Enterprise file synchronization and sharing: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Software services used by companies}}

'''Enterprise file synchronization and sharing''' (also known as '''EFSS''' and '''enterprise file sync and share''') refers to software services that enable organizations to securely [[file synchronization|synchronize]] and share documents, photos, videos and files from multiple devices with employees, and external customers and partners. Organizations often adopt these technologies to prevent employees from using consumer-based file sharing apps to store, access and manage corporate data that is outside of the IT department’sdepartment's control and visibility.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Robb|first1=Drew|title=Ten Things You Need to Know about Enterprise File Sync and Share|url=http://www.enterprisestorageforum.com/storage-management/ten-things-you-need-to-know-about-enterprise-file-sync-and-share.html|website=www.enterprisestorageforum.com/|date=21 May 2013 |publisher=IT Business Edge|access-date=21 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Rouse|first1=Margaret|title=Definition of EFSS (Enterprise file sync-and-share)|url=http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/EFSS-Enterprise-file-sync-and-share|website=searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/|publisher=TechTarget|access-date=21 July 2016}}</ref>

==Key characteristics==

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* Authentication options for [[Active Directory]], [[SAML]], [[Microsoft Azure|Azure]] Active Directory, etc.

* Schedule and automate file transfers from automated systems and repositories<ref>[https://www.multcloud.com/articles/scheduled-task-to-copy-files-from-one-server-to-another-1004.html Schedule transfer, move or backup data from one cloud storage to another] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930180402/https://www.multcloud.com/articles/scheduled-task-to-copy-files-from-one-server-to-another-1004.html |date=2017-09-30 }}.</ref>

* Audit and report file activities and system actions

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==History==

[[Box (company)|Box]], one of the first EFSS products, was originally developed as a college project of [[Aaron Levie]] while he was a student of the [[University of Southern California]] in 2004. Levie left school to run the company full-time in 2005.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/aaron-levie-quit-college-to-found-box-now-25-billion-company-2017-7|title='I was having nightmares for a few weeks': Box CEO Aaron Levie reveals how hard it was to build a $2.5 billion business and take it public by age 29|work=Business Insider|access-date=2017-09-21|language=en}}</ref>

In 2007 [[Dropbox (service)|Dropbox]] was founded, and officially launched at 2008's [[TechCrunch Disrupt]] conference. The same year, [[Microsoft]] began beta testing of Windows Live Folders, a predecessor of [[OneDrive]]. <ref>[https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2007/05/windows-live-folders-make-brief-appearance/ Windows Live Folders]</ref>

Around 2010, the EFSS market emerged with over 100 vendors from a variety technology backgrounds including backup and cloud storage ([[ShareFile|Citrix ShareFile]], [[Syncplicity]]), [[managed file transfer]] ([[Accellion]], [[Biscom]], [[Box (company)|Box]], [[Hightail]], Thru), enterprise content management and more. Many were developed as alternatives to consumer file sync and sharing services that did not have security features in place to protect company information nor the flexibility to integrate with existing content repositories and business applications.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Dubash|first1=Manek|title=Cloud file-sharing for enterprise users|url=http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Buyers-Guide-Cloud-file-sharing-for-enterprise-users|website=www.computerweekly.com/|publisher=TechTarget|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Darrow|first1=Barb|title=Who will be the 'Dropbox of the enterprise?' The race is on|url=https://gigaom.com/2012/03/19/who-will-be-the-dropbox-of-the-enterprise-the-race-is-on/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127085656/http://gigaom.com/2012/03/19/who-will-be-the-dropbox-of-the-enterprise-the-race-is-on/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 27, 2013|website=www.gigaom.com|publisher=Gigaom|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Wexler|first1=Steve|title=Significant Churn Forecast For EFSS Market|url=http://it-tna.com/2015/09/10/significant-churn-forecast-for-efss-market/|website=it-tna.com|publisher=IT-TNA|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Sliwa|first1=Carol|title=Enterprise file sync and share expands in 2014|url=http://searchcloudstorage.techtarget.com/news/2240237177/Enterprise-file-sync-and-share-expands-in-2014|website=searchcloudstorage.techtarget.com/|publisher=TechTarget|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref>

In October 2011, software company, [[Citrix Systems]], announced that it had acquired private enterprise file sync and share service, [[ShareFile]], to add to the Citrix product line. ShareFile was a competitor of [[Box (company)|Box]] and [[Dropbox (service)|Dropbox]] but focused on selling its product to IT departments of large organizations.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wauters|first1=Robin|title=Citrix Acquires ShareFile, The "Dropbox For Enterprises"|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/10/13/citrix-acquires-sharefile-the-dropbox-for-enterprises/|website=www.techcrunch.com|date=13 October 2011 |publisher=TechCrunch|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Savitz|first1=Eric|title=Citrix Buys ShareFile|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2011/10/13/citrix-buys-sharefile/|website=[[Forbes]]|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref>

