When Google modified its storage support to allow storage of all file types, cloud storage users' ears perked up. At about $0.02 per gigabyte, Google Storage is considerably cheaper than other cloud storage solutions. Faced with the task of migrating all their files from a different cloud storage provider to Google Storage, however, many users have not yet made the switch.
In light of this, Gladinet Inc. announced on Wednesday its Gladinet Cloud Desktop, the company’s cloud storage client on a host of cloud services, including Amazon S3, AT&T Synaptic Storage, Windows Azure, EMC Atmos and Google Docs
For users, that means switching to Google Storage is as easy as drag-and-drop. With Gladinet Cloud Desktop, multiple cloud storage services are integrated with the user's desktop operating system and accessed from the Windows Explorer interface. Files appear in local folders, so Cloud Desktop users can drag their files from Amazon S3, for example, and drop them right into Google Storage -- without having to log in manually to either service.
"We know small and medium-sized businesses have limited time and expertise to devote to file storage, transfer and backup, so our developers have worked hard to make Cloud Desktop quick and easy to use," explained Jerry Huang, co-owner of Gladinet. "That ease of use is especially apparent when it comes to moving files between cloud services. Now that Google Storage is supporting all file types, our clients can take advantage of that lower-cost storage solution almost instantly from their Cloud Desktops."
Cloud Desktop turns Windows Explorer into a cloud storage portal, allowing users to access files in GDrive -- the term users commonly use for the combination of the web-based application Google Docs and Google Storage, similar to as if they were stored locally. To do this, it maps GDrive to a local drive on the user's computer, allowing the user to edit files with native applications, transfer thousands of files by dragging and dropping and easily monitor and manage these tasks.
"We think a service called GDrive desperately needs a local drive letter," Huang stated. "And we are proud to offer this capability with Gladinet Cloud Desktop."
Backups can be done both manually and automatically, and as it uses the familiar Windows Explorer interface, the Cloud Desktop system is intuitive even to novice users.
"Cloud Desktop harnesses the power of the cloud," Huang stated. "There is no easier way to migrate from more expensive cloud storage solutions to Google Storage."
