Review of DropBox Online Storage Solution

Overview and History

Dropbox has been around for a couple of years and they have done excellent things in that tiny amount of time. Notably their VoteBox method that invites you to select which features they work on first: Very clever. You can choose from 3 options: 1 free and 2 premium or pro version. The free edition provides 2 Gb wheras the Premium versions provide you with 50 or 100 Gb. Backup and synchronizing are straightforward to setup and work persistently unnoticed making this a real "set it and forget it" program. The company additionally offer unlimited file versioning as an option to the pro accounts.

PDA devices are fully supported with apps for iPhone and iTouch and a website for online enabled devices. Collaboration features include public and private file and folder sharing as well as commenting on files and folders. With many more features in being developed. Photo albums and video streaming are currenty supported. To get you started on the right track: If you follow their 'getting started guide' and complete most of the steps you get an bonus of 250Mb of storage! Great idea! If you would like even more storage, just invite friends and you get another 250Mb per referral up to a limit of 8Gb.

Dropbox was founded by Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi in 2007, and was founded using seed funding from Y Combinator. Today, Dropbox is well-funded by Sequoia Capital, Accel Partners, and Amidzad. Since launching publicly in September of 2008, they have gained more than 3,000,000 customers and are growing swiftly. They have been featured in many major media publications and shows, and have won awards from places like PC Magazine and CNET. Their drive is creating a service that rocks and putting it in millions of people's hands.

Feature Set

Security

DropBox has adaquate security: The web portal is SSL encrypted with a requirement for a username and password to view your data. Files in transit are protected with SSL encryption and when on their servers, your information is encrypted with 256 AES encryption. Additionally, they use the Amazon AWS service which is backed by the Amazon name and quality stamp.

Backup Features

Non-stop and 'Block Level' backups are used to make sure your files are constantly protected. Open files are archived on a continual basis by using 'Block level Incremental Backups' which means that DropBox only backs up the sections of a file that have been changed, instead of the entire file.
Including files and folders to the DropBox archive schedule is a snap: Just choose the files you want to protect and choose 'backup with DropBox'. Different copies of files are saved so you can always restore an earlier edition of a document if you overwrote it. There is a status indicator to indicate how the archive is progressing.
On the downside network and removable drives cannot be included in backups and business databases like exchange and SQL server are not supported directly.

Restore Features

Restoring your data is very easy. There are a couple of main choices: Restore via the web site: Just log in to your account, find the file you wish to retrieve and choose how you woud like to retrieve it. The alternative technique is even easier: Just use the DropBox Manager to restore any editon of a file.

Control and Analysis

There are processor and bandwidth throttling available from the DropBox client software. Reports and logging can also be read from the client software.
Proxy servers are configurable with options for HTTP, SOCKS4 and SOCKS5.

Interface

The interface is graceful and easy to use. There are just a few options available thus keeping everything simple and easy to use. There is client software to setup and once installed, the software makes a DropBox folder where all protected files are displayed.

Device Support

There is currently support for every device under the sun! The way DropBox is designed; if your devices can access the internet then they can make use of DropBox.

Limitations

The web site only supports file uploads of up to 300Mb each however you can bypass this by using compression tools like WinRAR or WinZip which allow you to cut large files into smaller bits. The restiction is not present if you utilize the client software.
File retention (before deletion) is 30 days unless you invest in 'Pack-Rat' which is available as an bolt-on to the pro editions and costs an additional $39 annually and provides you limitless file versions and file retention.

File Sharing and Collaboration

Information can be shared publicly - Allowing everyone to see them - or privately where you setup access rights to desired files and folders for each individual or group.
Photo Albums are supported and are sharable either publicly or privately.
Comments can be appended to each file that is shared and other people can be allowed to make additional comments to create a discussion about a particular file or folder.

Synchronization

Synchronization is supported between different devices and between devices and the web site. An excellent option is the LAN synchronization. This allows users on the same network (home or work) to rapidly synchronize changes locally without going to the internet first. This greatly reduces your internet bandwidth load.

Web 2.0 Integration

At the time of writing, there was no direct integration with online services to allow editing of documents, etc.

