Cloud backup. Smart backup

Over time, your computer or laptop accumulates enough a large number of files - 1000, 2000, or even 500,000. Their importance can be very high, especially if they are family photos, videos, work documents.

To securely protect valuable files from viruses and damage as a result of failure file system, each PC user needs to make a duplicate of their data at least once every 2-3 weeks - create backups. Having a "fresh" backup will help restore information from it in case of loss.

Where to store backups: on an external HDD or trust the cloud?

Before there were "clouds", backups were usually stored:

  • on local PC
  • external (removable) USB-drive, flash drive or DVD
  • on the server in local network
  • on a remote FTP server

Advanced users and system administrators have also copied files to remote servers using FTP / SSH / WebDAV protocols, etc. Now there is an additional opportunity - to store folders on the Internet, on a server from Yandex.

What is Yandex Disk?

i ndex disk is a cloud service that allows you to store files on a server, under your account. By default, you are provided with 10 GB of disk space for free and forever with the possibility of further increase. Due to its accessibility and convenience, this service quickly gained popularity and, as of October 2018, more than 16 million users already use it.

Benefits of cloud storage

  • Storing files outside the office (outside the home) helps protect data from fire and viruses
  • High reliability, since the folders are additionally backed up by Yandex, and the transfer is carried out using a secure protocol
  • Availability of data from anywhere in the world
  • High trust, since Yandex has been operating in the IT market for many years - it is a leader in the field of IT and Internet services in Russia and the CIS countries.

Flaws

  • The resource is limited to 10 GB, the increase in size is paid
  • Very secret (confidential) information that is a trade secret is still not recommended to be stored in the "clouds"

Whether or not to store backups online is up to you. If you are an ordinary user who has not too secret data and their volumes are about 3 - 6 GB (does not exceed 10 GB), then backup to Yandex.Disk is excellent free solution to ensure the safety of document files, photo and video backup! As a rule, for storing several copies of the most important files, the specified amount is enough.

Exiland Backup - a simple backup tool to the cloud

On this short review I'm finishing opportunities. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to help. Write to me via the feedback form.

Mikhail, developer of Exiland Backup

To exchange files between computers and mobile gadgets, cables and flash drives are no longer needed. If the devices have Internet access, files can "fly" between them "on the cloud". More precisely, they can “settle” in cloud storage, which is a collection of servers scattered around the world (combined into one virtual cloud server), where users place their data for free or paid. In the cloud, files are stored in exactly the same way as on a computer hard drive, but are available not from one, but from different devices who are able to connect to it.

Every second or third Internet user has already taken cloud storage technology into service and uses it with pleasure, but someone is still saved by flash drives. After all, not everyone knows about this possibility, and some simply cannot decide which service to choose and how to use it. Well, let's figure it out together.

What are cloud storages from the user's point of view and how they work

If you look through the eyes of an inexperienced user, cloud storage is a common application. All it does is create a folder on the computer under its own name. But not simple. Everything that you put into it is simultaneously copied to the same cloud-based Internet server and becomes available from other devices. The size of this folder is limited and can grow within the limits of the disk space allocated to you (from 2 GB on average).

If the cloud storage application is running and the computer (mobile gadget) is connected to global network, data on the hard drive and in the cloud are synchronized in real time. At battery life, and also when the application is not running, all changes are saved only in the local folder. When the machine is connected to the Internet, access to the storage becomes possible, including through a browser.

Files and folders uploaded to the cloud are full-fledged web objects, the same as any content of Internet sites and ftp storages. You can link to them and share links with other people, even those who do not use this service. But only those who you yourself have allowed to download or see an object from your storage will be able to. In the cloud, your data is hidden from prying eyes and securely protected with a password.

The bulk of cloud services have additional functionality - a file viewer, built-in document editors, screenshot tools, etc. This, plus the amount of space provided, creates the main differences between them.

is a cloud storage service that does not need to be introduced to Windows users. No wonder, because in the latest releases of this OS (in the "top ten") it really climbs on top of everything on the screen, as it is set to autorun by default.

