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Gorilla Cloud – Virtual Data Room (VDR)

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“Support was brilliant throughout ”

– Scott Millmaker, IT Manager.

Build Virtual Data Rooms with FileCloud

Background

As an up and coming data center services company, GorillaCloud Services is always on the lookout for better ways of serving its customers. Located just outside of London, UK, the company provides multiple solutions in the data center arena, using AWS Ireland hosting services to bring smarter, more cost-effective FileCloud solutions to its clients. GorillaCloud users hail from across the globe, from countries as far apart as the Nordics, Singapore, and the US. Getting happily involved with FileCloud all started with a specific customer request for a better virtual data room solution.

Challenge

Wanted: A Better Mousetrap, but at a Lower Cost

A virtual data room or VDR is a secure virtual space for holding documents and files. VDRs can only be accessed by authorized persons, and are often used during business transactions between two companies. The virtual space means both parties can avoid the need to travel and can consult and manage documents in confidence at any time. A VDR usually runs on a server with a network connection with strictly controlled access. While the concept pleases many enterprises and organizations, costs can be high. GorillaCloud’s client asked the company to come up with an equally robust solution that would not strain the client’s budget.

GorillaCloud Goes Hunting for an Alternative VDR

Scott, the project leader responsible for finding a better VDR solution, looked at the market, and at alternatives like Dropbox and Google Drive. While these possibilities were cheaper than what the client had been using, they lacked auditability and granular access control. In a VDR, it is often critical to be able to restrict a viewer’s ability to forward, copy, or print the confidential information, for example. Scott could see that these services would therefore not meet the requirements of the client. In addition, they were oriented towards the public cloud, whereas a private cloud installation would be significantly better for reasons of security and manageability.

Solution

FileCloud is the Solution of Choice

When he saw what FileCloud offered, Scott knew he had the right component, in terms of security, management, and affordability. As FileCloud also provides Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), deployment on the AWS platform was quick and easy. The client could see proof of concept rapidly, allowing the project to move ahead and meet the client’s needs, while closing off contracts with other suppliers. About FileCloud engineers, Scott says “Support was brilliant throughout the whole building, testing phase. The support team provided a lot of value there as well, getting the information I needed in the time scales required”.

A Broadening Market, a Growing Potential for VDRs

Currently, GorillaCloud has a FileCloud license for 85 users, and already actively serves 78. The production environment for the operating system running the core VDR application is Amazon EC2. Data and files are then stored on a separate partition on Amazon EBS. The FileCloud encryption feature is also used. Additionally, GorillaCloud has a demo system that uses Amazon S3 for file storage. While VDRs have traditionally been used by lawyers and bankers, the market is widening. GorillaCloud’s solution serves needs in the oil and gas sector, albeit via financial organizations, for the procurement of assets.

Further Possibilities for Using FileCloud

Attractive pricing and industrial-strength capabilities are likely to keep FileCloud a firm favorite with GorillaCloud Services. Any customers of GorillaCloud who have experienced services like Dropbox will find the same user friendliness and ease of use with FileCloud, but with additional security, management, and backup facilities. Files can be synchronized across PCs and mobile computing devices including Android, Blackberry, iOS, and Windows devices. Migration of such customers to the superior grade of service offered by FileCloud is therefore easy from all angles: technical, business, and user experience. And as the icing on the cake, GorillaCloud can also easily brand FileCloud with its own logo and identity to build up its own reputation as a provider of affordable, quality solutions.

Find Out More about FileCloud Today

Service providers, banks, power utilities, national government departments, hospitality companies and many other kinds of organization are also users of FileCloud. Our extensive, robust, yet easy to use functionality, our ease of integration, and our legendary support are among the factors that have made us the preferred solution for these clients, as well as our advantageous pricing. Try FileCloud for free on your own server for 14 days.

Secure File Sharing – HIPAA for Healthcare Research

Home › Case Studies › Healthcare Research

“We retain total ownership of the data.”

– Antonio Moreno, IT Manager.

Secure File Sharing – HIPAA Compliant

Background

The American Pediatric Society (APS) and the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) work in tandem to advance knowledge of pediatrics, the branch of medicine dealing with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. APS promotes pediatric research and scholarship, recognizing and honoring achievement, and fostering excellence, diversity, and equity. SPR encourages research and career development in generating new knowledge in pediatrics. The integrity of medical data is a crucial part of the activities of the two organizations, with the preservation of the “chain of custody” of those data. APS and SPR therefore share certain goals and information needs, including data file security and management. This led to a search for a suitable solution.

Challenge

Chain of Custody Requirements

As Antonio Moreno, Director of Information Technology, states, “We retain total ownership of the data.” The data in question may be scientifically collected research data, patient information, or documents for legal and regulatory affairs. The chain of custody must remain unbroken, no matter how files are used or distributed. All the information on a file, as it moves between different people and different versions, must be recorded. This means a detailed record of the location of the file throughout its lifetime. The American Pediatric Society and the Society for Pediatric Research have also been developing a project to construct a collaboration site for internal and external parties, which includes management of the chain of custody.