Customer Support

There is no phone, live chat or direct email customer support available. There are however, loads other forms of help available: You can contact support using a web form on their site; there is an extensive knowledgebase and FAQ section; the online help is complete to a sensible level. There are also tutorials, a demo and case studies available. However, by far the most useful resources for do-it-yourself support are the forum and blog. These are full of valuable advice and support from both the DropBox staff and individuals using the service.

Ease Of Use

Extremely straightforward to get setup with: Signup, login, download the program on all your machines and start syncing. As of December 2009 there is now a LAN syncronization feature which hugely speeds up local syncing. Both the desktop and web interfaces are clean, elegant and simple to use. Put simply a very easy service to use.

Cost

Cost - Initial setup: free
Cost - Monthly: Basic: free; Pro50 - $9.99 / mth; Pro100 - $19.99 / mth
Cost - Yearly: Basic: free; Pro50 - $99 / mth; Pro100 - $199 / yr
Cost - Initial allowed storage amount: Basic: 2Gb; Pro50 - 50Gb; Pro100 - 100Gb
Cost - of additional storage: n/a
Cost - of additional devices / PCs / users: n/a
Cost - Referral Program: 250Mb per referral up to a max. of 8Gb
Cost - E-billing facility: Free - n/a; Pro: yes

Conclusion

DropBox is really straightforward to setup and use. It offers almost all the features of a complete online storage solution: Backup, Web site, multiple device synchronization, file-versioning, online photo albums and file sharing. The only functionality missing is integration with internet programs to permit you to amend and create files directly in your DropBox. The pricing is fair although there are better options available if you require more storage than 100Gb. The security is very good and the customer support is good, although the lack of phone, live chat and direct email support is a bit limiting. The forum and blog are supurb places to get your problems discussed. If you need an all-round online storage solution then DropBox is an excellent choice.

Review of Mozy 2.0 Online Backup solution

Company background

Mozy Backup is the brainchild of the Decho Corporation which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the EMC2 Corporation, a fortune 500 company. Decho was founded in 2005. They currently have offices in Seattle, Washington with offices in Pleasant Grove, Utah; London, England; Shanghai, China; Montreal, Canada; and Bangalore, India.
Mozy currently has over 1,000,000 customers and over 50,000 businesses, preserving a total of at least 25 petabytes of data - that's 25,000 terabytes or 25000000 gigabytes!

Features

Security Abilities

MozyPro is a incredibly secure online backup product. All traffic to and from the Mozy servers is encrypted with 128bit SSL encryption which is the internet standard. Once on the servers your data is encrypted with either 448bit Blowfish technology or your own 256bit AES private key encryption. There is currently nothing better than this outside of the military.
As for datacenter security, the data centers implement 24/7/365 on-site monitoring and security, state-of-the-art fire detection and suppression power distribution and seismic safeguards that can withstand a 7.5 magnitude quake.

Backup Abilities

Mozy provides block level incremental online backups and can be organized to backup either on a specific schedule or constantly in the background. In our tests, it took below thirty minutes to backup 2,048 megabytes of data on a home 8mbps DSL line uploading and downloading other data. Also, because of the block level nature of Mozy's backup technology, open or locked files can be backed up easily.
A progress indicator is visible if you click on the icon in the system tray. Initially Mozy Online Backup includes all the current user's profile files including documents, music, videos, etc. However, it is a straight-forward task to add or remove folders and files to/from the backup job. The Home editions do not provide backup of network drives however, the Pro and Enterprise editions do. None of the products provide backup of removable media.
The commercial editions - MozyPro and MozyEnterprise - permit online backup solutions of Exchange server, SQL server and LDAP directories such as Active Directory and Lotus Notes.

Restore Abilities

File restore is by request on the web portal, the desktop application or by right-clicking in a folder and selecting restore. When a restore is requested, the system packages all the files requested into a compressed file and emails you when the restore is ready for collection. File versioning is available on all backed up media, so you can opt to restore an older version of any file you have backed up. Files can be restored to their initial location or to any location of your choosing.

Control and Analysis

MozyPro Online Backup accomodates your needs by allowing you to check how much CPU and bandwidth are accessible to the program. These can be easily adjusted from the desktop application. Proxy servers are also allowed and Mozy can be optimized to use these via the desktop application.
All activity that Mozy carries out is logged and can be examined either from the desktop application or via the web portal.