For Windows users, the advantage of the Microsoft OneDrive service over its counterparts is, perhaps, only one - it does not need to be installed. Also no need to create for it separate account- To sign in to the cloud, just enter your Microsoft account information.

The owner of one Microsoft OneDrive account provides 5 GB of free disk space to store any information. To get extra volume, you have to pay extra. The maximum is 5 TB and costs 3,399 rubles per year, however, this package includes not only disk space, but also Office application 365 (home release). More democratic tariff plans are 1 TB (2,699 rubles per year - storage and Office 365 personal) and 50 GB (140 rubles per month - only storage).

Additional features all rates:

  • Support for other operating systems - Mac OS X, iOS and Android.
  • View and edit documents using built-in applications Office package.
  • Remote access to everything on the computer (not just OneDrive folders) that has the service installed and uses your Microsoft account.
  • Creation of photo albums.
  • Built-in messenger (Skype).
  • Creation and storage of text notes.
  • Search.

Only paid versions:

  • Create expiration links.
  • offline folders.
  • Multi-page scanning with saving documents to a PDF file.

In general, the service is not bad, but sometimes there are problems with logging into the account. If you are going to use the web version of the repository (through a browser) and access it under a different IP address than you used to, Microsoft will sometimes run a verification that the account belongs to you, which takes quite a lot of time.

There were also complaints about the removal of user-generated content from OneDrive - when Microsoft suspected that it was unlicensed.

is one of the oldest cross-platform cloud storages. Unlike the previous one, it supports all major operating systems, as well as some rarely used ones, such as Symbian and MeeGo. The service is very easy to use, works quickly and stably.

For free, a DropBox user is provided with only 2 GB of disk space for storing personal files, but this amount can be doubled by creating and attaching another one to your account - work (which can actually be personal). Together you get 4 GB.

Switching between personal and work disk space on the DropBox website and in the application is carried out without logging out of your account (you do not need to enter your login and password every time). A separate folder is created on the computer for both accounts - 2 GB each.

DropBox, as expected, also has several tariff plans. Free was mentioned above, Paid is "Plus" (1 TB, $ 8.25 per month, designed for personal use), "Standard" (2TB, $12.50 per month, business), "Advanced" (unlimited, $20 per month per user), and "Enterprise" (unlimited, custom pricing). The difference between the last two lies in the set additional options.

In addition to storage, free users have access to:

  • Service joint work with DropBox Paper docs.
  • Ability to share links and create shared folders.
  • Log of file changes with the ability to restore them to previous version(up to 30 days).
  • Commenting on files - both your own and other users, if the file is available for viewing.
  • Search function.
  • Receive event notifications (configurable individually).
  • Automatic download photos from the camera (by the way, for enabling this option some time ago, DropBox provided users with additional space).
  • Choice of full or selective synchronization.
  • Data encryption during storage and transmission.

The possibilities of paid tariffs can be listed for a very long time, so we will note only the main ones:

  • Remote destruction of data from DropBox on a lost or stolen device.
  • Link expiration date.
  • Two-factor account authentication.
  • Setting access levels to different data.
  • Enhanced information security class HIPAA / HITECH (secure storage of medical records).
  • 24/7 technical support.

DropBox, if not the best, then a very worthy service. Despite the small amount of free space by today's standards, it is used by millions of people around the world.

Mega (Megasync)

As you can see from the description, Amazon Web Services is focused only on the corporate sector and is not intended for storing albums with photos of cats, although it is possible that someone uses it for this as well. After all, cloud file storage - Amazon Glacier, like Yandex disk, provides users with 10 free GB. Additional volume costs $0.004 per GB per month.

Comparing Amazon Glacier to the web resources described above is perhaps incorrect, as they serve slightly different purposes. The functionality and capabilities of this service are determined by business objectives, including:

  • Uninterrupted work, increased reliability.
  • Compliance with enhanced data protection standards.
  • Multilingual interface.
  • Unlimited volume (extension for extra charge).
  • Ease of use and flexibility of settings.
  • Integration with other Amazon Web Services.

Those who are interested in Amazon's capabilities can check out the full AWS product documentation, which is located on the official website.

