Data Mirroring Made Easy With rsync

Wednesday, December 7, 2011 by SmartFile Marketing Team
rsync is a multi-OS software and protocol that is capable of synchronizing files from one computer to another. It also uses delta compression or data differencing when sending files which help reduce data redundancy. By default, the rsync daemon listens to TCP port 873 for incoming connections and uses SSH tunnel for communication.

SmartFileUsing rsync to back up your files is a great way to save time and effort. Instead of manually copying files, pasting them and creating folders to segregate data, you can use rsync to mirror data together with the file structure. However, this protocol needs the rsync daemon running on both computers. This means you cannot use rsync to backup data to an external hard drive or USB flash drive. This protocol can be used with a dedicated server or an online file storage service.

If you are looking for a convenient solution to simplify your data back up, check out SmartFile. We offer online media storage solutions to cater to your needs. We recently implemented rsync so check it out to learn how easy backing up files is with rsync. We have several storage solutions available, so sign up today to evaluate our service free for 14 days.

How to Choose the Best File Storage Website

Sunday, June 5, 2011 by SmartFile Marketing Team
file storage websitesWith numerous data storage websites offering storage services, choosing a suitable one can be confusing. To help you decide what best suits your needs, you should not only get a provider that offers a large storage space but also offers features which will help protect your files from data loss and unauthorized access.

A data storage service is a good investment for businesses that need a secure file storage. Online file servers use a designated file farm with RAID configured systems for data redundancy. This protects data from loss and corruption in case a drive crashes. Power supply backups are also used for 100% uptime even during power outages. Most also feature several restrictions on file and folder access. Data storage is easy to implement and to integrate with your current processes. You can use the provider's API in conjunction with your business software and automate file transfer of business related data. This effectively helps your business become more efficient.

SmartFile offers cost-effective storage solutions to help increase efficiency and gives you data security. Sign up for our 14-day free trial and enjoy the service with no feature limitations. Allow us to give you the best storage solution  that meets your needs.

Why Your Online Business Needs API Backup?

Monday, April 25, 2011 by SmartFile Marketing Team
API backup refers to the process of using alternative sources for saving the data used by your API or application-programming interface. Besides storing important data in other storage drives, you should also save the data in a secure online location.

API backupAn online file backup service can effectively reduce your business costs. When you have new clients, affiliates or partners in your company, you can easily share important business files and information by giving them access to your online data storage account. They can get to work right away without having to wait for those important files to be sent to them. There’s no time or money wasted. An API backup also ensures that no data will be lost in case your office servers suddenly bog down.

You can only enjoy these benefits if you get an online file management service from a trusted company. You should look for a company that offers more than file hosting services. A reliable company should also offer different options to access and manage your files like giving you the choice of using file transfer protocol software.

Make data management and sharing easier for your company, associates and clients. Take advantage of the free 14-day trial offered by SmartFile and see how online data storage can help you improve your business processes.

A Scheduled Backup Gives You Peace of Mind

Tuesday, February 15, 2011 by SmartFile Marketing Team
best online storage siteWe all know how important it is to back up our files. Whether you are managing a business or just a personal website, having a regular back up schedule takes a lot of worries away. With everything you need to do, it's very easy to forget about your back up schedule and let a week or a month pass by without being able to back up your important data.

To avoid forgetting to back up your files, you must look for the best online storage site that offers more than just file storage but also a scheduled backup feature. With this service, you know that your files are regularly backed up even if you don't initiate it manually. A scheduled back up gives you more freedom to do other things and gives you the peace of mind that your important files are protected if anything happens to your main server or if your web hosting service suddenly encounters a problem. 

SmartFile is the best online storage site. We offer a great express backup software you can use to protect your files. Our programs meet API standards, making our service the best there is on the market. Take advantage of our free 14 day trial today.


Different Ways to Back Up Data

Sunday, December 26, 2010 by SmartFile Marketing Team
Backing up data is a must. You never know when your files may be corrupted or when an unexpected system failure may occur that will cause permanent wipe-out of all your important information. A back-up system guarantees that you will never lose your files when FTP Backupan unexpected system error occurs. Today, you have more options when it comes to backing up your data than just storing them on file storage devices like an external hard drive.