Interface

MozyPro shows a great deal of information and allows centralized configuration and logging which is ideal when managing backups on PCs and laptops that may not even be in the same country!. Multiple accounts can be setup as well as multiple devices. A more controlled portal is provided with MozyHome.

Device Support

Currently Mozy Online Backup only supports backup of MAC and PC clients. In addition MozyPro backs up MAC And PC servers.

Limitations:

- MozyHome cannot be utilized commercially.
- The basic free account is limited to 2Gb of storage although this can be extended by allowing other people to enrole. For every added signup you get an additional 250Mb of storage.
- There are no limits set on the size or type of individual files.
- There are also no limits on the total amount of data backed up or restored.
- Mozy free allows backup of 2 devices under 1 user account; MozyHome allows upto 5 devices but each additional device will cost $4.95 per month per device.
- Both MozyPro and MozyEnterprise permit limitless devices and users but there is a charge for each device.
- File retention - the amount of time a file remains available for restore after it has been 'deleted' - is 30 days for all account types.

File Sharing and Collaboration

MozyPro is not a file sharing or collaboration tool. It is a backup system. That being said, it does support sign-in, sign-out and multiple levels of security to an individual file level.

Synchronization

You can synchronize many devices.

Web 2.0 Integration

Mozy does not supply FaceBook or similar integration.

Customer Support

Mozy's customer support is commonsense: They provide great user guides, complete FAQs and a knowledgebase. There is also a blog and loads of testimonials and case studies available. Email support is available to all types of accounts, yet, telephone support is only free to MozyPro and MozyEnterprise users and live chat is not ready to free users.

Usability

MozyHome is really uncomplicated to use. You can go from signup to backup in under 5 minutes and it truly is a 'set it and forget it' system. MozyPro has a slightly steeper learning curve but this is understandable since it provides lots more features.

Closing comments

If you are searching for a certain, set-it-and-forget-it answer that is not too expensive, can grow or shrink to adapt to your needs and is a breeze to configure then Mozy Online Backup is your best solution. If you are trying to backup Terabytes of files that changes on a regular basis then there are more appropriate and cheaper solutions available.

Detailed Review of Carbonite Online Backup Service

Overview and History

Carbonite are based in Boston, MA and they launched their online backup solution in May 2006. At the time of writing they backup and protect more than 2.5bn files for all 5 continents. They were founded in 2005 by David Friend and Jeff Flowers.

Carbonite is a simple, risk-free online backup program for relaxed home users, students, home office users, industrial travelers, etc. For less than five dollars per month, Carbonite archives all files on your desktop (digital photos, mp3s, spreadsheets and other important files) whilst your laptop is linked to the Internet.

Carbonite is very easy to install and use, needing little or no ongoing user fiddling. There online backup program is arranged to continually store amended data from your Pc whenever it is connected to the internet.

Feature Set

Security

Carbonite security is very reliable. Traffic to and from your laptop and their servers is encrypted with triple DES - which is highly strong - and once on their servers your information is encoded by Blowfish 448bit encryption - which is the best protection available.

Physically your data is held on dual up-to-date facilities located in Massachusetts that provide carefully temperature-controlled rooms, reserve power generators, restricted personnel access, and other functions to protect the security and integrity of your information.

Backup Features

By default Carbonite will backup your 'My Documents and Settings' folders yet this can quickly be altered with the desktop software. There is no limit to the amount of data that can be stored, therefore you can choose as many or as few files as you wish.

Backups start when your computer is idle, thus preventing drain on resources or bandwidth. Also, you can configure the backup scheduller to archive as frequently as you wish.

Network drives and external drives cannot be backup up using Carbonite.

In our tests it took thirty seven mins to save 2,000 megabytes of information via a normal 8mbps DSL line while sending and receiving other information on the internet.

Carbonite gives a continuous backup facility which means that information is backed up as they are amended. Therefore you do not need to depend on scheduling archiving and ensuring your computer is powered on when the scheduled time arrives. Nevertheless, if scheduling is what you wish, the PC client does have that option as well.

A process indicator and status notifications are available. You can also add files and folders to the archive schedule by right-clicking.