A Need for Full Control and Privacy Across Platforms

APS and SPR needed to guarantee total control, privacy, and security of their data. The data had to be kept within their organizations with detailed audit capabilities available to meet regulations. Cross platform file management was required, as APS and SPR could not impose any particular model of computing device or operating system on their members. The file management therefore had to work with all popular desktop and mobile operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. Additional functionality such as integrated antivirus functionality and two-factor authentication were also of interest.

Solution

FileCloud Meets the Needs of APS and SPR

With FileCloud, the collaboration site with chain of custody became a reality. As all data will continue to reside in the same infrastructure, the same backup and disaster recovery policies continue to apply. Data protection and management is yet further enhanced by the powerful FileCloud administrator tools for managing users, devices, and activities. Endpoint backup and versioning applies across desktop and mobile devices, with secure backup and restore across all platforms. Unlimited file versioning automatically stores file versions as new ones are made, and makes it easy for users to recover previous versions. Recycle bin support lets users recover deleted files and folders, even from network folders. Users can also lock files to prevent modification.

Secure File Sharing – HIPAA Compliant

Healthcare activities of all kinds are strictly controlled by HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations among others. For the American Pediatric Society and the Society for Pediatric Research, FileCloud offers HIPAA compliant audit trails. The audit records show which users acted in which way (access, modification, deletion, or other), on which data (includes files and folders), at what time (full timestamp), and through which device (web or mobile, for instance.) More than this, FileCloud also gives APS and SPR data leak prevention capabilities, such as remotely wiping or blocking devices to avoid illicit access, as well as seeing in real time which devices are connected.

Further FileCloud Advantages

The advantages of FileCloud for APS and SPR go further still. Home directory integration makes the home directory for each user available automatically at login. As there is no specific limit on the size of files that can be transferred, synced or shared, users can pursue their research in pediatrics freely, whether they work with text, image or video files. At the same time and thanks to FileCloud functionality, administrators can easily ensure that only authorized users have access to data (and at the right level of security in each case), as well as preserving data audit trails and integrity.

How FileCloud Can Help You Today?

FileCloud software and support fully meet the expectations of APS and SPR, while also making financial sense. Besides universities and learning establishments, FileCloud also makes an excellent online file sharing and synchronization solution for hospitals and clinics, with full compliance with HIPAA and HITECH Act legislation among others. Get in touch with FileCloud today to see how you could benefit and to try FileCloud for free on your own server for 14 days.

Secure File Sharing for Manufacturing and Distributions Firms

Home › Case Studies › Manufacturing & Distribution

“Our field staff can easily access files on the company servers from anywhere.”

– Frank, Infrastructure Engineer

Background

The SFS Group is a global market leader for mechanical fastening systems and precision formed components. With activities ranging from design and production to customer sales and support, information flows in a variety of formats, including text, spreadsheet, database, graphics, and more. Headquartered in Heerbrugg, Switzerland, the SFS group has more than 70 sales and production sites in Europe, North America and Asia. The focus on the needs of its customers has shaped the SFS culture since 1928. The company adapts its own solutions to help boost its customers’ competitiveness and generate added value. Now it was time to further enhance its own competitiveness and efficiency in terms of information access and management.

A Value-Driven Approach to File Management

While the company’s core technologies are tightly focused, it serves diversified end markets, including the aerospace, automotive, construction, electrical/electronics, and medical components industries. In Switzerland, folders and files stored on the company’s central data store now had to be distributed on portable PCs and other mobile computing devices (tablets and phones) for personnel in the field. The company’s criteria for selecting a solution and a provider for managing these data and files were based on its own set of five values: SFS wanted a vendor that understood the concept of partnership, commitment, respect for its community of users, successful outcomes, and positive change.

Challenge

The” Bill of Materials” for the Perfect Solution

SFS had a checklist of file management features and functionalities that had to be available in the solution it chose. The file management, syncing and sharing application had to exist in a format running inside the infrastructure of SFS, for total control of the company’s data. Installation on SFS server resources had to be flexible and simple. The solution had to offer anywhere-access from iOS devices (iPhones and iPads), Android devices, Windows machines, and more. Advanced sharing functionality was also part of the “bill of materials” for building the perfect solution, handling public, private and temporary file shares without a hitch, and offering granular file download controls. In parallel, the interface for administrators had to offer simple, but powerful controls for the administration of accounts, users, mobile devices, and storage limits.

Solution

FileCloud Fits All the SFS Requirements

SFS field staff can now access folders and files on the company’s central data store, via laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Users connected to the company’s secure Intranet can access the FileCloud server directly. SFS IT staff were not only impressed by the richness of the feature set of the FileCloud solution, but also delighted by the quality of FileCloud support. These two qualities led to speedy and successful deployment. Role-based download controls allow the company to determine precisely what an internal user may access, compared to an external business partner.

Wide-ranging Flexibility in File Formats

An immediate benefit to SFS and its users is the ability to view file types that may not be supported natively on the user’s device. OpenOffice integration with FileCloud, a standard feature of the FileCloud solution, allows users to view common text, spreadsheet, and presentation formats, as well as standard PDF files, all within the web browser of their device. Teams of users working on projects can receive file permissions on a group basis for files, folders, and shares, too. Existing network folder shares can be made accessible from anywhere by simply re-using current NTFS permissions and Active Directory user profiles. .

