BASIC Cloud Storage Use Cases

Gladinet has reached over 750,000 downloads and many users have reached out to Gladinet and send us their feedbacks. When working with these customers, we can see what they want to do with Cloud Storage Services and summarize several significant cloud storage use cases and requirements. Together, we call the use cases the BASIC requirements.
BASIC is actually pretty basic, as each capitalized letter stands for:
B – Backup to Cloud Storagebasic
A – Access Cloud Storage with Drive Letter
S – Synchronization of files and folders
I – Integrate Local Application with Cloud Storage
(Updated 9/30/2011: With the release of Gladinet Cloud, I also means Identity)
C – Connect Cloud Storage Services together, Connect people together over Cloud Storage
(Updated 9/30/2011: For Gladinet Cloud, C could mean Control)

Backup

backup256B is the first letter in basic. Backup is also the primary use case for cloud storage in early stage. In the early stage of cloud computing movements, the main computing sources are still local PCs and local file servers. Online storage or cloud storage services are good for off-site backups. Companies like Mozy and Carbonite pioneered the ideas of online backup. Now with the cloud storage services coming out from Amazon S3, Rackspace Cloud Files, Windows Azure and more, generic cloud backup is also becoming a strong category in this use case.
Backup is also part of the DNA in Gladinet products. You can see it in Gladinet Cloud Desktop, Gladinet CloudAFS and also Gladinet Cloud Backup.

Access

cloud-drive48Access means direct access with a drive letter. Microsoft DOS popularized the idea of a drive letter and people in general are looking for the cute drive symbol in Windows Explorer so they can do drag and drop to the drive for storage. When it comes to cloud storage, direct drive access is also strongly desired. The reason is simple, users don’t need to be educated about new user interface if they are already trained on Windows Explorer interface.
Access is Gladinet’s core technology and IP (Intellectual Property). When the company started, it started with the idea that you can access all different kinds of cloud storage services with a single drive letter and multiple virtual directories inside for each cloud storage services.

Synchronization

backup_folder2_open_drop_sync48Synchronization is also a very popular cloud storage use case. With cloud storage, it breaks the boundary of a local area network. So cloud storage can be used as a repository and conduit for files and folders to flow from one point in the world to the other point in the world.
In Gladinet Cloud Desktop 3.0, a cloud sync folder feature was introduced to help customers sync files and folders over their existing cloud storage services.

Integration

addpub48In the current cloud computing movement, integration is also a key cloud storage use case. There are so many local applications available and so many are limited to the boundary of the local area network (LAN). These applications are looking for a quick and easy way to be cloudified without re-compile or re-deployment. Seamless integration of cloud storage services with local applications is a must have in the current stage.
Gladinet CloudAFS solves the integration problem. It works as a file server and actually behaves as a cloud storage gateway. It can quickly turn a local application into a cloud-integrated application. For example, if you have Acronis backup or Symantec backup, you can save directly to CloudAFS and the on-ramp to cloud storage services.
Gladinet Cloud Desktop solves the integration problem too with partners because integration is also Gladinet’s key value proposition.
Gladinet Value Proposition – We help partners to quickly enter a fast growing cloud storage market by providing a complete suite of cloud storage access solutions for end users. You may have a backup solution for LAN, we can turn it into a cloud solution. Any LAN based applications, combined with Gladinet Access Suite, they can be turned into cloud storage friendly applications.

Connect

vdir2-good48Connect is the last letter in the BASIC word. However, its use case will be through out the whole cloud computing movements. At the beginning, it could mean how do I connect my Google Docs, Amazon S3 and etc to my local resources (PCs, files and folders). It then can mean how do I connect different cloud storage services with one and other. It also could mean how to connect all the Gladinet instances into one management frameworks.
Gladinet Cloud Space is our solution to the connect problem. As the meaning of connect evolves in cloud computing paradigm shift, the functionality of Cloud Space will shift with it as well. 

Identity & Control

(Updated 9/30/2011) With the Release of Gladinet Cloud, the I in BASIC can mean Identity. Each user can have an identity in the Cloud. C can be Control. The administrator for the team can give users controlled access to cloud storage.

Related Posts

Cloud Storage Strategy How-Tos
Cloud Storage Strategy Series I – Disaster Recovery
Cloud Storage Strategy Series II–Content Delivery
How to Pick a Cloud Storage Gateway
How to Pick a Cloud Storage Service

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