The Carbonite client provides a 'virtual drive letter' where you can see which files have been backed up and which are pending archive. The manager also adds colored dots on files to show if they are backed up, awaiting archive or not included in the backup set.

The PC edition lets unlimited 'file versioning' for 3 months. There are in addition no restrictions on the size of individual files or the amount of information that you can archive. However, it is important to remember that the initial backup time required is a lot more than that needed once you are up and running and your initial backup is finished.

Restore Features

Information recovery can be initiated from either the software or the web portal and can be recovered to - by default - their original location, another location on the client they were originally backup up on or to the web portal. On the PC client, restores can also be started by right-clicking a file or folder. In addition there is a search option so you can locate files to restore that match a specific filename or filename pattern.

Control and Analysis

The web site Offers central administration for all devices being archived. The speed and bandwidth usage can be controlled between high and low.
Reports can be generated to verify what is archived.

Interface

To use Carbonite you have to use the Carbonite Client Software on each device that will be backed up. But, once setup, all archiving can be administrated from a central admin portal.

Loads of computers can be administered from a single account, but, multi-account control isn't supported. Once the program is installed, it lets access to a virtual drive letter which is used to monitor the status of archived files and to restore folders. The system tray icon starts off yellow - this shows that the initial backup is running. When the initial backup is finished, the tray icon turns green.

The client program is straightforward and great to use. The web portal is similarly uncluttered. The utility is intended to be set-and-forget so the options are not cluttered with lots of options but instead are set up to allow you to choose what and when you want to backup and then leave the program to get on with it.

Device Support

There is support for PC and MAC. There is an iPhone, iTouch, iPad and Blackberry apps however these only allow you to observe archived folders, not actually archive your device. You can attach files from the backup set in emails.
There is no limit to the amount of computers that or amount of devices - MAC or PC - that can be backed up.

Limitations

Network letters and external drives cannot be archived
Carbonite is a client backup program, so it can not backup server databases such as SQL server, Exchange server directly. However, if these programs are backed up using existing backup technology and the resulting file is then stored on an accessible drive, Carbonite can then upload the backup file.
Carbonite is not a disaster recovery tool.No proxy server support.

File Sharing and Collaboration

Files and folders can be shared privately via the web portal and different access rights can be configured on specific files and folders.
No public file sharing or collaboration features.

Synchronization

Multiple machines can be synchronized with each other and with the central web site.

Web 2.0 Integration

None currently.

Customer Support

Phone support is available for an additional cost of just under 20 dollars a year. The following support options are available and free:
Live Chat: https://www.carbonite.com/chat
Email Support: customersupport@carbonite.com
Email web form: http://carbonite.custhelp.com/app/ask
Online Documentation, FAQs and knowledgebase
Blog: http://www.carbonite.com/blog
Free Trial: There is a free 15 day trial available.

Ease Of Use

Carbonite is very simple to install and run, just download the client software and run it. There is audio help that teaches the entire process and you will start backing up your data in minutes. The 15 day - no credit card required - free trial means {there is no risk in trying Carbonite out. Once setup all that is required is right-click on a file or folder to add it to your archive.

Cost

Initial setup Cost - Free 15 day trial
Monthly charge - Not applicable
Yearly Charge - $54.99
Initial allowed storage amount - unlimited
Cost of additional storage - no charge
Cost of additional devices / PCs / users - Unlimited device but one account per user
Referral Program - 3 months free subscription for each referral that signs up after their free trial
E-billing facility - yes

There are no corporate service plans available, but, there is a professional edition of Carbonite available at http://www.carbonitepro.com which is designed for Business use.

Hidden cost: Telephone support costs $19.99 per year.

Conclusion

Carbonite offers a uncluttered secure method to backup your files from either PCs or MACs. The unlimited storage for a fixed fee allows for easy money management and takes away the need to constantly how much information you are archiving. The Carbonite Online Backup service is very secure and the support is strong. If you need a reliable backup solution then this is an excellent choice. .

