software program on their computers, enabling access to the Egnyte file server directly from Windows Explorer or Mac Finder windows (the Vista version of this software is in beta). This capability allows fast and convenient access to files stored on Egnyte and differentiates Egnyte — a true file server — from competing online storage services that require a Web browser to access stored files. Egnyte users can also access their files from any computer, anywhere, using Egnyte’s rich Web interface.

Professional Control, Management, and Search
Files are stored on the Egnyte server in a folder hierarchy familiar to Mac and Windows users. The Egnyte file server allows secure access, including control over who can access which folders and whether the contents can be modified, deleted, or only read, enabling sophisticated document sharing and access policy enforcement. Accurate auditing of file access is also enabled. The contents of every file stored on the Egnyte server are fully searchable, enabling rapid access to needed files, wherever they may be stored.

Egnyte also makes stored files accessible via a unique, secure link. This link can be embedded within third-party applications, websites, and wiki pages to provide access to the linked files. This capability, called ‘Hot Sharing,’ enables Egnyte to serve as a company’s content repository, eliminating the need for additional hardware or application development effort.

Share Information with Employees and Partners
Files stored on the Egnyte file server may be shared not only with employees at the user’s company, but also with vendors, customers, and other partners outside the company, enabling seamless collaboration among even very large workgroups. Egnyte’s per-user fees apply only to ‘power users,’ usually company employees who have access to all the features of the server as well as the ability to add other users. There is no charge to share files with other ‘standard users,’ oftentimes colleagues or business partners outside the company. Egnyte automatically creates new document versions as revisions are made and notifies workgroup members when new documents are available, facilitating teamwork.

Egnyte is optimized for sharing large files and folders, providing significantly faster uploads and downloads and easy recovery of failed or interrupted uploads and downloads. In the past, FTP or similarly cumbersome spot solutions were required to share large files, such as engineering documents, web graphics, or videos.

Set-and-Forget Backup of Desktops and Laptops
Egnyte also allows users to designate folders on their desktop and laptop computers for continuous backup onto the Egnyte file server. Egnyte’s continuous backup is more effective than competing products’ scheduled backups and does not impact a computer’s performance. Backed up files are searchable and can be accessed from anywhere via the Web interface.

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