If you or your business does work with clients that requires large files (graphic design, CAD files, even big PowerPoint presentations) you probably are familiar with FTP. It has been around for decades now as a reliable yet clumsy way of getting big files across the internet. There really has been no other way of sending big files because email is ill-suited to the task and the alternative is to use physical media and ship it in the mail. But the past 3 years have seen a new solution rise up, one that blows FTP out of the water with usability, speed and reliability. It's called file sharing, and it's taking the internet by storm. Businesses can take advantage of this new trend to distribute files quicker and smarter than ever before.
Why FTP is Dead or Dying
There are really 3 reasons why FTP is worth abandoning:
Clients rarely have the technical know-how or software in place to send or receive FTP transfers. This kind of defeats the purpose and causes more headaches than it is worth.
Basic FTP is insecure. Passwords and file contents are sent as text, meaning that if someone were monitoring the transmission they could essentially take any information they wanted. You can make FTP more secure with SSL and other add-on services, but that's just masking a bigger problem.
FTP is a resource hog. Bandwidth is a precious commodity for heavy internet users. FTP uses multiple connections at one time to send and receive files, meaning that when you are "FTP'ing" something you are slowing down the rest of your network.
The Better-Than-FTP Way to Transfer Files
File sharing fills in each of the above holes and then some, making it a much better alternative for sending and storing large files. Here's how:
Clients simply get a tiny text-based email with an embedded hyperlink to click in order to retrieve the file from the server. They can even return to the same email weeks or months later and the file will still be there. If they can use email, they can use file sharing.
The file only resides on the server, which is protected with the latest and greatest security software and is monitored 24 by 7.
The server is only working when a file is actively requested. And even when it is working, it does not affect your speed at all because the files are hosted remotely.
Ok, so it's pretty clear now that file sharing beats FTP for sending large files. It's also great for storing large files remotely from your office in case or computer crashes or disaster, but that's another article! You can find many good online file sharing services by searching on Google, and most of them offer free trial periods. Try it today and you'll never go back to FTP for personal use or for business.
David Hindman enjoys helping people solve their technical problems with simple online solutions. He's been storing and sending files with online file sharing for years. For a short review of his favorite internet file storage and sharing service, visit his website at http://www.hindman.info/file-sharing
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