Why do you need editing mode in the cloud? Cloud storages are indispensable assistants

In the modern world, information is something that is vitally necessary for every person every day. This may be some personal data, documents, applications, etc. that may be required at any time. But since it is impossible to carry your own computer everywhere, you have to adapt something to transfer this information - CD/DVD media, flash drives and other storage devices. But this is not entirely convenient, since there is always a risk of losing your drive forever. And it’s also not always possible to connect it to a tablet PC or smartphone. What to do in this case?

To alleviate the plight of users, special repositories for information have been developed, accessible via the Internet for any device and from anywhere in the world. In order to upload or download information, you only need a stable connection in any way and a device that is capable of downloading this information. Such storage is called “Cloud”, and there are now countless of them. But what is this Cloud from the inside?

The “cloud,” technically speaking, is an online storage facility consisting of a large number of servers connected into a huge network. This storage is accessed through special websites or applications. Registration is required to get your place in this “warehouse” of information.

Typically, after registration, a certain amount of space is available, which it can fill with files of any type. There are no restrictions on the number of files, only on their total size. If the user does not have enough space allocated to him for free, he can pay for additional space and use it at his own discretion. Some storage services will require you to pay extra for the ability to upload files larger than a certain size.

There is also a special technology that is designed to provide maximum user experience with the storage. If you install a special application on your device, the Cloud on your computer will appear as a new local drive. The only difference is that you will need the Internet to access it. But in general, this will resemble working with the data that is stored on a PC. Especially if the Internet speed is high enough so that there are no problems loading and opening. For other devices without a gateway, the data will also be available through the Cloud Storage itself.

What are the advantages of the Cloud?

This method compares favorably with storing information on a specially rented server, which was previously very often practiced by many firms and companies. In this case, there is no need to understand how the server works, support it and maintain it. There is no need to fill your head with unnecessary information. You just need to register, pay for additional space if necessary, and simply entrust the information to the cloud storage servers. Nothing more is required from the user. There are also a number of other advantages:

You can upload and download information using absolutely any device (some variations are possible depending on the cloud storage itself), if you have access to the Internet.
From the first point it follows that the breakdown or loss of a physical storage medium (computer, disk or flash drive) will not in any way affect its safety. If something has been uploaded to the Cloud, it will remain there.
There is no need to maintain an entire server, monitor it and pay for its operation. Since all the possibilities will most often not be used, there is no need to overpay.
For large companies with branches throughout the country, the Cloud is a good way to store the necessary information and make it accessible to every employee.
There is neither the opportunity nor the need to maintain the operation of the Cloud - this is done by professionals with whom the user is unlikely to ever cross paths.

What are the disadvantages?

Nothing can consist entirely of positives. So in the case of the Cloud, its many advantages included not so significant, but still important disadvantages:

Safety. The cloud is convenient to use. But at the same time, his security suffers from this convenience. The Cloud Server cannot provide complete protection of the user's personal data and information. However, experts say that it is just as easy to hack a regular computer connected to a network.
The most obvious disadvantage. They forget about it almost immediately, but it is precisely this that is the cornerstone of the Cloud’s operating system. The storage does not work if there is no Internet. It’s banal and simple: if you don’t have the Internet, then you won’t have access to information stored in the Cloud. The most significant disadvantage, especially considering the habit of working with the cloud gateway. So don’t rush to throw away flash drives; they still work without access to the Internet.
Possibilities. To interact with the Cloud, only access to the Internet is not enough. To ensure normal operation of the storage, the communication channel is important: how accessible and fast it is. And again returning to the Internet, its stable operation and quality are important. The worse it is, the more difficult it is to work with the cloud. Don't forget about PC performance, which equally affects storage capabilities.
Performance. The provided opportunity to work with data in the clouds is inferior to the alternative of directly working with information on a computer.
Data loss feature. The cloud provides part of its capacity for free. But not everyone has enough of this volume. And they arrange paid storage. This is where one of the main disadvantages lies. If the Cloud is not paid on time, there is a high probability of losing all data without the possibility of its return. Certainly. if the user does not have a copy of the data saved separately from the Cloud.
Not free features. Considering the point above, some also consider the paid storage option a minus. But the amount of payment for use is insignificant. Details depend on the selected storage location.

