SpiderOak Sync Delivers Backup, Sync and File Sharing

Online data manager SpiderOak introduced a new service for owners of multiple computers with SpiderOak Sync, the first synchronization solution that combines easy setup with no changes to the user’s existing folder structure, cross-platform PC/Mac/Linux computer and peripheral support, and ‘zero knowledge’ encryption to ensure privacy. Documents, music, photos, movies and other files can be sync’d automatically and continuously to ensure that changes in designated folders on a given machine are replicated across all devices. The service also includes online backup, storage, file sharing and remote file access – at half the cost of other sync offerings.

With SpiderOak, users can set up an unlimited number of sync routines between two or more locations and/or devices. Upon selecting any group of folders, SpiderOak Sync ensures that the same content is available on home and work machines, desktops and laptops, or any other combination of computers, external hard drives, network drives, removable media and/or peripherals.

This ‘sync it your way’ strategy enables subscribers to
(for example):

• Sync photo folders between their home Mac and their work PC
• Sync music folders between their desktop PC and their Linux laptop
• Sync one set of document folders between their work computer and network drive to be sure the latest files are uploaded to the network
• Sync another set of document folders between their home computer and the external hard drive they use for additional storage

This flexibility is not available with services that require users to create a special folder or location containing all files to be sync’d. In such cases, users are not only forced to replicate the entire file set but also have limited backup protection as only files contained in the dedicated sync folder are backed up. This is in addition to the drawback of spending time moving and reorganizing files.

"Managing multiple computers is a major challenge. People work on a file on one PC at home that needs to be retrieved on another PC at work, download vacation photos on a laptop for later transfer to their desktop, store their music in multiple places, and so on. Without a sync service, you either have to email a file, put it on a flash drive, copy it manually, or connect to your company VPN to get it," said SpiderOak CEO Ethan R. Oberman. "SpiderOak Sync eliminates those steps and ensures that any file included in a Sync is available and up to date at any time from any machine."

In addition, SpiderOak Sync offers more security and longer file retention than similar services through unique ‘zero knowledge’ data encryption plus perpetual file and version storage that ensures access to older and even deleted files at any time.

To prevent user content such as business files and personal bank statements from being hacked, data is encrypted not only during the upload and download process but also in the data repository itself with a no-password-storage policy that prevents even SpiderOak employees from viewing user content including filenames, folder names, timestamps or other identifying characteristics.

To protect against accidental deletions or unanticipated need for older files, SpiderOak stores all file versions in perpetuity rather than discarding historical versions or deleted material after a certain interval like other services. Additionally, advanced de-duping technology shrinks the space required to maintain multiple versions, avoiding excess storage costs and dramatically increasing synchronization speeds.

SpiderOak Sync – including backup, storage, sync, file sharing and remote file access from any Internet-enabled device – is free for the first 2 GBs, costs $10/month from 2 to 100GB, and $10/month for each additional 100GB increment for an unlimited number of devices.