FileCloud and the Future for SFS

As SFS develops its business, its IT model may change as well. Cloud computing is attractive for many reasons, including financial ones, and file management solutions should take this into account as well. Fortunately, FileCloud offers great flexibility in the types of storage that can be used. From local solutions including hard disk drives and network area storage (NAS/SAN), FileCloud also supports the use of cloud object-based storage such as Amazon S3, Azure, and OpenStack. Increased usage of FileCloud will be easy for administrators to handle as well. The powerful FileCloud administration portal facilitates and accelerates deployment and management of thousands of users with millions of files. Custom workflow capabilities, policies, and parameter configurations give fine-grained administration possibilities as needed.

How FileCloud Can Help You Today?

Whether your organization is a commercial business entity or a government agency, FileCloud can also be a great solution for your own private cloud storage, synchronization and sharing solution. User populations can range from tens to millions. The full range of FileCloud’s secure yet user-friendly features is available throughout. Talk to FileCloud today to see how you could benefit and to try FileCloud for free on your own server for 14 days.

Health Care Shared Service Case Study – Secure File Sharing and Sync

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“Easy integration of FileCloud with our existing network drive structure was superb.” – Steve, IT Manager

Background

Health Association Nova Scotia is a service association for a health and health-related organizations. It is also not-for-profit, non-government, and member-based. The members of Health Association Nova Scotia include the Nova Scotia Health Authority, the IWK Health Centre, the majority of nursing homes in Nova Scotia, all government funded home care agencies and a growing number of private agencies, adult residential centers/regional rehabilitation centers, and residential care facilities. As a result, staff travel between different facilities, but have found it difficult at times to access files via the virtual private network (VPN) of the Health Association Nova Scotia, owing to the strict Internet usage rules of the other facilities. Resolution of this issue was a pressing need.

Challenge

Smartphone Access without Unnecessary Firewall Restriction

The challenge to Health Association Nova Scotia was a sizable one, as Steve Quinn from the association relates: “We needed to provide access to internal files quickly and easily for mobile employees.” While a web based product might have sufficed, “the preference was to have this access from their smartphones.” In addition, the solution to be chosen had to be simple, efficient and effective in its deployment. In the complex world of HIPAA-style regulations, network security, and user access rights, the last thing the association wanted was an overly complex application that robbed them of time for other important IT activities.

Comparison and Choice of a File Management, Sync, and Share Solution

The association looked at several different options. While some vendors matched some of FileCloud’s functionality, no single vendor could offer all of FileCloud’s possibilities or ease of deployment. Rapidly, the shortlist was reduced to one final solution, FileCloud. Steve Quinn and his team put the FileCloud solution into operation, backed up by the renowned FileCloud support resources. The broad-based membership of Health Association Nova Scotia was at last no longer an obstacle to efficient and productive work by employees as they moved from one member’s site to another.

Solution

Solid Security with Ease of Access from FileCloud

Besides solving the firewall access issues, FileCloud has a number of other attributes that are crucial to the efficiency and smooth running of Health Association Nova Scotia operations. The intuitive user interface lets users quickly and easily access the files they need to perform their work of providing group benefits solutions, clinical engineering services, labor relations, and compensation analysis, as well as administering the Nova Scotia Health Employees’ Pension Plan (NSHEPP.) The powerful controls integrated into FileCloud allow administrators to limit the maximum number of downloads of a shared file, trigger the expiry of a share after a certain time, limit or prevent downloads, and generally manage a dynamic environment in which users may be connecting from several different places in the course of a week or even a day.

Regulations and Data Residency with FileCloud

Health data must often be certified as being held within a specified physical or regional boundary. Many public cloud solutions lack this control. On the other hand, Health Association Nova Scotia is able guarantee compliance by deploying its own instance of FileCloud. There is an additional advantage, in that control is clearly exerted by the in-house IT team that understands the criticality of protecting confidential healthcare data. Besides making in-house deployment easy, FileCloud also offers advanced security and audit features for Steve Quinn’s team to demonstrate compliance with regulations, and makes it easy to integrate with any existing internal authentication system for access.

FileCloud Advantages for Healthcare Professionals On the Go

Healthcare professionals often do not have the time or the space to take portable PCs or even tablets with them. Always on the go, they have come to rely on smartphones as the best compromise between lightweight, easy to carry devices and sufficient computing power and memory to let them get their work done. Not every device is equipped with office automation applications, like Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. However, with FileCloud, this poses no problem. The standard feature of OpenOffice integration with FileCloud allows users to view common file formats within the web browser of their smartphones, without having to buy or install the underlying application.

How FileCloud Can Help You Today?

Whether your organization is in government or business, FileCloud is also available to you for your own private cloud storage, synchronization and sharing solution. You can deploy for groups of users from a few dozens to millions, all with FileCloud’s secure, productive, cost-effective file sharing and synchronization. Contact FileCloud today to find out more and to try FileCloud for free on your own server for 14 days.