Review of LiveDrive Online Backup, Storage and Sync

Overview and History

Livedrive is financed by Andrew Michael. Andrew started Fasthosts Internet Limited, the UK's main and most profitable Internet provider which he sold in 2006 for in excess of $120m. Andrew commented: "Online storage is the future. Lots of companies are trying to do it today but the products are crap and not a replacement for traditional storage methods. Livedrive has been over two years in the making and will be the standard by which all competing products are judged".

Livedrive has one of two versions: LiveDrive Backup and LiveDrive Briefcase (Pro). The Backup version can backup of unlimited internet enabled devices and an unlimited quantity of files. The Briefcase or Pro edition retains all the functions of the Backup version however also gives sharing and synchronization of files from multiple online devices.

Feature Set

Security

LiveDrive uses 128bit SSL encryption to their web site along with password protection for your account. Information transfer to and from their servers is protected by 256bit AES encoding - the most secure protection we have seen for information transfers. Once at their data centers, your data is managed with 256 AES encryption (that's very good!) and you can use your own private key if you wish.
As for the servers, your data is stored on high grade servers in diverse data centers. These were originally only in the United Kingdom, however, with expanding their service to other countries, they have also expended their web of data centers which makes your data more secure.

Backup Features

A very impressive features of LiveDrive Backup is that it is actually unlimited. We have been using LiveDrive for a couple of years now and have backed up many terabytes of data. Adding files to the backup schedule is as simple as right-clicking the file or folder and choosing 'add to backup' on the LiveDrive submenu. Once Included in the backup schedule, files are monitored for amendments and scheduled for archiving as and when they are changed. File versioning is automatically enabled on any files within the archive set and you can have up to 30 versions of an individual file. Open files are also archived frequently and thanks to the 'block level incrementation' technology just the altered sections of files are backup up and these are then added to a new version of the file. This precess vastly reduces the total amount of data that is required uploaded.
Network drives and removable devices like pen drives or other USB products can also be backed up. {and status messages so you know what is being archived and what is still waiting to be backup up.

Restore Features

you can restore up to 30 editions of any file you have backed up by accessing the web site, selecting the file you wish to recover and selecting the version of the file by means of date and time. Once selected simply decide where you want the file restored to and the service begins the recovery process. independent upload and download bandwidth flow controls in the desktop client but no CPU throttling. Socks Proxy servers can be setup which is good when you are in a shared environment and need to get to the internet via a proxy server. You can also set priorities of types of files, for example, if you are slowly uploading your entire movie collection, you should set office docs and other file types ahead of music files so that your more vital information is archived more quickly.

Interface

LiveDrive merges very well with the desktop on PC and MAC. It has a system tray icon to permit fast access to information and option screens. The web portal is very straightforward to navigate and use.
There are many collaboration, file sharing and synchronization options dedicated to the pro version of LiveDrive which is called Briefcase. Devices do need the client software installed to run LiveDrive but this is a no hassle and straightforward process that takes a few minutes to download and setup.

Device Support

Currently LiveDrive supports Microsoft Windows - XP and up; MAC OS 10.5+; iPhone OS 3.0+; Blackberry and any net-enabled product via the web portal.

Limitations

We have found no limitations with LiveDrive.

Collaboration and Synchronization

If you go for the Pro or Briefcase version of LiveDrive then you gain access to a host of collaboration and synchronization tools added to your unlimited online backup solution. When you enable the Briefcase option a virtual drive is created on every PC (or MAC) and this is where you store all your shared files. By default the drive letter it L: but this can be changed in the client software. Any file that is moved or copied to this virtual drive gets copied to the web site and from there to the other devices that have the briefcase feature enabled and are configured for the same LiveDrive Account. File conflicts are configurable and can be set to carry out an automatic option of your choice or to ask what to do with each conflict.
There is also a beta ability called 'LAN synching' which lets devices on the same network (for example you may own a MAC, laptop and iPhone all using the same router) to synch files locally rather than sending all the changes to the net and back. This is a really efficient ability especially if you have loads of files that you have to initially update on one or several machines.
Another very useful ability of the Briefcase is the option to employ a local cached version of all your data from the virtual shared drive. Therefore you have access to the L: drive even when you are not connected to the internet. When you re-connect to the web, the changed files are updated on the web site and amendments are pushed out to the other devices as and when they also go online.