Mail.ru

It occupies the second or third place in the popularity rating of file web storages among the Russian-speaking audience. In terms of its set of features, it is comparable to Google Drive and Yandex Disk: it, like them, contains web applications for creating and editing documents (texts, tables, presentations) and a screenshoter (a utility for taking screenshots). It is also integrated with other Mail.ru projects — mail, the My World and Odnoklassniki social networks, the Mail.ru service. Dating, etc., has a convenient file viewer with a flash player and is also very affordable (for those who do not have enough allocated space).

The Mail cloud has 8 GB of free storage space (this figure has changed several times in the past). The premium plan for 64 GB costs 690 rubles per year. For 128 GB you will have to pay 1,490 rubles a year, for 256 GB - 2,290 rubles a year. The maximum volume is 512 GB, it will cost 3,790 rubles a year.

Other functions of the service are not much different from similar ones. This:

  • Shared folders.
  • Synchronization.
  • Built-in search.
  • Ability to share links.

The Mail.ru client application runs on Windows, OS X, iOS and Android.

Cloud storage is a proprietary web service for owners of smartphones and tablets of the same manufacturer. Designed to store backup copies of data with mobile devices- multimedia content, OS files and other things at the discretion of the user.

Client samsung app Cloud is pre-installed on phones and tablets released after the second half of 2016 (after the release of samsung galaxy Note 7). Registering an account on the service is possible only through it, apparently to screen out outsiders.

Free storage is 15 GB. An additional 50 GB costs $0.99 per month, and 200 GB costs $2.99.

iCloud (Apple)

- a favorite among cloud storages among users of Apple products. Still, because it is free (though not very roomy) and is integrated with other apple services. The service is designed to store backup copies of data from the iPhone, iPad and iPod, as well as user media files, mail and documents (the latter are automatically synchronized with the contents of iCloud Drive).

Free iCloud storage is 5 GB. Additional storage is priced at $0.99 for 50GB, $2.99 ​​for 200GB, and $9.99 for 2TB.

The iCloud client app supports operating Mac systems OS X, iOS and Windows. Official application is not developed for Android, but owners of devices based on this OS can view mail from the Apple cloud on their device.

The Chinese service completes the top cloud storage parade. As you can see from the screenshot, it is clearly not adapted for you and me. Why is it needed then, if there are domestic, European and American analogues more familiar to the Russian-speaking person? The fact is that Baidu provides users with a whole terabyte of free disk space. For the sake of this, it is worth overcoming the difficulties of translation and other obstacles.

Signing up for Baidu Cloud is significantly more labor intensive than the competition. It requires confirmation by a code sent via SMS, and SMS from a Chinese server does not come to Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian numbers. Our fellow citizens have to get out by renting a virtual phone number, but that's not all. The second difficulty is that an account cannot be registered for some addresses. Email. In particular, on gmail services (Google is blocked in China), fastmail and Yandex. And the third difficulty is the need to install mobile application Baidu Cloud on your phone or tablet, because that's what 1 TB is for (when registering on a computer, you'll only get 5 GB). And it, as you understand, is entirely in Chinese.

Aren't you scared? Go for it and you will be rewarded. Information on how to create a Baidu account with your own hands is available on the Internet.

Backup to Mail.Ru cloud provides free access to data backups via the Internet. The Handy Backup program can be used for automatic backup of the Mail.Ru cloud both as a storage and as a data source.

Mail.Ru backup method

For backup to the mail.ru cloud, a WebDAV connection is used webdav plugin(included in all versions of Handy Backup). This plugin only works with paid Mail.ru accounts.

For backup free accounts Mail.ru you can also use Computer plugin, a local mail.ru folder and a synchronization utility for reading data from the mail.ru cloud and forwarding the backup to another cloud.

Benefits of using Handy Backup for Mail.Ru backup

Work on a flexible schedule

You can set up a backup task on Mail.Ru by exact time start, with a repetition in the interval from several minutes to several months, as well as associate the launch of the task with an event (for example, logging in or automatic backup when an external drive is connected to a PC).

