Setting up a cloud based file server

[TheSurfer]

A friend has a small business and I helped them out when they set up Google Apps. They are now looking at switching to being totally cloud based and replacing their Windows file server with a virtual cloud-based one. They have 8 users and no applications running on the server.... purely shared file storage.

Does anyone have any recommendations for cloud based options. Google Apps shared storage for Docs can only be purchased individually and is probably too limited. I've had a quick look at DropBox and Amazon S3 but most solutions seem to be focussed on backup or hosting applicaitons not becoming a virtual file server.

Cheers

 

[Coalman]

Drop box works for me as a file share - excellent app.

 

[TheSurfer]

Cheers, have you used it with multiple users as a replacement for a file server though?

 

[mickymellon]

I have, email them as the last I heard they were implementing / have - role based access, version control etc

otherwise, what do you want to pay and I'll set it up for you

subversion?
google docs?
how important is security?
what (size) files?
up/download speeds?

 

[Sockpuppet]

Do they really need the power of "the cloud" or are they just falling for the marketing? I suspect the latter.

Why not a file server locally that syncs with Amazon S3. Better read/write speeds over the network and the backup of off site storage.

 

[mickymellon]

or how about just pricing up a p2v of their current server?

 

[TheSurfer]

Checked out the team version of DropBox and it works really well. trialing it with a couple of the guys there. Cheers for the update on this the last time I checked the it was just the single user version. I know what you mean about cloud hype but in their case they really do need a simpler cloud based solution. They're spread across the UK, Europe, Caribbean and don't really need an office to be honest never mind a server.

 

[Freamon]

box.net is a reasonable alternative to dropbox I've heard.