Online backups used to be a dull industry with little to no innovation. Files were selected from the desktop or laptop, and uploaded to a remote server. But then companies such as SugarSync and SpiderOak came along and started innovating… adding version history, file sharing, and synchronization between multiple computers.
The latest news comes from DropBox. They’ve used their heads, and figured if two computers, which are sync’d, are on the same local network (such as both in the same office or some household), there’s no need to send the data to the cloud, then back to the other computer. When syncing with LAN Sync, the file will copy directly from one PC to the other.
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Previously the file was sent to the cloud & back down |
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With LAN Sync, the file is transferred directly from computer to computer |
Not only will this decrease syncing times (as the file goes direct, skipping a party in-between), but it will also save on bandwidth, as the file never goes into the cloud.
LAN Sync does not transfer directly without sending to the cloud. If the file hasnt been synced to the cloud yet, it will NOT be transferred directly.
Each file has to be on the cloud first (else it would make sense anyway)
LAN Sync means, if you have backed up your PC using Dropbox (so each file in the folder has been synced to the cloud), and you are using Dropbox on another PC, it will then Sync the files from one PC to the other PC over LAN, but only if the files are already in the cloud…
Still a wonderful feature!
Hi Sven,
You’re right… the file is still transferred to Dropbox (hence the Cloud storage), but when the file needs to get to another computer on the same LAN, it’s not downloaded over the Internet, but rather directly on the LAN.
So the host computer (where the file originates from or where the last change was made) transfers the file to the web, and across the LAN, saving the download bandwidth (to the 2nd computer)
Thanks for your comment!