Free access and data recovery

By default, Handy Backup stores your mail.ru backup data in its original data formats. You can manually view, modify and even restore individual files and directories without resorting to the task of full data recovery.

Data protection during shipment and storage

As an alternative to free access, Handy Backup offers built-in compression and encryption of data sent to backup Mail.Ru clouds. With these features, you can both increase data security and reduce traffic.

Recommended mail cloud backup solution

Download

Buy!

Version 8.1.1 dated December 16, 2019 . 106MB
Backup program Handy Backup. 1200 RUB for a license

Allows you to automatically backup to the Mail.Ru cloud for any user data, avoiding additional costs. Free trial period - 30 days!

How to backup via WebDAV Mail.ru interface with Handy Backup?

In the instructions below, we will create a "Mail.Ru Backup" task (of course, your real tasks may be called differently).

  1. Open Handy Backup, create a new task using the menu or the button on the panel.
  2. Select the backup task in Step 1 and the desired data in Step 2.
  3. In step 3, choose from the available data stores webdav plugin
  4. Create a new Mail Cloud WebDAV connection by clicking "Create Connection...".

  1. In the connection creation dialog, fill in all the necessary WebDAV Mail.ru parameters:
  • Server name: webdav.cloud.mail.ru
  • Port: 443
  • User: your email address mail.ru
  • Password: your password to the mail.ru service
  • After completing the setup, click OK. Select a new connection from the list on the right.
  • Specify the directory where you will store the WebDAV Mail.ru backup. Click OK.
  • Return to the task wizard window and continue working on the task as described in the User Guide.
  • Important: Handy Backup works with others too cloud services, including backup to Google Drive, Amazon S3, Dropbox, Yandex Drive, OneDrive. For these clouds, specialized plugins are used instead of Computer.

    Data backup from Mail Cloud via WebDAV

    To make a copy of the contents of your Mail.ru account, select the WebDAV plugin in Step 2 in the Cloud group.

    How to back up the Mail.ru cloud through the Computer plugin with Handy Backup?

    The Handy Backup program allows you to back up data from the mail.ru cloud through the Computer plugin and a synchronized folder on the local machine.

    Select Computer plugin on Step 2 or 3 as a data source or storage, and in the plugin window specify the Mail.ru folder in the user's local directory.

    Backup to the Mail.ru cloud through the Disk-O application

    Attention! Even though you are dealing with data as content local disk, to backup Mail.ru using the "Disk-O" application, you will need a working Internet connection!

    Disk-O is a popular application that turns your cloud accounts into virtual disks connected to the system. If you have this application installed, you can use it to back up to the Mail.ru cloud through the Computer plugin:

    1. Create a new data backup task. On Step 2, select the data to backup.
    2. In Step 3, select the Computer plugin. Expand the disk with "Mail.ru Cloud" in the location selection window. Specify the folder where you will save the backup to Mail.ru.

    1. Click OK. Proceed with task creation as described in

    About backing up external media a lot has been written in Windows 7 or 8.1. But what if you use multiple devices (for example, a computer, tablet, phone under Windows control)? And you urgently need data, say, documents stored on a computer or some other device? In such a case, it is best to create a backup in the cloud. By the way, I would also recommend placing your archives there. For example, archives of the same documents. By the way, this is very useful if you use a solid-state laptop in your laptop. SSD drive instead of the usual hard drive. In this article, we will look at the main "cloud" storage - OneDrive from Microsoft, Google Drive, Dropbox and Yandex Drive.

    Using OneDrive is highly beneficial if you're running Windows 8.1. In this case, the amount of storage can be 15 GB, and if you are also a happy owner of an Office 365 subscription, then the amount OneDrive storage and not limited at all. New Google users Drive starts at 15 GB. Dropbox initially provides only 2 GB of free space, but most users quickly increase this to 5 GB or more. A 1 TB subscription costs $10 per month or $100 annually.

    All services allow you to specify which files and folders you want to sync with the "cloud". This means that you can leave some files and folders only in your "cloud" drive and upload them as needed. Let's take a closer look at how this is done.