File Sharing

File sharing is available in the web portal and via the desktop software - if using the Briefcase edition. Simply choose the file or folder you need to share, use the share link and then select to share privately or publically.
Public File Sharing allows anyone with the correct website address access the file. If you choose this option, you will be given a unique website address for each file. This can then be sent to anyone you like.
Private File Sharing means only friends you choose have access to the file. If this option is chosen then you must enter the email addresses for each user you want to have access to the file. You can also add a specific message to give more information about the file you are allowing access to. The program then sends an email to each of the addresses previously setup providing general information, your personal message and a unique web address for each file being shared.

Web 2.0 Integration

LiveDrive has a music and video player built into the web portal, along with a useful slideshow ability. LiveDrive is also linked to several online programs including: Facebook, Flickr, SmugMug, Photo Flexer, Zoho, Spibd, PicNik and others. This means you can access and alter the majority of your files directly from the web portal.

Customer Support

There is no telephone or live chat support. However, with the exception of wanting to ask obscure questions there has been no need to talk directly to LiveDrive's support.
There is an email form on the desktop software and on the web site which they reply to very promptly in our experience. The Forum and Blog are brilliant resources to get information or get questions answered from both fellow users as well as from LiveDrive's tech. support team. The FAQ and knowledgebase are handy for generic inquiries as is the demo on the website and there are case studies available on their website. A free version is not available however a 14 day free trial is offered on Backup and Briefcase accounts.

Ease Of Use

LiveDrive is extremely straightforward to use. After you signup, you can download the utility to your internet enabled devices and either start backing up your information or - if you have bought the far more useful Briefcase option - start dumping files to your logical drive. Restores and file sharing are very easy to use and integrating with online services to view files even on the move couldn't be easier.

Cost

Initial setup: Free 14 day trial
Monthly plan costs: Basic - $6.95/mth; Pro - $16.95/mth
Yearly plan costs: Basic - $69.50 / yr; Pro - $169.50 / yr
Initial allowed storage amount: Unlimited
Cost of additional storage: No cost
Cost of additional devices / users: No cost
Referral Program: Yes
E-billing facility: Yes

Conclusion

LiveDrive is an excellent archiving tool, it hides away cleverly and only shows itself when intervention is required. If you choose the Briefcase edition then the load of functions you are getting more than justifies the extra cost. With the huge range of integration with internet devices and online apps. you have a complete online storage and workspace that automatically synchronizes with all your internet devices.
For small businesses this is a great way to connect your team together and keep your projects up- to-date. For individuals it is an excellent way to provide a secure centralized storage location for all your information. There are lower cost Online Storage and Online Backup solutions on the market; but, We there are no better ones. LiveDrive's unique combination of user friendliness and huge array of functions make it a sure winner. And to make it even more appealing, if you choose the yearly plan, you will receive two months free and an extra 10% off FOR LIFE!

Review of Sugarsync Online Backup and Sync Solution

Overview and History

SugarSync is a quite new program. It was launched in the first quarter of 2008 and is built on the SharpCast Universal Sync Platform, the central technology used in SharpCast Photos. Sugarsync is fashioned to sync all of a somebody's files (documents, media, photos, etc.) via many devices. SugarSync also functions as an online backup solution and people can gain access to all of their data from a personalized sub-domain on the SugarSync website using the structure of username.sugarsync.com.

Feature Set

Security

Data protection is reasonable. Data is transferred to and from their servers via 128bit SLL coding which is the industry standard, yet, when files are on their servers the data is encrypted using 128bit AES cryptography which is a little weak by current standards. They do offer private key encryption as an choice, withal, this is also 128bit AES. We would have liked at least 256bit AES or better yet 448bit Blowfish. Your data is stored on servers that are protected in data centers which are watched for security all day and night and are geo-redundant, meaning that your files is managed a lot of times each day to lots of locations all over the world.

Backup Features

The important function of SugarSync - as the monica implies - is Synchronization, nonetheless, it can also be reliably d as a backup tool. This is arranged by downloading and setting up the SugarSync Manager. SugarSync continually monitors selected files for alterations and backs then up in the background even as you work them. The Web Archive characteristic allows you to drag and drop files to make a permanent version#edition#variant#variation#} of a file that will not be backed up with new changes. Network and removable media can also be archived but not via automatic schedulling. The backup progress can be seen at any time and individual files and folders can be allotted normal or high precedence.
SugarSync will automatically store up to 5 versions of files and only the latest  variant adds towards your storage limit.

