Online File Storage
Online File Storage is a service that is commonly provided by companies that realize that storage space in servers is under-used, as they have high demand for CPU power and RAM capacity, but not for hard disk space, so instead of just wasting that space, they lease it to interested parties.
Other fully dedicated online storage providers will go for storage solutions that can hold huge amounts of data without investing in CPU power, such as NAS/SAN devices which will hold several terabytes of data and don’t need a powerful CPU.
With online file storage, you can get rid of those unreliable pen drives and you’ll never burn another DVD or CD just to take your files somewhere. All you have to do is upload them to the file storage server and then download them where you need them. Obviously this implies that you’ll have Internet access at your destination, otherwise it’s useless.
Some online file storage service providers will even allow you to grant access to your files to other people, like friends or colleagues, breaking the barriers of geographical location, and you are able to manage each user’s access to make sure that they can’t modify your files.
Other file storage (also called file hosting) providers will specialize in content distribution, like RapidShare or MegaUpload, companies that have huge server clusters where you can upload a file and get a unique download link that you can send to those that should be able to download a file. This companies are also commonly used to distribute pirated material as the person uploading it does only spend the bandwidth used for the upload and publishes the download link in forums or blogs so that all visitors can download the file.
However online file storage can go way beyond that, as some file storage providers will provide several tools so that you can even mount the remote storage location as a virtual filesystem in your computer, which means that you can see the files, open them, copy or delete as if it were another drive connected to your computer (although they work slower due to bandwidth and transfer times).
Online file storage providers are constantly struggling to earn a bigger market share by adding some new features, like increased security, access controls, collaboration tools and even the possibility to order a DVD copy of all your files. Their prices are constantly dropping and some people say that sooner or later, the “big guys” will get involved and there will be free online file storage for everyone.