SMBs and enterprises have greatly different needs when it comes to file sharing solutions, due to scale and complexity of software. Choosing a file sharing solution can be a little daunting because you need to consider the size of your employee roster, cybersecurity, and cost.
Enterprise companies may face particular concerns when choosing a file sharing solution, because while many options exist for SMBs, the amount of products designed with full enterprise support are few. In this article we’re going to look at key features an enterprise company needs to look for when considering a file sharing service.
What security features does it offer for large enterprise use?
Cybersecurity is critical to enterprise companies that keep a lot of data stored. Data theft is one of the biggest concerns for enterprise companies, especially where private customer information is concerned, as loss of data can lead to fines and lawsuits for cybersecurity negligence.
So when looking for a file sharing server, security measures designed for an enterprise company need to be a top priority. Some of the security features you want to look for are:
- Data encryption – Encryption keeps data under lock and key, and the way the data is unlocked depends on the encryption and key generation method. This article shares useful tips on improving enterprise data protection.
- Multi-factor authentication – Cybercriminals target remote work VPNs and enterprise systems with brute force attacks, trying many combinations of passwords in a short amount of time. Even if a cybercriminal correctly guesses a password, MFA will add a layer of security by requiring a secondary verification method even after password entry, such as confirming the login attempt on a desktop computer using a mobile device.
- Granular access controls – It’s important your IT team is able to finely tune account privileges. The least privilege access policy is very popular for good reason, as you ensure that employee accounts are able to access only the files and systems that are required for their job performance.
- Logs of file access – It’s important to be able to see what accounts have accessed a file, rather than just when a file is edited or uploaded. For example, Google Docs will show you the history of edits made to a document, but not a history of accounts opening a file. This is a critical feature for enterprise companies to see patterns of an employee account accessing files at strange times, for example.
How fast is it, and does it offer a dedicated server solution?
With a file sharing solution, speed is of course going to be a big consideration. If the service offers a lot of storage but has slow transfer speeds, your company’s productivity will be impacted.
When looking at tiered plans with different storage amounts, be sure to look if tiers of download/upload speed are mentioned. You don’t want to sign up for a 250 GB storage plan, only to find out that you need the 500 GB storage plan for fiber-optic speed transfers.
If you do actually need a 250 GB or more file sharing solution, you should also consider if the solution offers a dedicated server option. A dedicated server is a good solution for enterprises because you can utilize your own CPU, memory, and bandwidth resources, giving you an in-house solution with none of the equipment and maintenance costs. The FTP service provider will provide everything.
Conclusion
Choosing the right file sharing solution for your enterprise company will take a bit of comparison shopping, but if you consult with your IT department and strategize implementation, following the tips we gave will make narrowing down your options a lot simpler.