Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Supersize your cloud storage to 100GB

Cloud storage services sync files and folders across multiple PCs and mobile devices. The rapid rise of cloud storage like Dropbox, SugarSync, and Google Drive create a bulletproof backup system.

You can actually build your own supercloud with more than 100GB of free storage.

Most services offer free accounts for cloud storage. With some patience, you can build your own supercloud, and with help from your friends.

To Get Started

Setting up your own personal supercloud is a tedious task, the first step is to take all of the services dedicated to areas in the Favorites column of Windows Explorer.

amazon_cloud_drive

Amazon Cloud Drive: 5GB
Box: 5GB (but read “Beyond referrals” below before installing Box, as you may want to postpone installing this one)
Dropbox: 2GB
Google Drive: 5GB
MiMedia (m)Drive: 7GB
SkyDrive: 7GB (longtime SkyDrive users may be eligible for 25GB free)
SpiderOak: 2GB

Storage subtotal to this point: 33GB

Install SugarSync, they will offer you 5GB free to start.  Then install two cloud services that use a desktop app to sync and store files instead of creating a folder in Windows.

MediaFire: 10GB
Ubuntu One: 5GB

Storage subtotal to this point: 53GB

Refer your friends to get more storage

Many cloud services offer extra storage in 500MB increments for every friend that you refer to them.  Dropbox lets you add up to 16GB via referals, while Ubuntu One gives 20GB of extra space, and SugarSync allows up to 32GB of storage in half-gig increments.


dropbox_free_space


MiMedia and SpiderOak offers an additional 1GB in storage, maxing out at 10GB and 32GB.

 

More than a referral

Another way to increase the amount of free Dropbox storage is to install the Dropbox app.  This authorized automatic photo uploads from your device, freeing 500MB  to your account.

Dropbox also gives you 250MB of free space for completing its Getting Started tutorial.

SugarSync gives user a couple ways to obtain extra free storage in 125MB chunks:
  • Install the mobile app for Android, BlackBerry, or iOS
  • Share a file or folder with a public or private link
  • Upload a file to your account via email
MediaFire gives you 2GB for installing the MediaFire desktop, and 2GB more for installing mobile apps.

By connecting your Facebook and Twitter accounts to MediaFire, you receive another 1GB for each.

Box offers 50GB free storage to new users, then by allowing Facebook to follow, you get another 50GB.

Microsoft offers 20GB of SkyDrive storage to their Office 365 Home Premium subscribers.

By referring Box, Google, and Microsoft to your social media accounts, you can get another 126GB of free cloud storage.


Sharing and Syncing

Once you’ve loaded up on all that storage, Dropbox should be able to help you with file syncing.  SugarSync also lets you choose specific folders to sync to.

Sensitive folders should be managed with SpiderOak and other less sensitive material can be send to Mega.

Online collaboration, streaming media, and choosing the right application to backup to will help you make the most of your space and easily manage your cloud services.

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References:
Supersize your free cloud storage to 100GB or more – PCWorld
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2037131/supersize-your-free-cloud-storage…

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