OneDrive

Earlier this week I talked about iCloud and so now I figured I would continue my Cloud System review with OneDrive. OneDrive is the Microsoft Cloud filing solution and I have to admit, it’s pretty good. (WARNING: LEGAL STUFF!!!) Just so we’re clear, I am not affiliated with Microsoft. I have an O365 account through my work, but that’s about it. If you sign up for OneDrive you can’t do it through me.

So anyway, OneDrive. I will say that I have accounts for all of the products that I have featured (and will feature, there’s one more) and OneDrive is a really easy one to use. I like that Microsoft has fully embraced the Cloud game and done so in such a way that puts them at the top for Windows users. I am happy to say that I can report that the benefits of using OneDrive certainly outweigh the drawbacks.

Benefits

1) Easily integrated into Windows devices – Just like iCloud does with Mac, OneDrive’s nearly built-in integration with Windows makes it so simple to get your OneDrive files to be accessible in your file explorer. I like this because it’s quick, it’s easy it’s efficient. Certainly, for those who are less inclined towards technology, it’s great. You don’t necessarily have to download a program and mess around with settings to get the thing to work right, you just go to your File Explorer, click on the OneDrive icon on the sidebar and use your login credentials. Simple, easy, to the point.

2) Fantastic file level sharing capabilities – This is something that I discovered at my job. If you have a complex filing structure in your OneDrive and you want to share a folder that is somewhere in the middle, then you can share that folder. If your folder structure is, lets’ say, 8 levels deep, and you share a folder at the 4th level, the share will be for that file and the files below it. If there is sensitive information in the folder level above “level 4” then it will not be shared. This works especially well for me because I tend to have my highest level folders be as general as possible and get more specific the further I go down. If I wanted to share a file with someone on a specific subject, I can do that without concern that they will see the other files in my file tree.

3) Separate or together with Office365 – For sure you can get OneDrive on its own, and even I will admit that the pricing is very reasonable and scales well. You can also if you were to so choose, pay for a different package which gives you the entire Microsoft suite. I have had a great experience using Office 365 because it means that I am able to access all of my work files in one location on the web, but at the same time, I am able to access that location from any internet connected terminal in the world.

Drawbacks

1) Requires Microsoft account – Like each of the systems that I’m going through, in order to have a OneDrive you need to have a Microsoft account. I have one at work so this is no big deal for me, but I use it only for my work things. Honestly, I don’t have a Microsoft account in my personal life and that is what would stop me from using OneDrive. Other than that there are really no drawbacks to using OneDrive, aside from if you’re a Mac user then you have to do extra work to install the plugin.

OneDrive, in my opinion, is a great product which allows people (certainly Microsoft users) to store their files in an easy way. It also works well and is able to exist on both Windows and iOS devices. For those of you working with Windows, it’s a great way to keep your files in the Cloud in a seamless manner. If you’re running a PC computer but also have an iPhone then it’s still good (despite a small amount of setting up) because Apps are available for any phone.

Would you consider using OneDrive? 

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