In 2012, [[CTERA Networks]] entered the EFSS market.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.cloudcomputing-news.net/news/2015/jul/27/gartners-enterprise-file-sync-and-share-magic-quadrant-offers-surprises-and-opportunities/| title=Gartner's enterprise file sync and share Magic Quadrant offers surprises and opportunities| date=July 27, 2015| author=James Bourne| publisher=CloudTech}}</ref>

In July 2013, [[Forrester Research]] released the first “Forrester Wave” report on the EFSS market where they identified and scored products from the most significant providers.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Schadler|first1=Ted|title=Who are the leaders in the file sync and share market?|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/who-are-the-leaders-in-the-file-sync-and-share-market/|website=[[ZDNet]]|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=20 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Backaitis|first1=Virginia|title=Forrester Names 6 Top Cloud File Sharing Vendors|url=http://www.cmswire.com/information-management/forrester-names-6-top-cloud-file-sharing-vendors/|website=www.cmswire.com|publisher=Simpler Media Group, Inc|access-date=20 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Schadler|first1=Ted|last2=Koplowitz|first2=Rob|last3=Keitt|first3=TJ|last4=Kark|first4=Khalid|last5=Smith|first5=Andrew|title=The Forrester Wave™: File Sync And Share Platforms, Q3 2013|url=https://www.forrester.com/report/The+Forrester+Wave+File+Sync+And+Share+Platforms+Q3+2013/-/E-RES98201|website=www.forrester.com|publisher=Forrester Research|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref>

On June 25, 2014, [[Google]] announced at its [[Google I/O|I/O Conference]] that it was entering the enterprise file sharing market with the release of “[[Google Drive]] for Work.”<ref>{{cite web|last1=King|first1=Rachel|title=Google intros Drive for Work as new premium option for Apps users|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-intros-drive-for-work-as-new-premium-option-for-apps-users/|website=[[ZDNet]]|publisher=ZDNet|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=KOKALITCHEVA|first1=KIA|title=Google Drive now has 190M users & a brand new tablet app for presentations|url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/06/25/google-drive-now-has-190m-users-a-brand-new-tablet-app-for-presentations/|website=venturebeat.com/|date=25 June 2014 |publisher=VentureBeat|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref>

In July 2014, [[Gartner Research]] released its first “[[Magic Quadrant]]” report on the EFSS market. The study evaluates the strengths and cautions of the most notable vendors in the industry.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Backaitis|first1=Virginia|title=Gartner Rates Enterprise File Sync and Share Vendors|url=http://www.cmswire.com/cms/information-management/gartner-rates-enterprise-file-sync-and-share-vendors-025799.php|website=www.cmswire.com/|publisher=Simpler Media Group|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Arlotta|first1=CJ|title=Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise File Synchronization and Sharing|url=http://talkincloud.com/cloud-computing-research/070814/gartner-magic-quadrant-enterprise-file-synchronization-and-sharing|website=talkincloud.com|publisher=Penton|access-date=2016-07-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160714022356/http://talkincloud.com/cloud-computing-research/070814/gartner-magic-quadrant-enterprise-file-synchronization-and-sharing|archive-date=2016-07-14|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In October, 2014, encrypted vendor [[Tresorit]] entered the EFSS market with Tresorit for Business.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Tresorit Brings DRM To Cloud Data|url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/benkepes/2014/08/19/tresorit-brings-drm-to-cloud-data/|website = Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Tresorit Launches Its Secure Sync And Share Product For Business|url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/benkepes/2014/10/08/tresorit-launches-its-secure-sync-and-share-product-for-business/|website = Forbes}}</ref> Tresorit is a competitor of Dropbox and Box, promising businesses more security and privacy compliance with [[End-to-end encryption]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Cloud Storage Startup Tresorit Raises $3M To Put Security Spotlight On Dropbox, Box And Others|url = https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/01/tresorit/|website = TechCrunch| date=May 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Updated UI and expanded data control features come to Tresorit's Business plan|url = https://www.neowin.net/news/updated-ui-and-expanded-data-control-features-come-to-tresorits-business-plan/|website = Neowin}}</ref>

In April 2015, [[BlackBerry Limited]] paid between $100 million and $150 million to buy WatchDox Ltd. for its enterprise file sync and sharing capabilities.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lopez|first1=Maribel|title=BlackBerry Snaps Up WatchDox For Content Security|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/maribellopez/2015/04/21/blackberry-acquires-watchdox-boosting-content-security/#3cd5bbe45f38|website=[[Forbes]]|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref>

In July 2015, one EFSS vendor, [[Syncplicity]], was sold to private equity firm, Skyview Capital, by previous owner, [[EMC Corporation]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Konrad|first1=Alex|title=EMC Sells Box Competitor Syncplicity To Private Equity Shop Skyview|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2015/07/07/emc-sells-syncplicity-to-private-equity-shop-skyview/|website=[[Forbes]]|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Clark|first1=Don|title=EMC to Sell Dropbox Rival Syncplicity|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/emc-to-sell-dropbox-rival-syncplicity-1436288979|website=www.wsj.com/|publisher=Wall Street Journal|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref>