If you’re like me and have a number of on-line storage accounts, you understand that managing them through separate web sites and purchasers is tedious at finest. In my case, merely remembering what’s saved the place could be a chore. That all ended once I found functions reminiscent of CloudMounter, ExpanDrive, Mountain Duck, Air Live Drive, and RaiDrive.
These “cloud storage managers” combine your on-line storage providers, in addition to FTP/SFTP and WebDAV connections, into your working system’s file and folder supervisor: Windows Explorer, macOS Finder, and so on. Each connection seems as pseudo native or community drive with an honest-to-goodness drive letter that behaves similar to the true deal, albeit a tad slower.
Yup, you possibly can browse, copy, rename, delete, back up, and so on. to your on-line providers with out firing up any further software program or an internet browser. As an additional benefit you possibly can leverage cheaper, S3-compatible providers that lack pleasant consumer software program. Or benefit from all of the free accounts on the market with minimal fuss.
Further studying: Best online backup
Note that Apple’s iCloud just isn’t supported by cloud storage managers as Apple gained’t grant different firms entry. I can’t blame the corporate from a safety viewpoint. But in relation to backup, Apple’s observe is… limiting.
I’ll get into some element in regards to the 5 utilities I examined in a bit, however as all of them function equally… first a short synopsis of how the entire deal works.
How to make use of a cloud mounting utility
After putting in a cloud storage supervisor, the subsequent step is to attach it to your providers. If the service is mainstream like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive, this system will use that service’s web site to attach. All you must do is go online and both enter your password, or copy a code.
If the service is S3-compatible reminiscent of Wasabi, you’ll must create and seize the entry and safe keys from the service’s web site, then enter the them into the cloud supervisor’s connection configuration dialog. Most cloud supervisor utilities provide templates for numerous S3-compatible providers which typically embody what’s referred to as the server endpoint — i.e., the online handle/URL of the service’s storage.
You may want to select from a number of server endpoints as some providers provide a number of geographical areas. Choose the one closest to you for the perfect efficiency. If there’s no template, you’ll must enter the server endpoint URL, which also needs to be out there from the service’s web site.
Caveat: If your service contains a second-level encrypted folder, chances are you’ll not be capable to entry it utilizing cloud supervisor software program. That’s seemingly an excellent factor.
Once a connection is outlined, you possibly can “mount” it, i.e. create a digital drive in Windows Explorer (or macOS Finder, or no matter). All the managers I examined will mount these pseudo drives at startup as properly. If you’re working off them recurrently, or wish to automate backups, that is loopy helpful.
While you possibly can normally select which file operations will likely be allowed by a connection, typically talking, the comfort lies in permitting all of them. You’ll have to be simply as cautious with the information as you’d be with native storage and there could also be some instances the place you wish to make a drive read-only.
It’s a given that you simply’re not going to get “local-like” efficiency if you’re accessing on-line providers. Copying from one service to a different means downloading, then importing. Your web bandwidth may have quite a bit to do with the obvious velocity.
Note that this isn’t true sync the place full copies exist each domestically and on-line. For essentially the most half recordsdata within the digital drive exist solely on-line, although relying on this system, intensive or minor caching might happen for modifying, in addition to boosting efficiency, and so on.
There’s additionally a certain quantity of belief concerned with utilizing these applications. They are in any case gathering and utilizing your passwords to attach. I solely point out this as a result of a few them use telemetry, i.e., talk with their dwelling IP.
I kicked the tires utilizing trials of all of the aforementioned cloud managers. Each labored as marketed with no main glitches, so I’ll name it mainly a toss-up by way of mission achieved. The most salient variations are in worth, although there’s some variance in ease of use and interface.
CloudMounter
CloudMounter carried out admirably and presents a free mode offering single learn/write connections to Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive; in addition to read-only connections to different providers. All it prices you is a boot-time improve nag, which — thoughtfully — may be disabled. The unlimited-connections pay model of CloudMounter is a pure subscription mannequin at $29 per 12 months for a single consumer ($99 for 5 customers).
In complete, I cherished CloudMounter’s super-clean interface. I might get choosy about a few issues as with the competitors, however I’ll allow them to go due to the general excellence.
Mountain Duck
The oddly named Mountain Duck gives a really prolonged record of S3-compatible connection templates along with the mainstream providers. It’s a industrial model of the free Cyber Duck, a program that may connect with providers, however solely inside its personal interface. There’s a 14-day trial of Mountain Duck out there, that requires a $39 perpetual single-user license for continued use.
If I’ve any grievance in any respect in regards to the Mountain Duck interface, it’s that defining S3-compatible connections is a two-step course of. First you choose the providers from the aforementioned prolonged record (searchable) of templates, then you definitely join from the the brand new shorter record you’ve created.
I’m undecided the explanation for the layered method, but it surely most likely has one thing to do safety whereas rolling out purchasers in a company atmosphere. That’s a guess, thoughts you.
Mountain Duck carried out properly for essentially the most half, and was by far the quickest to take away the digital drives drives once I give up this system. However, I did discover an inclination to lose contact throughout lengthy writes to some providers on my Mac. Generally a retry fastened the difficulty.
Mountain Duck Context Menu
Mountain Duck Context Menu
Jon L. Jacobi
Mountain Duck Context Menu
Jon L. Jacobi
Jon L. Jacobi
ExpanDrive
ExpanDrive is nearly as good at mounting on-line providers as the opposite cloud storage managers, but in addition gives its personal Cyber Duck-like file-browsing window along with the Windows Explorer integration. It does, relatively uniquely, provide SMB/CIF mounting, however that’s coated by Window’s customary Map community drive performance.
A 7-day trial is out there, and there have been no limits to that trial that I discovered. It was additionally fast to mount and un-mount the drives.
RaiDrive
RaiDrive presents the perfect deal. It’s free for as much as eight providers, however you do need to put up with an promoting banner on the prime of the consumer. To be completely trustworthy, the truth that it’s phoning dwelling for adverts made me a tad nervous about trusting it with my passwords. The RaiDrive pricing is a bit advanced, beginning at $1.84 and peaking at $4.84 month-to-month with a three-year dedication. I discovered no perpetual license. Drat.
Nervous or not, I discovered RaiDrive’s consumer and method one of many best to attach and use. And eight providers ought to simply suffice for many customers. Keep this system minimized and the adverts are much less of a hassle.
Air Live Drive
Air Live Drive (additionally punctuated AirLiveDrive) is free for as much as three providers, and the limitless professional model is $17 a 12 months/$25 for a perpetual license. The Pro model removes the every-time-you-run-it-or-close-it improve nag and connection limits. The perpetual license looks like the significantly better deal than the yearly do you have to go for it.
Like the others, Air Live Drive mounted and unmounted drives simply, although I discovered the interface a tad disconcerting. It didn’t separate information folders shared with me on Dropbox and Google from my very own folders. Until the sunshine bulb went off, I used to be questioning if I’d in some way breached others accounts.
Also, closing the consumer kills this system relatively than reduce it to the system tray, albeit with a warning. Most purchasers drive you to truly choose give up earlier than they exit absolutely. There are a few different issues, however all fall beneath the heading of wierd relatively than deadly.
The firm additionally sells the $42 Air Explorer Pro, which could higher go well with customers who don’t need working system integration. It presents sync along with cloud service administration. Look for a overview quickly.
Which Cloud-mounting utility do you have to purchase?
RaiDrive presents essentially the most bang for the buck — it’s extraordinarily troublesome to to argue with eight providers without spending a dime, even given the adverts. However, CloudMounter was my total favourite as a consequence of its clean operation, clear look, and interface; even when it’s a bit more durable to outline some connections. Also, the free model of CloudMounter may suffice for a lot of customers.
On the opposite hand, the limitless pay model of CloudMounter is subscription-only, which initially left me with perpetual-license Mountain Duck as my discount pay advice. Mountain Duck is minimally intrusive like CloudMounter, and is simply as fast. However, it did are inclined to drop connections and drive recopying.
Then once more, Air Live Drive and ExpanDrive each labored very properly with interfaces that many customers may discover preferable.
If that feels like loads of hemming and hawing… it’s. In fact, all the cloud storage managers labored as marketed, so it’s right down to a matter of desire and price. I counsel you’re taking all of them for a check run and see which you want finest. Let us know!