Popular repositories

You should consider the most popular storage facilities to choose the most convenient for your own use.

One of the most popular Clouds from Google. Initially, Google Docs took its place. Subsequently, the platform was expanded. Initially, the server was supposed to work with documents. It was transformed into a Cloud and added volume. The storage can contain 30 different types of information: music, movies, documents, etc. The company provides 15 GB for free use.

Cloud storage from Yandex. As with Google, the server was originally built on something else. Before, users used Yandex.People. Anyone can register in the system. Yandex.Disk will provide its user with 10 GB free of charge for use. Recently, the server added functions for automatically adding photos and videos from cameras and digital media.

Originally called Microsoft SkyDrive, it was renamed in 2014. A file sharing function has been added to the cloud storage function. Provided with new Windows operating systems.

The main advantage of this Cloud is its integration with Office365, which allows you to immediately work with it from applications such as Excel, Power Point, etc. Free space – 5 GB. Previously it was 15 GB, in some versions of operating systems you can find as much as 30 GB.

To exchange files between computers and mobile gadgets, cables and flash drives are no longer needed. If devices have Internet access, files can “fly” between them “on the cloud.” More precisely, they can “settle” in cloud storage, which is a collection of servers scattered around the world (united into one virtual - cloud server), where users place their data for a fee or for free. In the cloud, files are stored in the same way as on a computer’s hard drive, but are accessible not from one, but from different devices that can connect to it.

Every second or third Internet user has already adopted cloud data storage technology and uses it with pleasure, but some still resort to flash drives. After all, not everyone knows about this opportunity, and some simply cannot decide which service to choose and how to use it. Well, let's figure it out together.

What are cloud storages from a user's point of view and how do they work?

If you look through the eyes of an inexperienced user, cloud storage is an ordinary application. All it does is create a folder on the computer under its own name. But not simple. Everything you put into it is simultaneously copied to the same cloud Internet server and becomes accessible from other devices. The size of this folder is limited and can grow within the limits of the disk space allocated to you (on average from 2 GB).

If the cloud storage application is running and the computer (mobile gadget) is connected to the global network, the data on the hard drive and in the cloud are synchronized in real time. When working offline, as well as when the application is not running, all changes are saved only in the local folder. When the machine is connected to the Internet, access to the storage becomes possible, including through a browser.

Files and folders uploaded to the cloud are full-fledged web objects, the same as any content on Internet sites and FTP storages. You can link to them and share links with other people, even those who do not use this service. But only those to whom you have authorized it will be able to download or see an object from your storage. In the cloud, your data is hidden from prying eyes and is securely password protected.

The majority of cloud services have additional functionality - a file viewer, built-in document editors, tools for creating screenshots, etc. This, plus the amount of space provided, creates the main differences between them.

is a cloud data storage service that needs no introduction to Windows users. Of course, in the latest releases of this OS (in the top ten), it actually climbs on top of everything on the screen, since it is configured to autorun by default.

For Windows users, the advantage of the Microsoft OneDrive service over its analogues is perhaps only one - it does not need to be installed. You also don’t need to create a separate account for it—to log into the cloud, you just need to enter your Microsoft account information.

The owner of one Microsoft OneDrive account provides 5 GB of free disk space to store any information. To get additional volume, you will have to pay extra. The maximum is 5 TB and costs 3,399 rubles per year, but this package includes not only disk space, but also the Office 365 application (home edition). More affordable tariff plans are 1 TB (2,699 rubles per year - storage and Office 365 personal) and 50 GB (140 rubles per month - storage only).

Additional features of all tariffs:

Support for other operating systems - Mac OS X, iOS and Android.
View and edit documents using built-in Office applications.
Remote access to the entire contents of the computer (not just the OneDrive folder) on which the service is installed and your Microsoft account is used.
Creation of photo albums.
Built-in messenger (Skype).
Creation and storage of text notes.
Search.

Paid versions only:

Creating links with a limited validity period.
Offline folders.
Multi-page scanning and saving documents to a PDF file.

