Apps which run in the cloud are only as useful as the amount of data to which they have access, so while Microsoft SharePoint was adequately equipped for certain purposes, it was less effective in other areas due to limits on storage.
Now an update for SkyDrive Pro has meant that much larger files can be uploaded and stored in the cloud so that SharePoint Online users are free to make more out of this platform.
Enterprise customers can now upload files of up to 2GB in size to SkyDrive Pro, with the previous limit of 250MB per file having been lifted earlier this month.
Potential Benefits:
CRN.com points out that this makes SharePoint much more effective when being used to handle large files, such as those that might be generated by a CAD project, a work presentation or high-quality video footage. All of these will commonly be deployed and accessed in many modern businesses, although previous limits meant that distributing and managing them in SharePoint might have been tougher in the past.
A blog post from Microsoft’s Mark Kashman outlined a number of other updates which have been enacted to encourage businesses to use SharePoint and its enterprise storage service for a wider array of functions.
Executable files and those with the .dll extension can now be uploaded, which means that the cloud-based iteration of SharePoint now has parity with the on-site version of the platform in terms of the file types that can be handled. Kashman states that this will lead to easier integration between the two solutions, with a more streamlined transmission from one working environment to the next, minimising the likelihood of issues with synchronisation that have become a problem for some users.
Further SharePoint Feature Improvements:
SkyDrive Pro recycle-bin retrieval periods are getting boosted, with a 90-day period now in place during which a deleted file can be restored. This should help minimise the chances of accidental deletions leading to setbacks.
Microsoft’s aim is to make SharePoint Online more appealing to businesses that have already been using the on-site iteration but were not convinced that migrating to the cloud-based equivalent would be worthwhile in its previous incarnations.
Being able to harness bigger file uploads in SkyDrive Pro is not only relevant for working with big files in the office, but also means that these will also be accessible from portable devices, including smartphones and tablets. The mobile and remote-working environment facilitated by cloud apps is increasingly important for businesses to embrace and this could give many more the opportunity to do so in 2013.
For business managers, being able to encourage the BYOD process and allow employees to work flexibly without having to take a hit to productivity is growing in appeal and it is becoming all the more practical thanks to cloud-based apps with increased storage capacities.
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