FileCloud Case Study- Secure file share and sync for Local Government

Home › Case Studies › Local Government

“We liked FileCloud’s pricing, comprehensive feature set and the responsive support.”

– George, IT Manager

Background

The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District in Vancouver Island was established in 1967 as a federation of member municipalities and electoral areas. With a population of over 30,000, it provides important services to its member jurisdictions, including local services such as community planning, water supply, and fire protection. The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District Board of Directors recently adopted the philosophy “we are all one”, which applies to the way the district uses information and communication too. For this reason among others, the district wanted to upgrade its information access and management services for employees and other users.

The Right Information in the Right Hands

Constituents and district officials expect secure, easy to use information access, at least on a par with any of the consumer-grade solutions they have used elsewhere. The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District is also responsible for regional as well as local services, and must communicate with external government entities and agencies too. Blueprints, urbanization plans, network drawings, emergency service plans, schedules, budgets, accounts, and authorizations are all part of the information flow that must be ensured. And even if the files containing these items are created with different office software applications, members of the target audience must be able to consult the files without having to load new software onto their own devices.

Challenge

Looking for a Truly Cost-Effective Solution

Where large files are involved, the traditional solution has often been FTP (file transfer protocol) software. With FTP, file transfers can be fast and secure, copying data from a central server to a remote device, or vice versa. While FTP can be an excellent base for a solution, today’s communities and their regional federations like the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District need more. User-friendliness is paramount. Users are increasingly savvy about what today’s technology can offer them. Drag and drop interfaces and scheduling are no longer differentiators; they are expected as part of the default functionalities on offer. IT system administrators want easy integration and minimal disruption to existing file-sharing functionality. The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District needed the right solution at the right price.

Solution

FileCloud Advantages for the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District

When the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District elected to use FileCloud, they found the answer to their needs. First, FileCloud brought users a secure way to access and view files remotely from any device with a browser. In fact, “users can now access files from virtually any device with an Internet connection,” says George Rose of the Information Systems Department. Even better, with OpenOffice installed on the FileCloud server they can even open and view file types that their devices may not support. The district can also use additional functionality of this type with Microsoft applications, thanks FileCloud functionality. With Microsoft Office Mobile Apps integration, documents can be opened and edited from FileCloud and saved back using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote). With Outlook integration from FileCloud, users can share a file or folder that resides on the FileCloud directly from Outlook. Learn more why FileCloud is the best FTP replacement in the market.

Seamless Integration of FileCloud with the District LDAP

George Rose also states, “FileCloud really shone for us, by using LDAP and having the ability to use the security already configured on the shares and files on our file servers.” Seamless integration with enterprise LDAP and Active Directory support are integral parts of FileCloud. User accounts can be merged from existing systems. Single sign-on support, including NTLM SSO, SAML 2.0 and ADFS make FileCloud security and ease of use even more advanced.

Control over Data and Leverage of Investments

Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District is accountable in all sense of the word to its users and residents. Budgets must be seen to be properly spent, with demonstrable return on investment. Data must be managed in accordance with regulations. With FileCloud, the district gets the data control, privacy, and security it and its constituents need. Regulatory compliance can be proven, thanks to the detailed audit capabilities in FileCloud. Finally, existing investments in IT infrastructure can be leveraged. FileCloud is not a rip-and-replace product, but a fit-in solution, integrating easily and well with current systems and practices. Advanced sharing with public, private and temporary file shares, and granular file download extend the possibilities.

Businesses Do Better with FileCloud

The FileCloud solution can be used from tens of users to millions, each user benefiting from the same excellence in files sharing and synchronization functionality, performance and reliability. The comprehensive functionality in FileCloud already helps many companies today to run their operations more efficiently and satisfy their own customers better. Talk to FileCloud today about your requirements. You can try FileCloud for free for two weeks to see for yourself how easy great file sharing and synchronization can be, while keeping all your confidential data safely on your own servers.

FileCloud Case Study- Secure file share and sync for Insurance firms

Home › Case Studies › Insurance Firms

“We liked FileCloud’s pricing, comprehensive feature set and the responsive support.”

– Jimmy, Senior System Engineer

Background

Stewart Information Services Corporation is a global title insurance and real estate services company offering products and services in the U.S. and abroad through its direct operations, network of approved agencies and other companies within the Stewart family. Information integrity and availability is essential to Stewart Title: the company’s business is in protecting property owners and lenders against the risks implicit in real estate titles. Covering both residential and commercial property transactions, Stewart Title provides title insurance services to owners, buyers, lenders, and lawyers. Files used to define and issue insurance policies must remain confidential, yet easily available to authorized parties.

Increased Efficiency and Lower Costs for Customers through Technology

Stewart Title works with a network of thousands of legal professionals. The company is the underwriter of most of the title insurance policies required by these professionals. As well as being title insurance experts, the company also makes the most of opportunities to facilitate property transactions through innovative technology. Its lawyer customers are then better able to provide legal counsel to their own clients and prepare the necessary documents. Part of the company’s competitive advantage is its technological advance, which is also built into its brand image.

