Tonido Private Cloud Storages Steps Up to Google Drive

Just as Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) is starting to push its Drive cloud storage option, personal cloud software and services provider CodeLathe has released a competing cloud-based storage service, Tonido Cloud, positioned as an alternative to Google Drive for enterprises, midsiza businesses and managed services providers.

Tonido Cloud provides private cloud storage and sync features that enable end users to access, share and sync company files and documents. CodeLathe built in the ability to use the storage service from any device. Additionally, Tonido can also be connected to various back-end storage systems, computers (PC, Mac and Linux) and mobile devices (iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7.5).

“More than ever, enterprises need a secure, scalable, easy-to-use solution that delivers anywhere, any-device access to corporate data,” said Madhan Kanagavel, CEO of CodeLathe, in a prepared statement. “Tonido Cloud enables this objective at one-fourth cost of public cloud storage/sync services like Dropbox Teams, while providing complete control and visibility of corporate data.”

The cloud storage service is currently being tested in more than 100 enterprises in media, insurance, realty, wealth management and telecom verticals. It’s a horizontal application, but certain verticals may find this more useful than others.

Can Tonido Cloud replace Dropbox or Google Drive as the enterprise go-to cloud-based storage and sync service? It’s hard to go head-to-head with technology that’s already become established as something like Dropbox (especially when it’s become a verb in daily techie language).

Pricing begins at $499 for up to 20 users, with additional users costing $24.99 per year apiece. Licenses are also available in 10-user increments.

Although CodeLathe is selling the cloud storage SaaS directly to end-customers, the company also plans on working with systems integrators and other partners to bring the service to market. To kick things off, though, CodeLathe is going direct. It plans to begin working with partners shortly, although company executives didn’t provide an exact timeline for its channel rollout.