Restore Features

Files can be restored from the SugarSync Manager or by way of the web portal. Old versions of files can be rebuilt from the web portal There is no limit to the number of restores you can run.

Control and Analysis

There is an outbound speed throttle in the SugarSync Manager but no downstream or CPU throttling. Proxy servers are supported and can be organized in the SugarSync Manager.

Interface

The Business edition has support for managing numerous accounts from a central location yet, the 'individual' accounts do not have this functionality.
All accounts require the SugarSync Manager functioning on PCs or MACs to permit synchronization.

Device Support

SugarSync currently has apps for iPhone, iPod, Blackberry, Windows Mobile. Different mobile devices can reach Sugarsync files via m.sugarsync.com and additional platform specific apps are in development.

Limitations

There is a top single file size limit of 2Gb when transferring between machines, yet, this is dropped when the file is completely uploaded to the web portal. There is no limit#boundary#top end#} to how more can be uploaded, downloaded or synchronized between PCs until the maximum file usage limit for the account is reached. There is currently no support forUnix.

File Sharing and Collaboration

Information can be shared publicly or privately. When allowing public sharing, data can be organised as read-only or as amendable. Folders can be password protected.
Also available is an Online Photo Album, which permits you to share photos publicly or privately and offers an option to [post#setup#send#share#} albums on Facebook, or setup the album as an RSS feed.
When you create an account with SugarSync, you get a public domain in the form of username.sugarsync.com where all your 'private' data can be held. Public files can be held via a special link that is generated when you set the file public. Once you share a folder you can receive a daily summary email of activities in that folder.

Synchronization

This is the main function of SugarSync. It allows you to seamlessly synchronize your files automatically across your PC, Mac and mobile phone - one-time setup and you're ready to go! Files are also automatically synched to the web site so you can find then from any web-enabled device. Since synching is via a central hub (the web portal) devices do not have to be online during synch runs: When an offline device comes online, the software  queries the central data area and synchronizes any changed folders quietly in the background.

Web 2.0 Integration

Apart from the Online Photo Album utility, SugarSync also allows you access music and video directly from the Web portal to any device.
SugarSync allows you to post pictures directly to Facebook.

Customer Support

Telephone support is available at a cost of $99.99 per annum. While this is a nice addition to the support offerings, I don't [see the point in paying#understand why I would pay#} more for the support than I do for the software! Additional interactive support options are: Live chat during business hours, internet ticketing, forum and blog. You can also email support directly.
For self help, there are 'getting started' and user PDFs, FAQs, a knowledgebase and tutorials. There are additionally many testimonials and case studies available.

Ease Of Use

SugarSync is very easy to use: Enroll, download the sync manager to all your devices, determine which folders you wish to backup or synch and that is it.
The software and web site are easy to use and the inline help is really useful.

Cost

SugarSync offers 5 paid packages as shown below:
30Gb - free initial setup - $4.99/mth - $49.99/yr
60Gb - free initial setup - $9.99/mth - $99.99/yr
100Gb - free initial setup - $14.99/mth - $149.99/yr
250Gb - free initial setup - $24.99/mth - $249.99/yr
Business - free initial setup - $29.99/mth - $199.99/yr - initial storage allowance of 100Gb and 3 users - additional storage is available at $29.99 per 100Gb per month and additional users can be added at $9.99 per month per user.

All of the above plans can be utilized to synchronize any number of devices. There is also a free 2 GB account which allows synchronization of 2 devices only.
If you refer someone to the free account then both you and they receive an extra 250mb of storage. If you refer another person to the 30Gb+ account then both parties are awarded an extra 5Gb.
There are no corporate versions apart from the above mentioned business account.

Conclusion

SugarSync offers a undemanding and clear process of synchronizing and/or backing up as many devices. It offers a nicely rounded set of features that give a notion of a painted program that has been carefully evolved.
SugarSync seems to be aimed at the individual rather than businesses but that should not deter small businesses from using this sturdy and tried and tested service.