    To get started with Dropbox, you need to go to www.dropbox.com, register and select the appropriate tariff plan for personal use (see screen 1). You will then be prompted to download the appropriate installation package (see Figure 2).

    Screen 1. Dropbox
    Screen 2: Signing up for Dropbox

    I would like to immediately note that when registering with Dropbox, you are asked to enter a password only once, so you need to be more careful.

    Selective sync when using Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 systems is as follows. To create selective sync rules, right-click on the Dropbox icon in the system tray to open the settings window (see Figure 3).


    Screen 3: Account settings

    In fact, selective sync allows you to specify which folders you want to sync with Dropbox. This is certainly convenient if you have a netbook or a computer with a small hard drive(and there is no outside with it). Note that selective sync folders must be inside your Dropbox folder. Thus, for selective synchronization, you need to copy the files that you want to transfer (copy) to the "cloud" Dropbox storage to the appropriate folder on the disk.

    If you de-sync a shared folder via the Selective Sync menu in the Settings window, it will no longer sync with your computer only. However, the folder itself will remain in Dropbox and will be synchronized with the accounts of other users who have access to it. To stop using shared folder, you can either leave it on the Dropbox site, or (if you created it yourself) stop sharing it.

    In order to download Google Disk, you need to use your Google Services account and then select the Google Disk service (See Figure 4).

    You can set the following options.

    Account

    • Disable Account. Synchronize the folder Google Drive with another Google account(Not recommended).
    • Expand storage space. Buy extra space.

    Sync Options

    • Synchronize only some folders with this computer. Check the boxes next to folders in My Drive to enable sync. Uncheck the boxes next to folders that you don't want to sync.
    • Synchronize objects that I have access to. If you're using the new Drive experience, move the files and folders from the Shared section to the My Drive folder to sync them to your computer. If you're using classic Drive, add the folders and files from the Shared with Me section to the My Drive folder.

    Extended

    • Launch Google Drive automatically when you turn on your computer. Google Drive will launch and sync the folder on your computer to My Drive.
    • Submit crash reports and usage statistics to Google. Submit information to Google so that the service can be improved.
    • proxy server. Two functions are available to you: "Direct connection" and "Automatically detect proxy settings".
    • Others. Displays file sync status icons.

    Select files and folders to synchronize with your computer. All Google documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, pictures, and pivot tables are synced to the Google Drive folder on your computer. To disable synchronization, follow these steps:

    1. Click on the Google Drive icon.

    • On the Mac computers it can usually be found in the Menu bar at the top right of the screen.

    2. Select Settings.

    3. Uncheck "Sync only some folders with this computer".

    4. Click the Apply Changes button.

    My Drive section (all files or individual folders). All files and folders in My Drive are synced to the Google Drive folder on your computer. To set up synchronization for individual folders, follow these steps:

    1. Move the files to the folders you plan to sync.

    2. Click the Google Drive icon on your desktop.

    • On Mac computers, it can be found in the Menu bar at the top right of the screen.
    • On the Windows computers The icon is located on the taskbar in the lower right corner of the screen.

    3. Select Settings.

    4. Check the "Sync only some folders with this computer" box.

    5. Select the folders you want to sync with the Google Drive folder.

    6. Click the Apply Changes button.

    Working with OneDrive

    If you are using operating system Windows 8.1, then One Drive storage is provided to you by default. OneDrive is free online storage that comes with your account. Microsoft record. Getting started with OneDrive is easy. You can add files already on your computer to OneDrive by copying or moving them. You can save new files to OneDrive so you can use them from any device and share them with others. And if your computer has a built-in camera, you can automatically save a copy of your photos to OneDrive so you always have a backup. Unlike previous storages, you will be able to save files directly to One Drive without saving them to your computer.

    Desktop app features are built into Windows

    OneDrive syncs files when you sign in with a Microsoft account. If the desktop application is installed on a computer running Windows 8.1, the installer does not appear. A feature will be installed that will allow you to use Office to work on OneDrive documents at the same time as other users, but no other features will be installed. If you're running Windows 7 or 8, you can download the OneDrive desktop app at onedrive.live.com/about/en-us/download/.