Now, most people think that using the pre-installed back-up software in their computers is enough to keep their files safe. What will happen if you have a complete system failure where you can't even access your back-up files? There is a better option to secure your files.

Online file management is one of the most popular options people use to back up their data. With this service, you can stop worrying about losing your data. SmartFile offers online storage and FTP services so you can send, share and manage your files efficiently and conveniently. If you depend heavily on online transactions, you should consider getting this service. This will help you manage your business and send files to your clients easily. 

Take advantage of SmartFile's 14 day trial and see how easy it is to back up data with just a click of a button.

Online File Data Storage, a Safer Way to Back Up Files

Monday, December 13, 2010 by SmartFile Marketing Team

online file data storageThere are many computer back-up programs available on the market today. Most software backs up your data by creating an image of your drive and storing it in an external device. If you don’t have an external device, you may back up your computer in a hidden partition of your hard drive. This method of backing up files is prone to data loss because when your hard drive fails, your back-up drive fails too. You'll lose all your files. Unless you don't want to recover your files anymore, you'd spend about $100 per MB of data for your data recovery service. If you don't want these hassles, you can opt for a better back-up method like online storage.

online file data storageOnline file data storage is a safer way to back up your files. This service stores your files on online servers which are RAID configured. This is to protect your files through redundancy in case one drive fails. It also features an encrypted connection during transfer to secure your data. With online storage for files, you can set the program to do an automated scheduled back up.

SmartFile offers online file data storage. With your SmartFile account, you get a copy of Smart back up software. This program efficiently backs up your data and stores it online. Take advantage of our 14 day free trial now and see how convenient it is to have this service.

Backing up your Data using a Batch File

Thursday, October 7, 2010 by Brian Dowden
You may not have the ability to install the SmartBackup client but still need to backup your files. An easy way to do that without the backup software is by using a FTP batch file. Here is an example of how to do that.

First you need to create a text file with the commands you want to run. We will call this ftpbackup.txt. The file should look like this:

yourUserName
yourPassword
cd backup/folder (select the directory you are backing up to)
binary
prompt n
mput *.*
quit

The mput command copies all of the files from your local folder to the server. If you need to copy files from the server to your local computer use mget. Once you have that file saved you will need to create the batch file. We will call that ftpbackup.bat. It should look like this:

ftp -s:ftpbackup.txt (sitename).smartfile.com

Now that you have your batch file you can run it from a command prompt or set it up as a scheduled task to run as often as you like. Remember this is not as secure as the backup utility. It does store you password in plain text but it will work in a pinch.

Techpoint's Innovation Summit 2010

Friday, August 27, 2010 by John Hurley
The Innovation Summit is an annual event that brings togetOnline Media Storage, Big File, Remote File Transferher some of Indiana's best talent.  This one day show will provide helpful insight from top industry leaders, and it will also serve as a great platform for companies to showcase their products.

We are excited to be a part of this years event by being an exhibiting sponsor.  Stop by our booth to checkout our slick new user interface, which will be debuted as the show.  We have also added some great new features that make fast file transfer and managing large files easy.   

If you are a software, telecom, or IT services company see how our private label product can be integrated with our improved API backup product. 

See you at the show! 

How Does SmartFile Compare?

Monday, April 19, 2010 by John Hurley

I get this question all the time, “What does SmartFile do differently, and isn’t everyone doing online storage?” Yes, online storage or file collaboration is a very competitive market. Doing business “in the cloud” will go from $56.30 billion to a projected $150.1 billion by 2013, per a recent Gartner study. So with growth like that, everyone wants their piece of the online pie.

SmartFile has positioned itself to be a business-focused product that allows companies to easily move and share large files. The four main things that make us different are outlined below:

Different File Management Methods
There are several types of FTP companies on the market today.

