The Benefits Of Hosting Files On The Internet
http://www.sourceinternet.net/articles/5197/1/The-Benefits-Of-Hosting-Files-On-The-Internet/Page1.html
Martin Brinkmann
Martin runs his own Technology blog at Ghacks where he writes articles like Rapidshare Files that provide his readers with the latest information in the technology sector. By Martin Brinkmann
Published on 10/20/2008
An informative article that explains why it makes sense to use file hosts to store data.
In this age of computers, files in a myriad of formats are becoming more important to more people every day. It is rare to find someone who deals with computers who does not have a portable storage device of some sort, whether that is a portable hard drive, key chain flash drive, or whatever. While this trend of carrying your files with you promises to continue, there are many benefits to hosting files on the Internet.
The first major benefit of hosting files on the Internet is access. When you carry files in a portable storage device, someone needs access to the physical device to view or work with the files. This might work great if you are simply taking a saved video game to a friend's house to play the next level, but it's not so good when you want to show those pictures of your new baby to your parents in another country.
If those files are hosted online, you can easily tell someone the URL of the file and any password required to access the files. This is especially useful for people on the go, since they can access the files from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.
The second major benefit of hosting files on the Internet is security. You set up your files on a server and you can assign a login and password. With the URL and this login information, the files can be retrieved any time. This means you have a copy of your files in a place that no burglar or purse snatcher can find them. Having a secure copy of your files that you can access from any Internet connected computer is a distinct advantage over having only a single copy in your physical possession.
The last major benefit of hosting files on the Internet is the ease of collaboration. Often a team will be required to work with various aspects of the same files. Photos, videos, games, programs - whatever file type we're talking about, having the files hosted on the Internet allows far more versatility in team functions. With a local file storage solution, choosing your team is based on a single overwhelming factor - location. Your team must be local to operate. When you host your files on the Internet, you can select your team based on any criteria you choose. Your team can access the files, make changes and update those files from anywhere in the world. This greatly increases your options in selecting team members.
There will never come a day when local file storage is not used for files, but anyone taking advantage of the benefits of hosting files on the Internet is in a position to enjoy much more flexibility than those who exclusively store files locally.
The first major benefit of hosting files on the Internet is access. When you carry files in a portable storage device, someone needs access to the physical device to view or work with the files. This might work great if you are simply taking a saved video game to a friend's house to play the next level, but it's not so good when you want to show those pictures of your new baby to your parents in another country.
If those files are hosted online, you can easily tell someone the URL of the file and any password required to access the files. This is especially useful for people on the go, since they can access the files from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.
The second major benefit of hosting files on the Internet is security. You set up your files on a server and you can assign a login and password. With the URL and this login information, the files can be retrieved any time. This means you have a copy of your files in a place that no burglar or purse snatcher can find them. Having a secure copy of your files that you can access from any Internet connected computer is a distinct advantage over having only a single copy in your physical possession.
The last major benefit of hosting files on the Internet is the ease of collaboration. Often a team will be required to work with various aspects of the same files. Photos, videos, games, programs - whatever file type we're talking about, having the files hosted on the Internet allows far more versatility in team functions. With a local file storage solution, choosing your team is based on a single overwhelming factor - location. Your team must be local to operate. When you host your files on the Internet, you can select your team based on any criteria you choose. Your team can access the files, make changes and update those files from anywhere in the world. This greatly increases your options in selecting team members.
There will never come a day when local file storage is not used for files, but anyone taking advantage of the benefits of hosting files on the Internet is in a position to enjoy much more flexibility than those who exclusively store files locally.