For some time, there has been competition with the Dropbox, including cloud stores that have been extended with a sync tool like Skydrive, Google Drive or SafeSync
Test method: Speed
(Formerly Humyo). These resemble the Dropbox because they work as a small service and do not install a full application. Unlike SugarSync, Wuala or Teamdrive, which are applications with slightly different orientations. However, data synchronization is one of the core functions.
Test Methods: Changes
In the test, we wanted to determine whether one of these programs could establish itself as an alternative to Dropbox and whether there are intelligent new approaches. The bottom line: dropbox remains a test winner, it is very sync in its sync functions, both in the background technology and in the user-friendliness. However, in other applications, other services may be used.
Test methods: hash values
We measured the speed of synchronization with 50 and 500 MByte test files. It was about the upload from the computer to the cloud and the download from the cloud to a second computer. The Latency value specifies the number of minutes between the end of the upload and the start of the download. At 10 minutes we broke the wait, which was only the case with SkyDrive.
Test Methods: Handling
Download: Table
We also checked whether the services merely push back and forth or complete files. For this purpose, we overwrite only a few bytes in a high-compressed file (Truecypt container) with the hex editor MX. The upload was then only a few seconds. It has been shown that only the Dropbox and SafeSync proceed like this, everyone else uploaded the complete 500 MByte once again. Users who synchronize an encrypted TrueCrypt container for security reasons will appreciate this function.
We were also interested in whether the services work with hash values and thus also recognize changes to the meta data. For example, if the user enters comments on an image using IrfanView or Picasa, the programs do not change the original storage date. Only SafeSync failed in this test and did not synchronize the changed data.
For a backup of photos in the cloud is the fatal. In the context of hash values, it is also useful if the tools on the PC already recognize uploaded files, even if they have a different name. In the test, Dropbox, Wuala and SugerSync tested.
An important function of a modern sync service is the sharing with other users, weblinks and as a shareholder with friendly users of the same service. It is also nice if several folders sync. Many services now release older versions of modified or deleted files.
This serves as a backup of the security, but also fills the free-float faster. Therefore there should be an advertisement and a delete strategy. We liked the operation when the program indicated with green check mark, whether files are up-to-date. A progress indicator is also indispensable, indicating how much down- or upload is.
Dropbox offers the most sophisticated sync features, only transmits changed file splits to a file, detects changes via hash values, and does not load the same files twice, even through the cloud. The latency goes against zero, which is pleasant in the workflow between several computers. There is no limit on the file size, only the web upload is limited to 300 MB files
We liked it very much: Double-clicking on the logo in the taskliste opens the sync folder, green checkmarks indicate the current status and Dropbox is integrated with important functions in the context menu. Via the progress display the user keeps track of how many MBytes are still in the data transfer.
Very nice are the exchange functions. The user releases folders for other Dropbox users, and these folders also keep themselves synchronized between the users. For foreigners, there is a download link in the public folder.
The test winner: Dropbox 1.4.7
The biggest drawback is the speed, because Dropbox is not one of the fastest services. It also lacks the ability to synchronize multiple folders. After all, the user can select individual subdirectories in the Dropbox folder for comparison. The two GB download volume is also a bit tight compared to competitors.
The exchange service Wuala (pronounced Voila) offers for some time also very mature synchronization functions. The user can link different folders across multiple computers. The exchange of data with other Wuala users is particularly well-developed and also foreigners can be sent a public link to data in the cloud. If necessary, this is password protected.
Wuala PC 401
From the outset, Wuala has pursued a strong security concept, which encrypts data still strongly on the PC before it pushes it into the cloud. Most other programs except SafeSync and Teamdrive protect the connection itself by SSL, but encrypt the data on the servers. So the company itself (and, in the worst case, hackers) has access to the files.
Wuala is a bit slower overall and always files files completely, even if only single bytes have changed. The tool is based on Java, so online access is only possible if Java is installed. The operation is the same as with Dropbox, except that the user does not work with a sync folder, but with the application interface, which however looks similar. As an application, it is somewhat more difficult overall. The free space is 5 GB, the file size is limited to 14 GB.