    For Windows users 8.1 it is enough to do the following (see screen 6):

    1. Open OneDrive in Windows Explorer.
    2. Right-click on the file (folder) and select Make Available Offline or Make Available Online Only.

    As Figure 8 shows, to sync Yandex Disk, you just need to copy the corresponding files to the Yandex.Disk folder. At first glance, this approach to synchronization is most reminiscent of Google Disk. This is partly true.

    Using the Yandex.Disk web application, you can download the corresponding application for Windows. For selective synchronization, you need to enter the Yandex Disk settings panel and select the "Synchronization" tab. If you uncheck the corresponding folder, it will not be synchronized. To upload files to a folder that has sync turned off, simply drag and drop files into it in File Explorer. Thus, in this case the contents of the Yandex Disk root folder are always synchronized, and the contents of subfolders can be synchronized at your choice.

    The main difference between Yandex Disk and Dropbox and Google Disk is that you can save files to Yandex.Disk directly from Microsoft Office.

    Thus, using "cloud" storage, you can not only increase the free space on your hard drive, but also provide a backup copy of your most important files (documents, photos, etc.). If we compare the convenience of using selective synchronization, then the conclusion is unambiguous. For both Dropbox and Google Disk, the choice is configured at the folder level. Thus, you need to go to the "Settings" dialog of the corresponding service and manually specify which folders are synchronized and which are not. A solution that supports context menu in Explorer and allowing you to customize the synchronization and placement of files exists today only from Microsoft.

    A lot has been written about backing up to external media in Windows 7 or 8.1. But what if you use multiple devices (e.g. PC, tablet, Windows phone)? And you urgently need data, say, documents stored on a computer or some other device? In such a case, it is best to create a backup in the cloud. By the way, I would also recommend placing your archives there. For example, archives of the same documents. By the way, this is very useful if you use in your laptop solid state drive SSD instead of a regular hard drive. In this article, we will look at the main "cloud" storage - OneDrive from Microsoft, Google Drive, Dropbox and Yandex Drive.

    Using OneDrive is highly beneficial if you're running Windows 8.1. In this case, the amount of storage can be 15 GB, and if you are also a happy owner of an Office 365 subscription, then OneDrive storage is not limited at all. New Google Drive users start at 15 GB. Dropbox initially provides only 2 GB of free space, but most users quickly increase this to 5 GB or more. A 1 TB subscription costs $10 per month or $100 annually.

    All services allow you to specify which files and folders you want to sync with the "cloud". This means that you can leave some files and folders only in your "cloud" drive and upload them as needed. Let's take a closer look at how this is done.

    To get started with Dropbox, you need to go to www.dropbox.com, sign up, and choose the appropriate personal plan (see Figure 1). You will then be prompted to download the appropriate installation package (see Figure 2).

    Screen 1. Dropbox
    Screen 2: Signing up for Dropbox

    I would like to immediately note that when registering with Dropbox, you are asked to enter a password only once, so you need to be more careful.

    Selective sync when using Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 systems is as follows. To create selective sync rules, right-click on the Dropbox icon in the system tray to open the settings window (see Figure 3).


    Screen 3: Account settings

    In fact, selective sync allows you to specify which folders you want to sync with Dropbox. This is certainly convenient if you have a netbook or a computer with a small hard drive in your hands (and don't have an external one with you). Note that selective sync folders must be inside your Dropbox folder. Thus, for selective synchronization, you need to copy the files that you want to transfer (copy) to the Dropbox "cloud" storage to the appropriate folder on the disk.

    If you de-sync a shared folder via the Selective Sync menu in the Settings window, it will no longer sync with your computer only. However, the folder itself will remain in Dropbox and will be synchronized with the accounts of other users who have access to it. To stop using a shared folder, you can either leave it on the Dropbox site or (if you created it yourself) stop sharing it.

    In order to download Google Disk, you need to use your Google Services account and then select the Google Disk service (See Figure 4).

    You can set the following options.

    Account

    • Disable Account. Synchronize your Google Drive folder with another Google account (not recommended).
    • Expand storage space. Buy extra space.

