How to create your own secure and private Google Drive with Synology Drive

The advent of cloud technology has revolutionized how we share, store, and work remotely with data. However, one significant challenge lies in relying on third-party servers, which can leave us vulnerable to service disruptions, security breaches, or privacy concerns. Imagine having complete control over your own cloud storage solution. Enter Synology Drive.

Synology Drive offers a game-changing solution by providing users with their personal cloud, ensuring full control and ownership of their data. With Synology Drive, you can establish your private cloud environment, giving you peace of mind and total control over your sensitive information.

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Say goodbye to worries about service abandonment or potential breaches, as you can now safeguard your data on your terms. With Synology Drive, you can embrace the benefits of cloud technology while maintaining complete control over your data, transforming the way you collaborate and work remotely with enhanced security and privacy.

A NAS to fly in the cloud

Synology is renowned for its comprehensive suite of solutions catering to both professionals and advanced home users. Among its impressive lineup is Synology Drive Server, a service that delivers a complete solution for file storage, management, and sharing.

With Synology Drive Server, you gain the ability to effortlessly manage folders on your NAS (Network Attached Storage), granting remote access to authorized users. It allows you to finely control user permissions, ensuring each individual has access to their personalized folder. Need to share photos with a select group of friends temporarily? Synology Drive makes it a breeze to create a folder and share a unique username and password, enabling those invited to access its contents.

Moreover, collaborators can conveniently upload their photos to the shared folder, fostering seamless sharing and collaboration among all members. Whether you’re a professional team or a group of friends, Synology Drive Server empowers you to securely store, manage, and share files, revolutionizing the way you collaborate and exchange content.

An alternative to Google Drive

Synology Drive

Google’s recent announcement about discontinuing Google Drive support for certain operating systems like Windows 8/8.1, Windows Server 2012, and 32-bit versions, may pose challenges for businesses relying on these platforms. While the service will still be accessible through supported browsers, the local folder syncing feature will be lost.

Synology Drive

However, this is where Synology Drive shines. With Synology Drive’s personalized solution installed directly on your home computer, you circumvent the need to rely on third-party services (apart from maintaining an internet connection and electricity, of course). Synology Drive empowers you with complete control over your cloud storage, ensuring seamless access to files and eliminating the potential disruptions associated with depending on external cloud providers.

For businesses and users seeking a reliable and independent cloud storage solution, Synology Drive offers a robust and secure alternative, assuring continuous access to data without being affected by changes or limitations imposed by external service providers. Embracing Synology Drive means retaining local folder syncing capabilities and maintaining full control over your cloud storage needs, guaranteeing a seamless and uninterrupted experience for users.

Easier, impossible

Synology Drive

The user interface offered by Synology Drive is remarkably simple and user-friendly. Managing users is easily handled from the main control panel of the Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM), the operating system powering Synology devices. On the other hand, folder creation and management can be seamlessly performed directly within the Synology Drive web app.

Each user’s folders are kept in separate profiles, ensuring a personalized experience for every user upon logging into the service. Accessing these folders can be done effortlessly through a web browser or via the official desktop and mobile applications. These applications empower users to upload and download files and even create automatic backup copies, enabling seamless synchronization between their PC and the NAS (Network Attached Storage).

Synology Drive

Furthermore, the web app offers a host of additional functions, including the ability to generate public or password-protected links, allowing users to easily share folders with anyone they choose. This level of versatility and convenience makes Synology Drive a powerful and comprehensive cloud storage solution that caters to users’ needs for simplicity, security, and efficient file management.

What I need?

Synology DS423+

During our testing, we utilized the powerful Synology DS423+, a remarkable 4-bay drive capable of creating RAID systems with substantial storage capacity. With its 4-drive configuration, you can set it up to offer an impressive capacity of up to 72TB, allowing you to store files almost endlessly. Notably, this model boasts two slots for NVMe M.2 SSDs and two gigabit Ethernet ports, ensuring maximum LAN speed for efficient data transfer.

To leverage Synology Drive, you will need a NAS from the Synology brand, regardless of the number of bays. From the intuitive DMS interface, you can easily install the Synology Drive service (which is not installed by default) and other valuable packages, including Synology Office. With Synology Office, you can collaboratively edit documents, spreadsheets, and slides, akin to Google Drive’s capabilities.

Synology DS423+

Setting up your own Google Drive equivalent with Synology is remarkably straightforward, and the management options it offers are truly fantastic. Within minutes, you can establish your personal cloud storage solution. While the price of these NAS devices may not be particularly cheap, considering the monthly costs associated with a Google Drive account, investing in your own NAS proves to be much more cost-effective in the long run. Additionally, these versatile devices can serve a multitude of purposes beyond cloud storage, making them an excellent investment for various needs.