The security manufacturer Trend Micro took over the online storage Humyo months ago and developed the secure Sync service SafeSync.
SafeSync 5
SugarSync 1.9.57
TeamDrive 2.4.161
SkyDrive 16.4.3347
Google Drive 1.0.2975
If a file is changed in two places, the program does not know which user the user wants to keep. All other programs therefore leave both files and rename them. Secondly, SafeSync does not create hash values so that changed tags in images or music files do not lead to a new synchronization. This can have fatal consequences for private backups.
Positive: Like Wuala, the tool encrypts the data on the PC before they enter the cloud. And SafeSync is very fast: with the 50 MByte download it was in the test even the fastest. The operation is similar to the Dropbox, 2 GB Freivolumen are just as tight.
The SugarSync application is an intermediate between Dropbox and Wuala. On the one hand, it is only used for syncing, on the other hand it is a complete application and therefore somewhat more difficult to operate. As a sync folder, the magic briefcase is preset, which can also be found among the favorites in the Windows Explorer.
You can add more folders. Synchronization is clean but slow: with the 500-MB file, we had to wait almost half an hour (as opposed to the 6 minutes of Google). This was all the more annoying, as there is no progress indicator. SugarSync also does not make any changes to files, but always as a whole. With Truecrypt volume this is annoying. Free of charge there are 5 GB.
The TeamDrive service is, as the name implies, designed for use in the workgroup. Here it offers the most advantages, as a pure private sync tool, it is somewhat bulky. To start a data comparison, the user must first create a space, a working surface. There is no progress indicator and also no access to the data via the web.
Special feature: Users can exchange their webspace with a provider using WebDAV. That is why the online memory of TeamDrive is always limited to 2 GB. In the free tariff there is a transfer volume limit of 20 GB. The file size is also limited to 4.5 GB.
The security is exemplary at Teamdrive. It encrypts the data, such as Wuala and SafeSync on the PC, before they go online, and the application can show the American privacy seal of the ULD Schleswig-Holstein.
Microsoft's online store offers lavish 7 GB of free-floppy disk space, and for old customers it is even 25 GB. However, old customers should log in the next time to get de 25 GB, because the upgrade works only for a limited time. As a sync service, SkyDrive is not particularly attractive, because important functions are missing. So the file size is limited to 2 GB, and SkyDrive always transfers the full file even with minor changes.
Finally, there are functions for synchronizing multiple folders, saving older versions, and integrating with the Windows context menu. Very annoying is also the latency in the transmission between different computers: After 10 minutes we have the attempt (several times) aborted and SkyDrive restarted. Synchronization was then carried out immediately. On the other hand, the processing possibilities on the web are very nice, because here the user is available to Microsoft Office to edit and forward documents or tables.
The online hard drive from Google is a novice and more like a beta version. But two things are positive: speed and editing possibilities on the web. Google Drive is the racing winner. The transfer of 500 GB in 6 minutes is top. And similar to SkyDrive, the Google Office offers users to view and edit documents and tables. The free-floo is 5 GByte, the file size is limited to 10 GB.
In addition, Google Drive does not carry any changes to files, but completely, but this is offset by the high speed overall. The worst performance is Google Drive. Double-clicking on the logo in the taskbar does not open the sync folder, there are no icons for the current status, no context menus, and no progress indicator. So Google only reaches ten percent of the points and is far off.
If you are looking for a simple service for the effective synchronization of data between different computers and platforms, Testbox Dropbox is best advised. The best data can be protected with SafeSync, Wuala or TeamDrive. The best exchange and community features are offered by Wuala, although the Dropbox shared folders are very clever. Google is only speeding up all the others, but together with Microsoft's SkyDrive offers the possibility to edit office data on the web - this is forward-looking.
Download: Table
Conclusion
No comments:
Post a Comment