In general, the service is not bad, but sometimes there are problems logging into your account. If you are going to work with the web version of the storage (via a browser) and log into it under a different IP address than you used before, Microsoft sometimes runs a check that the account belongs to you, which takes quite a lot of time.

There have also been complaints about user content being removed from OneDrive when Microsoft suspected it was unlicensed.

is one of the oldest cross-platform cloud storage services. Unlike the previous one, it supports all major operating systems, as well as some less commonly used ones, such as Symbian and MeeGo. The service is very easy to use, works quickly and stably.

A DropBox user is provided with only 2 GB of disk space for free to store personal files, but this volume can be doubled by creating and attaching another account to your account - a work one (which can actually be personal). Together you get 4 GB.

Switching between personal and work disk space on the DropBox website and in the application is carried out without logging out of your account (no need to enter your username and password each time). A separate folder is created on the computer for both accounts - 2 GB each.

DropBox, as expected, also has several pricing plans. About free it was said above, Paid ones are “Plus” (1 TB, $8.25 per month, intended for personal use), “Standard” (2 TB, $12.50 per month, for business), “Advanced” (unlimited volume, $20 per month for 1 user) and “Enterprise” (unlimited volume, individually set price). The differences between the last two are in the set of additional options.

In addition to storage, free users have access to:

Document collaboration service DropBox Paper.
Ability to share links and create public folders.
Log of file changes with the ability to restore them to the previous version (up to 30 days).
Commenting on files - both your own and other users, if the file is available for viewing.
Search function.
Receiving notifications about events (customizable individually).
Automatic uploading of photos from the camera (by the way, DropBox provided users with additional space for enabling this option some time ago).
Select full or selective synchronization.
Encryption of data during storage and transmission.

The possibilities of paid tariffs can be listed for a very long time, so we will only note the main ones:

Remotely destroy data from DropBox on a lost or stolen device.
Limit the link's validity period.
Two-factor account authentication.
Setting access levels to different data.
Enhanced HIPAA/HITECH class information protection (secure storage of medical records).
24/7 technical support.

DropBox, if not the best, is a very worthy service. Despite the small amount of free space by today's standards, it is used by millions of people around the world.

Mega (Megasync)

As is clear from the description, Amazon Web Services is aimed only at the corporate sector and is not intended for storing albums with photographs of cats, although it is possible that someone uses it for this. After all, cloud file storage - Amazon Glacier, like Yandex disk, provides users with 10 free GB. The cost of additional volume is $0.004 per 1 GB per month.

Comparing Amazon Glacier with the web resources described above is perhaps incorrect, since they have slightly different purposes. The functionality and capabilities of this service are determined by business objectives, including:

Uninterrupted operation, increased reliability.
Compliance with enhanced data protection standards.
Multilingual interface.
Unlimited volume (expansion for an additional fee).
Ease of use and flexible settings.
Integration with other Amazon Web Services.

Those who are interested in Amazon's capabilities can read the complete documentation for AWS products, which is located on the official website.

Mail.ru

It ranks second or third in the popularity rating of file web storage among Russian-speaking audiences. In terms of its range of capabilities, it is comparable to Google Drive and Yandex Drive: like them, it contains web applications for creating and editing documents (texts, tables, presentations) and a screenshoter (a utility for taking screenshots). It is also integrated with other Mail.ru projects - mail, social networks “My World” and “Odnoklassniki”, the “Mail. Dating”, etc., has a convenient file viewer with a flash player and is also very affordable (for those who do not have enough allocated space).

The size of the free disk space of the Mail cloud is 8 GB (previously this figure has changed several times). The premium tariff for 64 GB costs 690 rubles per year. For 128 GB you will have to pay 1,490 rubles per year, for 256 GB - 2,290 rubles per year. The maximum volume is 512 GB, which will cost 3,790 rubles per year.

Other functions of the service are not much different from similar ones. This:

Shared folders.
Synchronization.
Built-in search.
Ability to share links.

The Mail.ru client application works on Windows, OS X, iOS and Android.

Cloud storage is a proprietary web service for owners of smartphones and tablets of the same manufacturer. Designed to store backup copies of data from mobile devices - multimedia content, OS files and other things at the user's discretion.

