How to share files online

The arrival of the internet, and how widely available it became, profoundly changed the way companies share files. Thanks to the cloud, sending data to partners or colleagues, and receiving it, is now very easy. To get the most out of this technology, though, you have to know how to use it. In this practical guide, NetExplorer sets out the advantages of cloud storage along with the options its professional data-sharing solution offers.

The cloud, the ideal way to share files remotely

The rise of cloud computing in recent years has had a considerable effect on how professionals communicate. Cloud storage now lets companies and individuals store files in entirely virtual locations reachable over the internet. The security and integrity of the data stored there are guaranteed by a third-party provider, whose job is to keep the storage infrastructure running properly.

Thanks to cloud storage, sharing files over the internet has become a reality. Unlike Bluetooth and other file transfer technologies that only work over very short distances, cloud computing makes data reachable by people in different places at the same time.

How it works is very simple: put the files you want to share into the company's dedicated virtual storage space and generate a link to send to the recipient. All they have to do is connect to the internet to collect the file securely through the download link provided. That is the principle behind NetExplorer's professional file sharing solution, along with those of many other popular cloud providers.

NetExplorer, online file sharing for companies and individuals

NetExplorer has built a cloud storage solution with advanced sharing options that answer the needs of companies and project teams precisely. Here are its many advantages.

What options does NetExplorer offer?

NetExplorer's online file sharing solution comes with several options worth knowing about:

• Sharing large files
• Sharing files by email
• Receiving files with ease

Sharing large files

NetExplorer designed and optimised its solution specifically for sharing large files online. In seconds, folders or data can be sent over the internet with no limit on size or format. Depending on what you need, sharing can happen internally (between departments) or externally (with partners). In the first case, simply drop the file to be shared into a single folder and give access to the people working on the project. You can set precisely what rights each user has over the file: whether they can read it, download it, invite other people and so on.

For sharing files externally, the procedure matches what is generally used for sending files online. The difference with NetExplorer is that security is far stronger. You also get more flexibility in managing what you share: you can set a maximum number of downloads, for instance, beyond which the file is no longer available.

Sharing files by email

To avoid overloading their servers, email providers systematically block files beyond a certain size. That restriction becomes a real headache when you have a report to send by email with large attachments, for instance. With the NetExplorer for Outlook plugin (compatible with Outlook 2007 and later), you no longer have to worry about any size limit on your emails. The tool lets you send large attachments by email in a few clicks without changing the way you work. The recipient receives a link that lets them download the files directly, just as they would a conventional attachment.

Receiving files with ease

NetExplorer's file sharing solution is just as practical for receiving data in a company. To obtain documents securely from an outside source, simply generate an upload link (from the folder the file should go into) and send it to the sender. All they then have to do is drop the file where indicated, in a few clicks, to get it to you. You do not need to create a user account for them.

What level of security does NetExplorer's solution offer?

NetExplorer's data sharing solution guarantees companies and individuals the highest level of security for the data they exchange. Here is some of what backs that up.

French data centres

NetExplorer is an entirely French platform with two data centres in the Paris region. All of your files are therefore stored on French soil, which means they systematically fall under European and French data protection law (the GDPR). NetExplorer's server network is also protected by load balancers, firewalls and reverse proxies that make any hacking attempt impossible.

On top of that, the files you store or share online on our infrastructure are duplicated and backed up on separate media, so you can recover them should an unforeseen event put one of our data centres out of action.

Certifications

The heightened level of security our cloud file sharing platform offers is confirmed by a number of labels and certifications. NetExplorer holds three ISO certifications:

• ISO 27001, 2013 version, for data security
• ISO 9001, 2015 version, for the quality of the services offered
• ISO 14001, 2015 version, for the environment

We also hold HDS certification (Health Data Hosting) and PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).