Keeping the File Server Sexy (and Making Your Clients Happy)

For many people, stepping into the office can feel like stepping back in time. In an age where so many people carry around mobile computers in their pockets, employees have become frustrated at being forced to use cumbersome technologies such as VPN and FTP to remotely access files stored on an on-premises file server. As a result, many of these employees have resorted to storing more of their data in free, non-secure cloud services like Dropbox.

How do MSPs reconcile the virtues of the file server with the benefits of cloud file sync? One way is to cloud-enable the file server. Here are three ways cloud-enabling the file server keeps the file server sexy and makes your clients happy:

1. Cloud-enabling the file server adds functionality that makes employees more productive

The security risks of free cloud file sync providers, such as Dropbox, are well-documented. Besides these security risks, another reason clients should be wary of consumer-grade file sync services is the requirement that they move all their data to the cloud. Moving gigabytes or terabytes of data to the cloud can be time-consuming and frustrating. Alternatively, it would be confusing to have two repositories of data, one on-premises and one in the cloud, and businesses may find it annoying to continually reconcile changes made in the cloud with changes made on the local server, or vice-versa.

Rather than rip-and-replace, cloud-enabling the file server allows MSPs to unlock the obvious advantages of cloud file sync, while still keeping their clients’ file server intact and fully operational for on-premises storage. Retaining use of the file server can be instrumental to reducing frustration and increased labor costs. Everything works as it should, without any unnecessary complication.                          

2. Client frustration and labor costs lessen significantly

While storing data in the cloud is certainly convenient, companies like Dropbox and Microsoft simply don’t dedicate the time or resources to help create a custom deployment or continually manage the file storage needs of small- and medium-sized businesses. On the other hand, your clients pay you for your stellar support; MSPs can help their clients in properly deploying, customizing and managing their on-premises file servers. By cloud-enabling the file server, you demonstrate and improve your ability to serve your clients. If any issues crop up, your clients can continue to depend on the person that maintained their file server: you.

3. Employees can interact with the file server in traditional or new ways

Cloud providers have wisely trumpeted the mobility advantages of moving data to the cloud—“your data, wherever you are,” they proclaim. But there’s no need for your clients to move everything to the cloud just to access their files from anywhere. With file server enablement, clients enjoy the best of both worlds: No one has to change the way they work on local machines in the office, everyone can access files on-the-go from their laptop or smartphone, all while benefitting from file syncing and access across any device.

eFolder Anchor is the gold standard for business-grade file sync. Delivered exclusively through our channel partners, Anchor offers advanced features such as file server enablement, Active Directory integration and file locking. Partners can also brand Anchor with their own company information and logo or those of their clients. Click here to download a white paper about cloud-enabling the file server.

Neeraj Periwal is Marketing Coordinator, eFolder. Guest blogs such as this one are published monthly and are part of MSPmentor’s Cloud-based File Syncing and Sharing Infocenter.