  • .Companies that allow you to manage your files using FTP and FTP only.
  • Companies that make you download their proprietary software to manage your files.
  • Companies that give you the ability to only connect through their online file manager product.
  • Companies that only allow you to send large files via email.
  • Companies that only allow you to backup computer files using a PC backup program

SmartFile was designed to allow you to do all of these functions seamlessly through one application. Our product was designed around the FTP protocol, therefore allowing you to connect using any FTP program. You can also use our web-based FileManager in conjunction with FTP to allow the less tech savvy user to easily manage files. Best of all, there is NO software to download. A very popular feature is our integrated File-2-Email capability, which allows you to send a link to a large file or group of files within SmartFile to as many users as is required. And if you want to backup your PC or multiple PC’s, you can install our SmartBackup for no additional fee.

Unlimited Users
This is the feature that really sets us apart from our competition. We are one of the only providers that allows you to add as many users as necessary to operate your FTP server. We will NEVER make you pay an additional fee to add more Administrators, Managers or Users.

Custom Branding
Most FTP providers fall drastically short in this area. The only branding they allow is your logo, which I guess is better than other providers that don’t allow you to brand anything. We’ve taken the time to truly integrate your brand into our product. We offer a customized URL (files.yourcompany.com), your logo, and your color scheme. Your customers will never know that SmartFile exists.

White Label Reseller Module
We have created a VAR (Value Added Reseller) module that allows you to rebrand our product to your image. This allows you to offer online file sharing and FTP capabilities to your client base. Our Reseller Module allows you to manage customers and integrate with your billing and provisioning systems.

As you can see, we are very different than our competition. By offering the most competitive pricing with the richest feature set, we make choosing an FTP provider…a Smart decision.

 

How Much Does It Really Cost To Setup And Maintain Your Own FTP Server?

Thursday, April 8, 2010 by Brian Dowden
Let’s face it, most people in Information Technology love control. Control over systems, control over data, and most importantly control over YOU. I’m not suggesting these are bad characteristics to possess when you are trying to protect your company’s most crucial asset, such as your data. Let’s face it, I would be a little nervous if the thing that kept me gainfully employed was taken away from me because it was cheaper and easier than having it in-house. This often creates a problem when a person on the business side of the company needs to make a decision based on the limited amount of information he or she is getting from IT.

This article is written to outline the expected costs involved in getting your FTP solution in place, thus giving you the facts when it comes to making an important business decision. There are several ways to go about configuring an FTP server, below is the most common:

1. Hardware ($2500)
Price ranges on processor speed and how much hard drive space you need. Here are the specs of a slimmed down server:
  • Dual Xeon 1.83Ghz Processors
  • Windows Server Web Edition
  • 1 Terabyte of storage
  • Raid 5 (For hard drive redundancy)
  • 4 Gigs of Memory
  • 3 Year ProSupport

2. Software ($500)
There are many FTP server software programs to choose from. They range in price based on product features and how many users can access the account. There are many providers offering this type of product, but I have chosen three popular programs:
  • Serv-U ($199-$999)
  • GlobalScape ($696 – $1,995)
  • FileZilla – (FREE)

3. Bandwidth (Soft Cost)
Hosting an FTP server in-house will certainly eat into your bandwidth when users start uploading and downloading files. This can cause a dangerous ripple effect on other employees trying to perform important functions such as emailing, web browsing, video conferencing and in some cases, phone calls.

4. Setup Time (1 Day)
  • Configure Windows
  • Purchase SSL (If security is a concern)
  • Configure Network
                   - IP addresses
                   - Hostnames
                   - Firewall Provisioning
  • Configure FTP software
  • Configure Backups
                 - Create user accounts
                 - Create directories
                 - Create file system permissions
                 - FTP server permissions

5. Support (Ongoing)
Must have tech-savvy person on staff to do the following:
  • Manage
  • Backup
  • Troubleshoot problems
  • Apply patches to server
  • Upgrade
  • Monitor
It’s easy to say that you can spend $5000 in creating an FTP server that people can use, not to mention ongoing costs. Cost aside, it will still not have features like custom branding, a web interface that allows anyone to upload/download a file, and a way for any non-IT person to administer.

Before making the decision to bring FTP in-house, I would highly suggest giving SmartFile a try (for as little as a $108.00 a year). Who knows, you might even make your IT person happy.
A Dell PowerEdge server