How to Choose the Best Online Storage Service

You're running a small business and trying to find the simplest, most-effective way to collaborate on every one of the 50 projects on your list. It can be stressful and time-consuming, especially when your success is dependent on your ability to complete collaborative tasks quickly. The solution is online storage services.BusinessNewsDaily's sister site, TopTenREVIEWS, recently reviewed the best online storage services and found two that clearly stand out from the rest: SugarSync and Egnyte HybridCloud. Here's a breakdown of what these services offer. The complete top ten listing of online storage services can be found here.Why These Online Storage Services Are the BestSugarSync and Egnyte might not be the biggest names that come to mind when you think about online file storage, but they each have impressive security features, helpful support and convenient collaborative capabilities that lift them above the rest.FeaturesThe two most important features for online storage services for businesses are undoubtedly accessibility and collaboration. You likely find yourself constantly on the go, with only a few minutes here and there to sit down and put some ideas in a document or run some figures in a spreadsheet. Frequently, you don't have the same device with you at all times, and more often, you're not the only one who needs access to your business's files.SugarSync and Egnyte solve this problem by giving you file storage in the cloud that you can access from any Internet-connected device. You can store files of any type in your personal drive, from presentations and spreadsheets to demo videos and trial applications. You can also share access to this drive with anyone you choose, so you can share documents in a localized space with clients, employees, managers and investors — all with the same service.SecuritySecurity is always a concern when crucial business files are involved, and SugarSync and Egnyte make it easy to put your mind to rest. Your files are encrypted during transfer as well as when they find a home on the companies' servers. Your files are also password protected, wherever you access them. You can even restrict access to certain files to users with high levels of clearance so you don't accidentally give an intern access to potential budget cuts, for example.SpaceStorage is important, and doubly so when you have a wealth of documents that you need to pass around. Both SugarSync and Egnyte provide enough storage in a standard plan to give you breathing room for presentations, spreadsheets and documents. If you need to store a great deal of media, such as photos and videos, you might need a larger plan. Both services offer up to 1TB of storage at their maximum advertised prices, with more space available on a case-by-case basis.SupportLosing access to your budget or a time-sensitive news release is a business owner's nightmare, so responsive, helpful customer support is critical. Both services offer a wide variety of contact methods, FAQs, tutorials and fail-safes in case of just such an emergency. Types of support range from the standard online user manuals to phone and email support.By Mitch Monsen, Business News DailyJanuary 21, 2012