The Samsung Cloud client application is pre-installed on phones and tablets released after the second half of 2016 (more precisely, after the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7). Registering an account on the service is only possible through it, apparently to weed out outsiders.

The free storage capacity is 15 GB. An additional 50GB costs $0.99 per month, and 200GB costs $2.99.

iCloud (Apple)

- a favorite among cloud data storage users of Apple products. Of course, it’s free (though not very spacious) and integrated with other Apple services. The service is designed to store backup copies of data from iPhone, iPad and iPod, as well as user media files, mail and documents (the latter are automatically synchronized with the contents of iCloud Drive).

Free iCloud storage capacity is 5 GB. Additional storage retails for $0.99 for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB, and $9.99 for 2TB.

The iCloud client app supports Mac OS X, iOS, and Windows operating systems. There is no official application for Android, but owners of devices based on this OS can view mail from the Apple cloud on their device.

The top parade of cloud storages is completed by a Chinese service. As you can see from the screenshot, it is clearly not adapted for you and me. Why is it needed then, if there are domestic, European and American analogues that are more familiar to Russian-speaking people? The fact is that Baidu provides users with a whole terabyte of free disk space. For this reason, it is worth overcoming translation difficulties and other obstacles.

Registration on Baidu Cloud is significantly more labor-intensive than competitors. It requires confirmation with a code sent via SMS, but SMS from the Chinese server does not arrive to Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian numbers. Our fellow citizens have to get by by renting a virtual phone number, but that’s not all. The second difficulty is that an account cannot be registered with some email addresses. In particular, on the services gmail (Google is blocked in China), fastmail and Yandex. And the third difficulty is the need to install the Baidu Cloud mobile application on your phone or tablet, since this is what 1 TB is given for (when registering on a computer, you will receive only 5 GB). And it, as you understand, is entirely in Chinese.

Aren't you scared? Dare - and you will be rewarded. Information on how to create an account on Baidu yourself is available on the Internet.

Cloud services are a modern trend in the field of information technology. The cloud has come to be called any remote server resources that allow solving various current user tasks related to digital information: storing files and archives, hosting websites, working in various paid programs without directly purchasing them. Let's consider using a cloud service for storing files from the Mail.ru company.

How to use the Mail RU cloud through a browser
We offer a short guide to the functions of the cloud service from Mail ru.

To start using the cloud from Mail ru you need to have a registered account at mail.ru. If you don't have an account yet, register one.
After registration, go to the start page of the cloud service at https://cloud.mail.ru.
Read the License Agreement, accept its terms and proceed to work with the service by clicking the button Get started.
To upload your data to the cloud, click the button Download and select the necessary files on your computer drives. The maximum file size that can be downloaded through the browser is 2GB. After downloading files, you can perform the necessary actions with them: rename them, make them available for download, move them into folders, and so on.
To get a link to the downloaded files, where anyone can download the data, select the downloaded file and click the button Get link.

Copy the link from the window that appears.
If after some time you want to prohibit downloading a file from your cloud, then select it and click the button Remove link. The file will only be available to you from the cloud control panel.
To organize the downloaded files, it is recommended to place them in the appropriate folders. Folders must first be created by clicking the button Create and select the item in the menu that appears Folder.
To delete files that no longer need to be stored in the cloud, mark these files and click the button Delete.
In addition to storing files using the Mail.ru cloud, you can create a document, tables or presentation, that is, analogues of documents with which you work with office applications Word, Excel and Power Point, respectively. To create the specified files in the cloud, click the button Create and select the desired item from the menu that appears. It should be noted that functionality in the cloud is significantly more limited than what can be obtained using similar Microsoft Office applications.
If you have been sent a link to download any file stored on the Mail.ru cloud, then you do not have to download it to your computer, but save it to your cloud. To do this, click on the button with the image of a cloud and select a folder to save the data.

Working with the MailRu cloud is quite simple. In practice, you will quickly master the interface of this service.

How to use the Mail ru cloud through the application
It’s even more convenient to use the cloud not through a browser, but using applications that can be installed for all popular computer platforms, as well as smartphones. One of the benefits of using apps is that they can upload files up to 32GB in size. How to use the application:
As the Mailru company itself states, using its cloud service, the user no longer needs to worry about the safety of personal data and it will always be “at hand” on any device. We can only take his word for it and/or check the validity of this statement.

