Enterprise file synchronization and sharing: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:49, 28 July 2016

Revision as of 23:05, 30 January 2017

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'''Enterprise file synchronization and sharing''' (also known as EFSS and enterprise file sync and share) refers to software services that enable organizations to securely synchronize and share documents, photos, videos and files from multiple devices with employees, and external customers and partners. Organizations often adopt these solutionstechnologies to prevent employees from using consumer-based file sharing apps to store, access and manage corporate data that is outside of the IT department’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/|publisher=IT Business Edge|accessdate=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|accessdate=21 July 2016}}</ref>

==Key Characteristics of EFSScharacteristics==

EFSS applications are often characterized by having most or all of the following features and capabilities:<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rodriguez|first1=Andres|title=File Sync & Share: When Worlds Collide|url=http://www.informationweek.com/software/information-management/file-sync-and-share-when-worlds-collide/a/d-id/1323369|website=www.informationweek.com/|publisher=UBM Tech|accessdate=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Backaitis|first1=Virginia|title=Enterprise File Sync & Share Solutions: What's the Difference?|url=http://www.cmswire.com/cms/information-management/enterprise-file-sync-share-solutions-whats-the-difference-026343.php|website=www.cmswire.com/|publisher=Simpler Media Group|accessdate=21 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Ladi|first1=Ananda Rao|title=Enterprise File Sync and Share (EFSS) in the cloud|url=http://www.itproportal.com/2016/07/11/enterprise-file-sync-and-share-efss-in-the-cloud/|website=www.itproportal.com/|publisher=IT Pro Portal|accessdate=21 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Zurier|first1=Steve|title=Businesses Embrace Enterprise File-Sharing Tools for Security, Flexibility|url=http://www.biztechmagazine.com/article/2016/03/businesses-embrace-enterprise-file-sharing-tools-security-flexibility|website=www.biztechmagazine.com/|publisher=CDW|accessdate=21 July 2016}}</ref>

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* Audit and report file activities and system actions

Depending on what an EFSS provider offers, services can be deployed inusing the[[cloud Cloudcomputing]], Onon-Premisespremises, or Hybridhybrid. According to Forrester Research, some EFSS providers can provide the ability to lockdown data in certain geographies for companies that have requirements to store content/metadata in specific jurisdictions.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McKinnon|first1=Cheryl|title=Navigate The Crowded Enterprise File Sync And Share Market By Asking These 3 Questions|url=http://blogs.forrester.com/cheryl_mckinnon/16-05-19-navigate_the_crowded_enterprise_file_sync_and_share_market_by_asking_these_3_questions|website=www.forrester.com|publisher=Forrester Research, Inc.|accessdate=21 July 2016}}</ref>

==History==

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]], [[Thru (company)|Thru]], [[Box (company)|Box]] (formerly Box.net), [[Hightail]] [formerly YouSendIt]), enterprise content management and more. Many vendorswere developed solutions as alternatives to consumer file sync and sharing services that didn’tdid havenot thehave 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|accessdate=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/|website=www.gigaom.com|publisher=Gigaom|accessdate=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|accessdate=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|accessdate=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|publisher=TechCrunch|accessdate=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Savitz|first1=Eric|title=Citrix Buys ShareFile|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2011/10/13/citrix-buys-sharefile/|website=www.forbes.com/|publisher=Forbes|accessdate=22 July 2016}}</ref>