Challenge

The Search for Smarter, Easier File Transfer, Syncing, and Sharing

The search was on for Stewart Title to find a secure file syncing and sharing solution, in a way that would also suit non-technical users among their different customers. Email transfers were unsuitable for larger or sensitive files. In addition, operational efficiency was paramount with large number of correspondents to be served. FileCloud was one of the solutions tested by Stewart Title and turned out to be the one that best met the company’s requirements.

Solution

FileCloud Encryption, Ease of Use and Installation

FileCloud offers users the highest levels of information security. File encryption is available both at rest (DARE – data at rest encryption) and in transit. FileCloud uses advanced solutions in each case, with 256-bit AES encryption for file storage at rest, and secure SSL tunnel transmission for files in transit. For complete control and protection of property title insurance information, two-factor authentication is also part of the FileCloud security features. Stewart Title can use FileCloud capabilities to offer its users multiple ways to access data securely, including mobile apps, Microsoft Outlook add-ons, remote drive, syncing, and web access.

FileCloud Branding and Support

The white label feature of FileCloud lets Stewart Title put its own brand on the file service it now offers its customers. Owners, buyers, lenders and lawyers see the FileCloud ease of use as a Stewart Title advantage, as they access their files on the FileCloud server in the same way they would access local files on their PCs. Meanwhile, the FileCloud administrator portal offers the Stewart Title IT team simple, powerful administration to manage users, accounts, and storage quotas. In addition, “the (FileCloud) support team has been great…quick response, very knowledgeable and proactive,” according to Jimmy Ivey, Application Systems Engineer Senior with the Stewart Title Guaranty Company

Syncing and File Backup

Better still, with FileCloud, Stewart Title can synchronize files across computers, tablets, and smartphones. Any of Stewart Title’s customers who have used public services like Dropbox and Box.net can now find the same user-friendliness and ease of use from FileCloud, under the Stewart Title brand, but now with added security and backup facilities. No matter whether property players are using iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry or Windows connectivity, the FileCloud service handles it all. Secure backup and restore of files is assured across all platforms and devices.

The Future is FileCloud

For the Stewart Title Guaranty Company, FileCloud has amply confirmed the wisdom of the company’s choice of an Enterprise File Sharing and Sync (EFSS) solution. Since taking the decision, the company has not looked back at any of the alternative products considered. The key reasons to select FileCloud are as valid today as they were during the evaluation period. Jimmy Ivey emphasizes that both pricing and features were big attractions of the FileCloud solution, as was its ease of installation and management, and the possibility of branding (a big advantage in the eyes of Stewart Title management too.)

Let FileCloud Help You Get Ahead in Business Today

utilities, national government, technology, hospitality and not for profit associations. FileCloud’s winning combination of ease of integration and use, with robust security and comprehensive administration functions is directly aligned with business needs. Advantageous and highly affordable pricing makes the whole FileCloud solution even better. To find out for yourself and see how fast FileCloud could be working to help you do better business, call us at FileCloud now. Take advantage of a free 14-day trial so that you can experience the FileCloud advantages that are already helping many other businesses today.

Secure File Sharing for Accounting Firms – Case Study

Home › Case Studies › Accounting Firms

“Data residency is an important requirement for us. FileCloud met our requirements and provided an easy to use solution.” -Fabian, Network Analyst

Background

Secure File Sharing for Accounting Firms

CPA Ontario is the ambassador of the public accounting profession in the Canadian state of Ontario. The mandate of the organization is to protect the public interest by setting and enforcing the highest professional and ethical standards. It also strives to ensure that its members are identified as Canada’s premier leaders and advisors in the financial arena. For this to happen, CPA Ontario supports its members in their efforts to enhance their capabilities. In particular, the organization wanted to provide users with a cloud storage solution, but with an essential condition: the data was to stay on premises. As Fabian Baijnauth, Network & Server Analyst for CPA Ontario, confirms, “Data residency is huge at our company.”

Satisfying the File Storage Needs of Thousands of Accountants

More than 80% of Ontario’s more than 85,000 CPAs work in positions in businesses of every size (as CEOs, CFOs, VPs Finance, etc.), in government, academia, or the not-for-profit sector. CPA Ontario also caters to over 25,000 students working outside public accounting in a variety of roles in all sectors of the Canadian economy. For a cloud storage solution to appeal to all of these different accounting actors, “We wanted something that was easy to use and safe and secure at the same time,” explains Fabian Baijnauth. Naturally, price was also a factor. After all, accountants are trained to look for cost-efficiency, value for money and return on investment.

Challenge

Narrowing the Search to Find the Right Technology Supplier

CPA Ontario also had other criteria in mind. Security had to include interworking with common security programs, encryption methods, and firewalls, together with the possibility to verify requests for file transfers. Connection and transfer abilities had to include the possibility to work with accepted code (ASCII and binary) as well as connection consistency, proxies and protocols. The technology had to run completely within the CPA Ontario infrastructure, for total control over data, yet integrate effortlessly with existing network permissions and directories, in order to make existing network folder shares accessible from anywhere.

Solution

FileCloud’s Secure File Sharing and Sync is the Answer to CPA Ontario’s Needs

“Using FileCloud we can ensure all data stays on our server at the same time as providing our users the luxury of a cloud storage solution,” says Fabian Baijnauth. The synchronization capabilities and intuitive user interface of FileCloud have allowed CPA Ontario to roll out its own Dropbox-style solution, with all the user-friendliness and extra data protection and security. (Compare Dropbox vs FileCloud and learn why FileCloud is the leader among alternatives to Dropbox ). Content can be synchronized over computers, smartphones, and tablets, with secure backup and restore of files across all platforms and devices too. As accountants, like their counterparts in so many other professions, go mobile, FileCloud is there for CPA Ontario to provide seamless access for its users from iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows devices..

Exploring a Plethora of Valuable FileCloud Functions

Fabian Baijnauth and his colleagues are now using more and more of the FileCloud functionality, and giving CPA Ontario users the benefit of the exemplary user experience refined over many years of product development across FileCloud enterprise and consumer product lines. Users get the advantage of real time sync across network folders (FileCloud is one of the few products that can do this) and virtual drives that allow them to map and access their remote files as though they were on a local attached drive. CPA Ontario administrators are making the most of the powerful controls at their disposal, for instance, for limiting the maximum number of downloads for a shared file, automatically expiring a share after a certain time, enabling anonymous file uploads, preventing downloads, and integrating file uploads with the CPA Ontario website.

Looking Ahead to a Bright Cloud Service Future

FileCloud has brought CPA Ontario the self-hosted, on-premises Enterprise File Sharing and Sync (EFSS) solution that it was looking for. The application runs safely on CPA Ontario’s infrastructure, managed by its trusted administrators, and regulated by its corporate IT security policies, unlike public cloud based file sharing solutions running on third-party servers. As regulations and standards evolve, so will FileCloud, to help CPA Ontario meet every legal obligation and user expectation.

Let FileCloud Help You Increase Your Productivity and Profitability Too

FileCloud is available for you too to run your own private cloud storage, synchronization and sharing solution for your employees, customers and clients. Highly scalable and robust with the features you need for secure, productive, cost-effective enterprise file sharing and synchronization, FileCloud is suitable for deployments anywhere from tens to millions of users. Contact FileCloud today to discuss your requirements and to try FileCloud for free on your own server for 14 days.

Secure File Sharing and Sync for Retail Industry – Case Study

Home › Case Studies › Retail

“Filecloud allowed us to host our own secure private cloud.” -Chris, IT Manager

Background

A major home design and furniture store shipping throughout the US, American Furniture Warehouse offers a huge range of furniture in its showrooms and online store. As the company says, whether customers are decorating one room or a hundred rooms, in traditional or contemporary styles, it has the solutions. Besides satisfying the consumer market, AFW also offers extended services to commercial customers. Hotels, assisted living and retirement communities are all handled by the company’s Commercial Contracts Division. Furniture shipping is available across the 48 continental states of America.

Contracts, Dockets and Workplace Discovery Analyses

AFW’s busy furniture sales activities also generate many documents. The latest product manuals and promotional information must always be available to sales staff. That means sending or connecting to 12 different locations in Colorado, and also to a further two Super-Center stores in Arizona. Order, sales and accounting reports need to be accessible to management on a secure and reliable basis. The company’s room planner software also generates layouts and plans for commercial customers. These records must be carefully stored, yet easy to access both during the workplace discovery analysis phase and throughout the rest of projects to supply large volumes of furniture.

Challenge

FileCloud Sync and Share for Collaboration

Besides internal scheduling, organization and collaboration, AFW needs to share files with selected third parties. These are commercial customers who are fitting out their properties with office or lifestyle furniture. They need AFW’s information to complete their own planning and execution. FileCloud was a natural choice for AFW because it brought immediately usable file sharing and synchronization functionality. Furniture manufacturer information, budgets, deliveries and installation time line information could become supplied to all parties concerned, securely, conveniently and on a project-by-project basis. FileCloud’s mobile interface also made it a great choice for salespeople and project managers working on customer sites, as well as delivery and installation staff.

Solution

Good Reasons for AFW to Use the FileCloud Private Cloud Solution

A private cloud solution and FileCloud in particular made sense for American Furniture Warehouse for several reasons. With FileCloud, AFW could deploy security at the right level for each part of the business. The granularity of FileCloud’s security functionality makes it possible for AFW to precisely control access down to individual document level. This is a key feature for confidential internal reports and customer projects. Large furniture layout plans can be conveniently shared by sending a link instead of the document itself. Smart backup software integrated into FileCloud makes sure that data automatically stays safe. That makes it a big help for busy AFW staff and one less thing to worry about while making the business run smoothly.

The Best Choice out of All the Options

Naturally, AFW compared different possibilities for file sharing and synchronization. Public cloud solutions and other on-premises software were also scrutinized. The previous solution, a well-known public cloud offering, lacked the control that the company wanted. Other on-site software provided some, but not all of the file sharing functionality that the company required. When it came to being able to securely keep data assets within the company and offer its users all the capabilities they needed, FileCloud was the winner.

Cost-Effective and Easy to Work With

FileCloud reduces costs associated with public cloud solutions by up to 80 percent. Bringing the budget down to just one-fifth of previous expenditure is highly attractive to any customer. FileCloud also worked out of the box with AFW’s IT infrastructure. The company could keep its data on its existing file servers and continue to work with its user access management and permissions, just as before. FileCloud did not disrupt AFW operations, but enhanced them from the start.

FileCloud Accompanies AFW Operations and Growth

From its inception in 1975, American Furniture Warehouse has grown to a company with over 2,000 employees. FileCloud will keep pace with further growth in the company too. Eminently scalable, FileCloud works as well for a dozen users as for a million. It also continues to help system administrators manage easily with a host of automated and labor-saving functionalities. As AFW takes on additional supply projects and opens new stores and Super-Centers, FileCloud will be there to support and facilitate these developments.

Whether your company is in the retail, finance, industrial or other sectors, you too could be getting the benefit of FileCloud today. Contact us now and start a 14-day trial free of charge of FileCloud on your own server.

File Sharing and Sync for Design Agency – Case Study

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FileCloud Case Study – File Sharing and Sync for Design Agency

“FileCloud is an ideal solution for us. We are able to use existing shares and easily access everything on go.” -Rauf, IT Manager

Background

‘Unlimited’ is how the Neoscape creative agency brands itself. A leader in design, graphic and content creation for the built environment, Neoscape has a portfolio of successful projects to make any competitor go green with envy. Output for the agency includes 3D graphic creation, photography, film and interactive applications. The ultimate goal? To help Neoscape clients and their audiences to experience worlds before their real-life creation. Founded in 1995, the agency continues to explore new techniques and technologies to enhance its productivity and customer satisfaction. A Whole Universe of Data to Manage and Share Each world created by Neoscape also generates a world of data. Design and film files can be very large, yet must be made easily accessible to clients for visualization and feedback. The company used an FTP server previously to handle the volumes involved. New cloud-based technologies caught the eye of Rauf Ismayilov, Neoscape’s IT Manager. He could see the attraction of extensible, scalable storage, and looked for the same advantages in a private cloud configuration. Ismayilov had already been a long term user of Tonido software. The quality of that experience prompted him to put FileCloud on the list, and then on the shortlist, of potential solutions for Neoscape.

Challenge

Taming 200 Terabytes As a permanent consideration, Ismayilov had to make sure that any new solution would be compatible with existing data assets. Neoscape uses an EMC Isilon cluster to manage 200 terabytes of data. The cluster gives the company a robust network-attached storage (NAS) platform with hardware, software, and accelerator nodes. Any file sharing and synchronization solution had to be compatible with it. FileCloud was immediately attractive because it could integrate in a snap, using existing file shares and giving users both access facility and security. Other options were much less palatable, involving replication of all of Neoscape’s data and significant extra investment in software and hardware. FileCloud on the other hand was ready to use ‘out-of-the-box’, without any additional IT resources required.

Solution

Neoscape Users Give FileCloud Two Thumbs-Up Upon Ismayilov’s recommendation, Neoscape took the decision to use FileCloud. Installation went ahead with the software integrating directly with existing user access management. FileCloud replaced the FTP server and gave users the ability to directly access their files from any location. Both the Neoscape marketing team and project coordination department were ecstatic about the new solution. Communicating and sharing files with clients has become a breeze, especially for Neoscape employees traveling to client sites or conventions. A New Era of File Share Speed, Security and Protection FileCloud has many features to help Neoscape to streamline everyday operations and work even more closely with its clients. Large files can be sent as unique URL links and the sender can be automatically notified when the file in question has been downloaded. To ensure that all versions viewed by colleagues and clients remain as fresh as possible, a Neoscape user can also fix the lifetime of the link leading to the file. New file versions are made available in seconds with new links. Yet FileCloud also provides automatic versioning, backup and restore functionality to keep current and past files protected and organized.</p. Branding Possibilities are Also Part of the Package Besides offering leading edge technology and superb performance and reliability, FileCloud also gives customers the possibility to use their own brand on a service they offer that is based on FileCloud. Creative agencies like Neoscape are well aware of the importance of branding. The Neoscape brand identity already pervades its work. With FileCloud, that brand identity can be stamped on the file sharing and synchronization offered to Neoscape clients too. Not only does this help position an agency as technically as well as graphically excellent, but it also reassures its clients that they are truly dealing with the agency they already know and trust. Let FileCloud Help You Increase Your Productivity and Profitability Too Ismayilov and Neoscape are delighted with their decision to use FileCloud. As the agency evolves to handle new challenges and wow new clients with its stunning creativity, FileCloud will be there to support it. The FileCloud software is and will always be leading edge, compatible with new technologies and offering the best in private cloud file sharing and synchronization. Highly affordable pricing and a world-class customer service and support team enhance the FileCloud solution even further. In addition to key customer references in creation, media and advertising, FileCloud also has enthusiastic business users in many other domains. The finance, hospitality, technology, and utilities industries, as well as the public sector, are just some examples. Find out today what FileCloud can do for your enterprise.