Today, millions of users around the world trust the clouds with their information. In this article we will try to figure out which of the services has the right to claim the title of best:

Cloud data storage - what is it?

The operating principle of any “cloud” storage is approximately the following: a “cloud” storage client program is installed on a personal computer or laptop, and the path to the folders located on the hard drive that are planned to be placed in this “cloud” is specified. The client program copies information from the specified folders to the storage, and subsequently monitors any changes in these folders and automatically makes adjustments to the “cloud” data storage.

If you decide to change a file stored in the “cloud”, the program will make changes to copies of the files on your computer. This approach allows you to have an up-to-date set of files on any of your devices ( smartphone, computer, tablet, etc..). The only condition required for uninterrupted operation of the storage with computer files is complete synchronization.

When you turn on your PC, you must also wait until the data synchronizes. The speed of this process largely depends on the speed of your Internet connection. If you turn off your device prematurely, cloud storage data synchronization may fail.

Advantages of storing information in the clouds

A “cloud” service is a kind of huge online flash drive on which data is stored and processed and to which you have access wherever you are, and from any device.

Benefits of free cloud data storage:

Data safety in case of failure of your PC, laptop, tablet, etc.;
Ability to send links to a file larger than 20 MB via social networks or email;
Sharing access to folders and files, the ability to collaborate with them online:

Dropbox cloud storage

Dropbox is one of the pioneers of cloud technologies. This service is secure and ideal for collaboration with documents and files. 2 GB of cloud space is provided for free. However, it is possible to increase the storage capacity up to 50 GB without spending a penny. It is enough to carefully monitor all kinds of promotions, take part in them and receive bonuses. For example, for each friend you refer you will get 512 MB, and for registering in the Carousel photo service - another 3 GB.

In addition, you can get additional gigabytes for installing Dropbox on your mobile device, sharing access with colleagues and friends, etc. The conditions for getting additional space in Dropbox change from time to time, so it makes sense to keep an eye on the announcements. You can quickly increase this figure to 1 TB for $99 per year.

You can work with cloud storage from Windows, Linux, Mac OS, iOS, Android, KindleFire and BlackBerry platforms. Dropbox provides secure backups, additional access control, and the ability to remotely wipe data ( in extended version).

Unlike competitors, when working with Dropbox, files are not completely copied to the server - only the modified part is transferred, and it is pre-compressed. This makes Dropbox very fast. In addition, a download history is kept, which allows you to restore data from the server after deletion. The “Pack-Rat” function is also available - an indefinite history of file changes.

Data encryption is carried out by using this cloud storage in conjunction with BoxCryptor, which reliably encrypts data before synchronization and ensures its complete confidentiality:

Cloud data storage Yandex.Disk

Yandex.Disk is another free cloud storage that comes with a photo editor and is tightly integrated with social networks. The work of the “cloud” is based on data synchronization between devices. Initially, Yandex.Disk gives you 10 GB of space, forever.

In paid versions, the volume can increase to 1 TB for 9,000 rubles per year. You can get a bonus additional space if you bring a friend (up to +10GB) or take part in various promotions.

Yandex.Disk can be integrated into Microsoft Office 2013. Recently, a feature has appeared to automatically download photos and videos from external media and digital cameras. At the same time, the user receives +32 GB of additional space for a period of 6 months. To work with Yandex.Disk, a web interface and applications are available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, iOS and Windows Phone. At the same time, Yandex.Disk has something that others do not have - the ability to download photos from social networks: Odnoklassniki, Instagram and VKontakte:

Google Drive cloud storage

Google Drive is one of the most popular cloud services, which makes it possible not only to store data in the cloud, but also to share it with users. Essentially this is Google Docs, transformed into a cloud service with increased disk space. Once activated, it replaces Google Docs.

In the “cloud” you can store documents, photos, videos, music and other files ( more than 30 species in total) users of Google services. The presence of a convenient photo service with automatic uploading of photos from a smartphone or computer and a function for compressing images allows you to get unlimited space for storing them. It is worth noting that only files larger than 13 MB can be compressed.