    Sync Options

    • Synchronize only some folders with this computer. Check the boxes next to folders in My Drive to enable sync. Uncheck the boxes next to folders that you don't want to sync.
    • Synchronize objects that I have access to. If you're using the new Drive experience, move the files and folders from the Shared section to the My Drive folder to sync them to your computer. If you're using classic Drive, add the folders and files from the Shared with Me section to the My Drive folder.

    Extended

    • Launch Google Drive automatically when you turn on your computer. Google Drive will launch and sync the folder on your computer to My Drive.
    • Submit crash reports and usage statistics to Google. Submit information to Google so that the service can be improved.
    • proxy server. Two functions are available to you: "Direct connection" and "Automatically detect proxy settings".
    • Others. Displays file sync status icons.

    Select files and folders to synchronize with your computer. All Google documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, pictures, and pivot tables are synced to the Google Drive folder on your computer. To disable synchronization, follow these steps:

    1. Click on the Google Drive icon.

    • On Mac computers, you can usually find it in the Menu bar at the top right of the screen.

    2. Select Settings.

    3. Uncheck "Sync only some folders with this computer".

    4. Click the Apply Changes button.

    My Drive section (all files or individual folders). All files and folders in My Drive are synced to the Google Drive folder on your computer. To set up synchronization for individual folders, follow these steps:

    1. Move the files to the folders you plan to sync.

    2. Click the Google Drive icon on your desktop.

    • On Mac computers, it can be found in the Menu bar at the top right of the screen.
    • On computers windows icon located on the taskbar in the lower right corner of the screen.

    3. Select Settings.

    4. Check the "Sync only some folders with this computer" box.

    5. Select the folders you want to sync with the Google Drive folder.

    6. Click the Apply Changes button.

    Working with OneDrive

    If you are using an operating Windows system 8.1, then One Drive storage is provided to you by default. OneDrive is free online storage that comes with a Microsoft account. Getting started with OneDrive is easy. You can add files already on your computer to OneDrive by copying or moving them. You can save new files to OneDrive so you can use them from any device and share them with others. And if your computer has a built-in camera, you can automatically save a copy of your photos to OneDrive so you always have a backup. Unlike previous storages, you will be able to save files directly to One Drive without saving them to your computer.

    Desktop app features are built into Windows

    OneDrive syncs files when you sign in with a Microsoft account. If the desktop application is installed on a computer running Windows 8.1, the installer does not appear. A feature will be installed that will allow you to use Office to work on OneDrive documents at the same time as other users, but no other features will be installed. If you're running Windows 7 or 8, you can download the OneDrive desktop app at onedrive.live.com/about/en-us/download/.

    For Windows 8.1 users, just do the following (see Figure 6):

    1. Open OneDrive in Windows Explorer.
    2. Right-click on the file (folder) and select Make Available Offline or Make Available Online Only.

    As Figure 8 shows, to sync Yandex Disk, you just need to copy the corresponding files to the Yandex.Disk folder. At first glance, this approach to synchronization is most reminiscent of Google Disk. This is partly true.

    Using the Yandex.Disk web application, you can download the corresponding application for Windows. For selective synchronization, you need to enter the Yandex Disk settings panel and select the "Synchronization" tab. If you uncheck the corresponding folder, it will not be synchronized. To upload files to a folder that has sync turned off, simply drag and drop files into it in File Explorer. Thus, in this case, the contents of the Yandex Disk root folder are always synchronized, and the contents of subfolders can be synchronized at your choice.

    The main difference between Yandex Disk and Dropbox and Google Disk is that you can save files to Yandex.Disk directly from Microsoft Office.

    Thus, using "cloud" storage, you can not only increase the free space on your hard drive, but also provide a backup copy of your most important files (documents, photos, etc.). If we compare the convenience of using selective synchronization, then the conclusion is unambiguous. For both Dropbox and Google Disk, the choice is configured at the folder level. Thus, you need to go to the "Settings" dialog of the corresponding service and manually specify which folders are synchronized and which are not. A solution that supports the context menu in Explorer and allows you to configure synchronization and file placement exists today only from Microsoft.