For most of my working life I have had one primary computer that I used for all my work.  It was a laptop.  In case I had to work late or in case I was unable to go the office the next day I carried it home every night and I carried it on every business trip so that I could work from the airport lounge or hotel room. Remote file access was not necessary.  Every file that I ever created was on that primary computer. Sure, I also had a home computer, but that was for my wife and kids to use.  I didn’t have any meaningful files on it and rarely, if ever used it.  I operated under what I would now call a device centric data paradigm.

With the introduction of the tablet and smart phone, my needs and paradigm have evolved.  I want to work using these small but powerful mobile devices as well.  The problem is that they don’t have much storage and copying files back and forth between them and my laptop is inconvenient.  Well as it turns out, I am not alone in my evolving need from device centric data to data continuity.
 

Industry Response

The industry has come up with lots of different ways to remotely access files stored on a primary computer.  They range from remote control and management of that primary computer over the internet, to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), to syncing (or copying) some of the important files stored on that computer to cloud storage.  Remote desktop and VPN solutions have been used by IT departments and corporations for years.  They are expensive, technical and best left to the professionals.  The easy and practical solution for the rest of us has been to turn to the cloud.
 

Copying Your Stuff To The Cloud

When you access your files using the cloud you are essentially making a copy of your files and storing that copy on a computer operated by the cloud provider.   If you are using Google Drive, you are copying your files to servers owned by Google.  With OneDrive, you are copying files to Microsoft and iCloud to Apple.  You get the idea.  You then access the copy stored on their servers, not the source file stored on your computer.  They have technology on these servers which virtualize file access.  The technology abstracts the files from their physical location so that they can be accessed over the internet from your computer, tablet or smart phone from anywhere.
 

The Cloud is Problematic

Well as you can imagine that although this process is easy, using the cloud for remote file access is also problematic.  You are creating duplication and the process of creating and using sync folders can be confusing.  You have limited space, cannot copy all your files and can easily run out of storage.  It is easy to miss copying important files so that they are not available when you need them.  There are also privacy and security risks that are inherent with storing your files on someone else’s computer. Besides issues of legal jurisdictions, third party inspection, access and ownership, they have all had service outages and even the most sophisticated have been breached. (Think Jennifer Lawrence)
 

The Better Way – Virtualize Your Storage

The better way to remote file access is to virtualize your own storage.  Instead of copying files to a server owned by Google, Microsoft or someone else, leave it where it is – access, share or stream it right from where it is stored to your tablet, smart phone or other computer by virtualizing access to your own storage. That is what FileFlex does for you. You don’t have to upload or sync your stuff to third parties. Your files stay on your storage – private, secure and under your control. 
 

FileFlex for Remote File Access

FileFlex provides remote file access to your own storage so that you can access, share and stream all your files from any device, from anywhere. You can also let your family, friends or any email contact by permission, access your stuff directly from its source location.
 

It’s Free to Try

Still not convinced.  Why not take FileFlex out for a test drive.  We have made it free to try.  Click here  and see for yourself or watch the video below.