Each registered user is provided with 15 GB of cloud space free of charge. Active users of Gmail, Google+, Youtube do not need registration. If necessary, you can increase the volume up to 30 TB. The monthly fee for 100 GB is $1.99, for 30 TB it is $299.99. Access to Google Drive is possible through Windows, Android, iOS, Mac OS platforms. The undeniable advantages of Google Drive is its close integration with Google services. The great thing about this service is that there are no restrictions on the size of the downloaded file:

Web version of Cloud Mail.Ru

The main function of this service is storing files. There are no restrictions on formats for the user, but there is a ban on downloading a file larger than 2 GB. Therefore, if you want to upload large files, either divide them into several parts, or archive them with a high degree of compression.

View files

Downloads with the most popular extensions can be viewed directly in the browser. This is very convenient because it eliminates the need to download the object to your PC. Supported video, photo, audio, and document formats are launched through Mail.Ru's own interface.

By clicking on the service button, you will see a list of all the files stored on the disk, and by clicking on any of them, you can quickly switch to viewing it.

You can easily flip through files in order without leaving the viewing interface using the corresponding left/right arrows.

Downloading files

Any files from the disk can be downloaded to your PC. This is available not only through the file view mode, but also from the shared folder.

Hover over the desired file with your mouse cursor and click "Download". Nearby you will immediately see its weight.

Several files can be downloaded at the same time by first selecting them with checkmarks and then clicking on the button "Download" on the top panel.

Creating folders

To easily navigate and quickly find the downloads you need from the general list, you can sort them into folders. Create one or more thematic folders by combining any files according to the criteria you need.

Creating office documents

A useful and convenient feature of the Cloud is the creation of office documents. The user can create a text document (DOCX), table (XLS) and presentation (PPT).

Getting a link to a file/folder

A settings window will open. Here you can set access and privacy parameters (1), copy the link (2) and quickly send it by mail or on a social network (3). "Remove link"(4) means that the current link will no longer be available. Relevant if you want to block access to the entire file.

Create a share

So that documents from one cloud can be used by several people at once, for example, your relatives, classmates or work colleagues, set up its sharing. You can make it available in two ways:

Access via link- a fast and convenient option, but not the safest. It is not recommended to use it to provide access to editing or even viewing important and personal files.
Access by email- users you invite to view and edit will receive a corresponding message by email and a link to the folder itself. For each participant, you can set up personal access rights - only viewing or editing content.

The setup process itself looks like this:

PC program Disk-O

The application is designed to access the Mail.Ru Cloud through the standard system explorer. To work with it, you do not need to open a browser - viewing files and working with them is carried out through programs that support certain extensions.

In the article about creating a cloud, the link to which is at the beginning of the article, we also looked at the method of authorization in this program. When you launch Disk-O and after logging in, the cloud will be emulated as a hard drive. However, it is displayed only at the time the software is launched - if you quit the application, the connected disk will disappear.

You can simultaneously connect several cloud storages through the program.

Adding to startup

To make the program run along with the operating system and connect as a disk, add it to startup. To do this:

Now the disk will always be among the others in the folder "Computer" when starting the PC.
When you exit the program, it will disappear from the list.

Disk setup

The disk has few settings, but some may find them useful.

After changing the parameters, the program will reboot itself.

Viewing and editing files

All files stored on the disk can be opened for viewing and modification in programs that correspond to their extension.

Therefore, if any file cannot be opened, you will need to install the appropriate software. On our website you will find articles on choosing applications for certain .

All changes you make to files are instantly synced and updated in the cloud. Do not shut down the PC/program until it is uploaded to the cloud (during synchronization, the application icon in the tray rotates). Please note files with colon (:) in the name are not synchronized!

You can upload files to the Cloud by adding them to a folder on your computer. This can be done in the usual ways:

Getting a link to a file

You can quickly share files and folders on your disk by receiving a link. To do this, right-click on the file and select from the context menu "Disk-O: Copy public link".

Information about this will appear as a pop-up notification in the tray.

This is where the main capabilities of the web version and computer program end. It is worth noting that Mail.Ru is actively developing its own cloud storage, so we should expect new features and functions for both platforms in the future.