One of Microsoft's new "Live" services is a peer to peer technology based file sharing system. It's called Windows Live Sync. And it has the makings of a Backup solution that will let you backup your files no matter where you are as long as you have an internet connection. Plus it's both Windows and Mac compatible.
Windows Live Sync is a lot more than a backup solution. From Microsoft's website:
About Windows Live Sync
Windows Live Sync is a free service designed to help you synchronize (The process of uploading and downloading information between two or more computers so that the information on each computer is identical.) files across all the computers you use, share files and photos with friends and colleagues, and remotely access your files from any other computer connected to the Internet. If you have more than one computer, you can create personal folders (A synchronized folder that you create for yourself. Files in a personal synchronized folder are not shared with other people and only the owner of the folder can access them. If you have more than one computer, you might create a personal synchronized folder to share files between them.) to synchronize files between them. You can also share files with friends or colleagues when you create or connect your computer to a shared folder (A synchronized folder that you have been invited to share, or a folder that you have invited others to share. Files in a shared synchronized folder are accessed and can be changed by more than one person. The owner must invite other people to use the folder in order for them to have permission to access it).
You can synchronize your photos and videos in Windows Live Photo Gallery, and keep them up-to-date on different computers, or access them from any computer that's connected to the Internet. For more information, see About synchronizing your photos and videos in Windows Live Photo Gallery. Please respect copyright and the intellectual property of others. Uploading or sharing copyrighted material without authorization is prohibited under the and the , and is a violation of the law.
Sync is a peer-to-peer network (Two or more computers that share a direct connection.) with security features. Only you and people that you invite can view or access files in your synchronized folders. To help increase privacy, Sync encrypts all files exchanged over the network using AES (Advanced encryption standard. An algorithm used for securing data transferred over the Internet.) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer. An encryption format that helps keep information secure while it is sent across the Internet.) , and authenticates files using RSA (A cryptographic technology that is the industry standard for high-quality encryption, especially for data sent over the Internet. The acronym stands for Rivest, Shamir, and Adelman, the inventors of the technique).
Sync has two parts:
The Sync software
You must install the Sync software from the website, on every computer that you want to synchronize files on. You use the software to synchronize, share, and download files from a folder and to access the . The Sync software works in the background when you're online and recognizes when files are changed, added to, or deleted from a synchronized folder. As you update files in a synchronized folder, Sync automatically updates files on the other online (The status of your computer. When you use Sync, the status of your computer is "online" when your computer is connected to the Internet and running the Sync software.) computers that synchronize with the folder.
The Sync website
From the Sync software you can do any of the following:
- Download the latest version of the software.
- Set up computers for synchronizing or sharing files.
- Create personal folders (A synchronized folder that you create for yourself. Files in a personal synchronized folder are not shared with other people and only the owner of the folder can access them. If you have more than one computer, you might create a personal synchronized folder to share files between them.) to synchronize files between your computers.
- Create a shared folder (A synchronized folder that you have been invited to share, or a folder that you have invited others to share. Files in a shared synchronized folder are accessed and can be changed by more than one person. The owner must invite other people to use the folder in order for them to have permission to access it.) to share files with other people.
- Invite others to share your files.
Notes
- You can synchronize folders on external hard drives with Sync. If you disconnect a hard drive that contains a synchronized folder, you must re-connect to the synchronized folder when the hard drive is re-connected.
- You can synchronize up to 20 folders containing up to 20,000 files each. Files can't be larger than 4 gigabytes (GB).
- Sync doesn't work with mapped network drives.
- If Sync detects multiple versions of the same file, both versions of the file will be saved in the folder. The files will be renamed, appending the computer and user name of the person who created or changed the file. To consolidate the files, you must merge the versions by opening each of the files and consolidating the information.
- You can set the folder to synchronize manually instead of automatically. When a folder is set to synchronize manually, you synchronize it by opening it in Sync. For information about selecting automatic or manual synchronizing, see See if your computer is connected to a synchronized folder or change the synchronization setting.