Take FileCloud product tour and learn why FileCloud is a better alternative to Dropbox for design agencies, and why we outperform Egnyte, ownCloud, and others.

Contact us now and start a free 14-day trial of FileCloud on your own server. Compare FileCloud vs. competition and learn why FileCloud is a better alternative to Dropbox, alternative to ownCloud, and alternative to Box.

File Sharing and Sync for Family Owned Businesses – Case Study

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FileCloud Case Study – File Sharing and Sync for Family Owned Businesses

“FileCloud provides right functionality at right price.”

-Trey Tucker, Telecom Administrator

Background

Diversity and security are the business cornerstones of the Rosewood Companies. The different operational units in the group provide strength and stability to maximize assets and wealth. Each unit is professionally managed for optimal returns, while the spread of activities shields the group overall from sector-specific ups and downs. Together, they correspond to the values of the Caroline Hunt Trust Estate, for which the Rosewood Companies form a robust financial operating base. Proper information flows and access are crucial to maintain satisfactory levels of individual and overall performance.

Challenge

Making Information Available for Urban, Energy, Ranch and Wetland Managers

Activities in the Rosewood Companies cover institutional real estate, oil and gas exploration and production, startup and entrepreneurial investment, holistic cattle ranches and environmental conservation. Group information, policies, decisions and other files need to flow out to the individual business units, while management reports must also come back in the other direction. As an ecosystem in themselves, the Rosewood Companies depend on a suitable solution for holding, communicating and accessing the data vital to everyday operational success.

File Sharing Security for a Select Group

Security is a priority for Rosewood IT management when it comes to storing and transferring files. Recent breaches of data suffered by other organizations made it wary of certain public cloud service providers. The preference was for a robust in-house file sharing and synchronization product that would give the Rosewood Companies optimal protection. At the same time, the projected total base of 50 users for such an application meant that affordability was important. These different requirements also had to be met in a context in which managers would access confidential data outside company networks using mobile devices

Solution

Evaluation and Budgeting Leads Rosewood Companies to FileCloud

During a trial period, the IT department was able to test the range of file sharing and synchronization functions offered by FileCloud as a private cloud solution. Security was found to be both flexible and robust, while the file backup, recovery and versioning functionality protected company files against both system malfunction and user errors. The IT department tried both Dropbox and ownCloud and found the pricing to be expensive and above their budget. The favorable price point of FileCloud for a smaller number of users was also a hit. With FileCloud, the Rosewood Companies could start with a modest number of users and stay well within budget, yet benefit from the possibility to extend the user base practically without limit.

FileCloud Support is Also a Positive Decision Factor

FileCloud support was on hand to help the IT department achieve rapid and reliable set-up including pass-through user authentication. In the customer’s own words, “the support team was great”. FileCloud recognizes the importance of having both a great product and top-notch technical assistance, so that users can benefit from robust, high-performance file sharing and syncing as fast as possible. The IT department at Rosewood Companies is convinced of the merits of this combination and since the initial installation has already extended its license several times.

Ease of Use for All Profiles of Users

Rosewood business executives running key urban development projects in Dallas, managing a Gulf Coast refinery and helping natural wetlands to thrive need a file sharing solution without huge learning curves. The mobile client and web interfaces for FileCloud have been designed accordingly. They stay out of the way to let users get the data they need safely, intuitively and rapidly. The administrator interface ensures that application of appropriate security policies is simple and effective, with automatic alerts sent to IT staff in case of suspicious behavior.

Ready for the Future

Any new business units or activities in the Rosewood Companies group can immediately be integrated into the FileCloud installation. Growth of the licensed user base is smooth and highly affordable. FileCloud installations can accommodate millions of users if required, all with the same high security, reliability, performance and ease of use. Integration with existing access authorization systems make it easy to manage different levels of user privileges and extend file sharing to third parties while maintaining appropriate levels of confidentiality..

See for yourself how FileCloud can be your best choice for safe, fast, cost-efficient file sharing and synchronization.

Take FileCloud product tour and learn why FileCloud is a better alternative to Dropbox for family owned businesses, and why we outperform Egnyte, ownCloud, and others.

Try FileCloud for free for two weeks on your own server. And yes, you can start your trial today!

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File Sharing and Sync for Design Agency – Case Study

FileCloud Case Study – File Sharing and Sync for Design Agency

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Take FileCloud product tour and learn why FileCloud is a better alternative to Dropbox for design agencies, and why we outperform Egnyte, ownCloud, and others.

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FileCloud Case Study – File Sharing and Sync for Design Agency

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Take FileCloud product tour and learn why FileCloud is a better alternative to Dropbox for design agencies, and why we outperform Egnyte, ownCloud, and others.

FileCloud Case Study – File Sharing and Sync for Family Owned Businesses

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Take FileCloud product tour and learn why FileCloud is a better alternative to Dropbox for family owned businesses, and why we outperform Egnyte, ownCloud, and others.

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