Accellion’s kitedrive Offers Secure Enterprise Alternative To Dropbox, iCloud

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Accellion's iPhone app
Accellion's iPhone app

BYOD may be the poster child for the consumerization of IT (CoIT) movement, but employee-owned mobile devices are just one of the consumer technologies that are steadily making their way into the workplace. Consumer cloud services are another big headache for IT.

Consumer clouds represent a way for data to easily leave office and the office network. Files can be placed in a consumer cloud very easily and often without IT even knowing about it. Despite that big security concern, cloud services like Box and Dropbox are popular with workers because they’re an easy way to ensure access to files and documents while out of the office and/or while working on a mobile device.

While blocking specific cloud services is a possibility, it’s little more than a stop-gap measure. Truly solving the problem means addressing the underlying need – users needing mobile access to data – in a secure way, which enterprise file management company Accellion aims to solve with a new Secure Mobile File Sharing service and sync capabilty dubbed kitedrive.

Accellion isn’t a name most people are familiar with outside of enterprise IT circles. The company offers document/file security and management solutions to large enterprises and its client list includes Rolex, Prada, and Procter & Gamble. The company recently launched its new Secure Mobile File Sharing service and kitedrive sync feature, which is designed to bring its secure file management capabilities to mobile devices.

Accellion describes kitedrive as “Dropbox for the enterprise” – and that is an apt description, given kitedrive’s primary functionality is to securely sync confidential business documents to worker iPhones, iPads, and other mobile devices. In doing so, the company is essentially replicating the seamless sync and always-on access to files that are attracting consumers to services like Dropbox for both personal and business uses. Not surprisingly, Accellion’s Secure Mobile File Sharing offers several collaborative features including secure workspaces, file and folder commenting, notifications, file versioning, and secure file transfers.

kitedrive and Accellion’s Secure Mobile File Sharing represent the company’s first major steps in the consumer space – the service will be available two individual users, small to mid-size business, and larger enterprises. For small business, the secure cloud service may be an excellent cloud and file management solution, particularly for companies in regulated industries like healthcare or those that require heightened security like law offices or finance-related firms.

Accelion is making the service available in three flavors:

  • Accellion Mobile File Sharing for Individuals: Single user with 2GB of free cloud storage
  • Accellion Mobile File Sharing for Business: 5-500 users with 1,000GB cloud storage
  • Accellion Mobile File Sharing for Enterprise: 500+ users with unlimited cloud storage and enterprise options that include: Archiving, DLP Integration, SFTP access, LDAP/AD integration

 

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