Common Frustrations when File Sharing
There’s no way around the fact that our media files that we share increasingly on a daily, even hourly basis, are more intricate, advanced, and high-quality than ever. Remember when all the files you needed day to day would fit on a 3.14MB floppy disk? Those were the days, right? Those disks could barely hold a single high-resolution image, a single song, or even a fraction of a modern video for our social media feed. Now you can share large files easily without any trouble in 2023 with the help of latest technology. Dropbox can’t sync large files
So now we are sharing these larger and larger files, and the fact is that we still have many frustrations to work out, especially when transferring big video files. Below we’ll explore in more detail what the most common problems are when file sharing in 2022.
1. Time Limits
If the system you are using only allows for certain time limits on file transfer activity, then sharing large files can be a big problem because it might time out before it even gets started. Imagine trying 10 times to send a video file but before the transfer even begins you are continuously getting messages about the process timing out, along with inexplicable and unhelpful error messages.
This one is frustrating because if that’s the way your system works, there’s really no workaround other than transferring a file manually via a flash drive or using something like AirDrop on Mac computers.
2. File Size Limits
This one is among the most common frustrations, and the source of much ire and fist-pounding on desks around the country. How is it 2022 where average file sizes are still going up and up, but our email accounts can still only handle 25MB in attachments? Granted, 25MB was a lot back in the days of floppy disks, but in the days of 40-400MB video files (sometimes much larger), it is wholly unwelcome.
We can get around some of these restrictions by using cloud services, of course, but even then there are often limits on daily sending. Those limits are fine for regular users, but if you’re part of a big media organisation, the number of large files sent daily is so much higher.
Media companies and professionals handling high volumes of large files need more than decent cloud storage. Many people use cloud storage like Dropbox to manage large files. Dropbox may suffice if you send large files periodically. However, Dropbox can’t sync large files, especially when you want to transfer large files, including interactive media and 4k or 8k videos, in real-time. That’s because Dropbox shares data with the central server and not with each other directly. Moreover, Dropbox limits and slows down upload speeds, which can be frustrating if you want to upload large files quickly.
The solution to transfer files simultaneously without data sharing and network disruption is peer-to-peer (P2P) technology. With P2P transfer architecture, you can transfer large files quickly. Every device can send, receive, and share files directly with any other device. This technology eliminates the middle server and splits files into blocks, transferring to multiple
locations independently. Furthermore, there are no file size limits with P2P technology, unlike email clients.
3. File Type Restrictions
Whether it’s because of file format compatibility between different devices, or because certain files work as part of a licensed or paid-for application, disparities between file types, and restrictions in what types can or can’t be opened are frequent sources of frustration.
One of the most basic examples of this is when someone sending a document from a Mac sends it over in Pages format to a Windows PC user. Of course, they could save it in .docx format, but it’s just a load of extra back and forth to straighten this stuff out, and it’s slowing down business.
In addition, you can find file sync software that enables you to share and sync any type of file, including PDFs, videos, docs, and photos. Worry less about file type restrictions, allowing you to focus on other critical file-sharing factors, such as data security.
4. Data Security
Data security is a particular worry when looking at international file sharing. Companies in Australia may well be doing business with companies in China, but there are sometimes security issues when using software that the Chinese side can accept, but may not be so palatable to the Australian side, such as Baidu Disk (Baidu Wangpan).
Cybersecurity is an increasingly important point of concern in the realm of international business and international relations. It can be very frustrating when one side is more restrictive about file sharing (China) and it feels like you’re being forced to use software that you don’t know is secure or not to install. Learn more about secure file sharing for business options that are available.
In addition, a file sync software program powered by P2P technology has folder types, offering great flexibility and security with data syncing. For instance, you can create a pending folder that requires approval or an encrypted folder as a backup.
5. Cost of Solutions
The best news for those suffering from file sharing frustrations is that there are indeed many great solutions out there. The trouble is that they all involve investment of capital to access. No, they are not free. They can provide customisable, innovative solutions for different companies, but that requires investment. If the costs run high, it can be a bit of a burden for some smaller businesses.
6. Transfer Speeds
Finally, perhaps even the greatest bugbear of them all — slow transfer speeds. It’s rather a depressing sight as you send a file to a colleague only to discover that the “remaining time” is showing as 4 days, 22 hours…It’s not always that extreme, but you get the idea!
