Pogoplug Brings Personal Cloud to Businesses

Business can now turn one of their local machines into cloud storage that can be accessed from anywhere.

Pogoplug is best known in the consumer sector for providing personal cloud solutions. One of these is the Pogoplug Series 4 which is a standalone unit that connects to a local network via Ethernet and plays host to two USB 3.0 storage devices, one USB 2.0 storage device, an SD card and a 2.5-inch SATA/USM drive. Users can assign each storage device as a separate drive locally, and remotely access the combined capacity using mobile apps on iOS and Android, or a web interface.

Now Pogoplug is entering the business sector by offering a software solution that will transform any office PC into a cloud server. The difference between Pogoplug Team and the consumer-based software is that the former is capable of multiple connections. Naturally the drawback is that companies must pay a fee for each "seat," but that's only $15 per year per user. The product is completely customizable to fit a small or medium-sized company’s needs, and requires no new hardware. All files remain securely on the office computer, not on third party servers.

"More than ever, concerns related to online privacy and security are leading organizations to second guess online storage solutions," said Daniel Putterman, Pogoplug CEO. "Pogoplug Team is the only solution to provide the ease of use and functionality of a hosted cloud storage solution while keeping data securely on site. The solution is particularly attractive because companies can leverage the internal storage investments they have already made."

One of the great features about Pogoplug Team is that companies can add additional storage without an increase in fees as seen with third-party cloud storage solutions. Plus all users can access the files from any compatible device whether its a computer, smartphone or tablet, in-house or abroad. The Pogoplug Web interface can even be customized to match the company's brand so that employees can share files with clients from a branded interface.

"Automatically back up files stored on all users' computers and mobile devices. Back up continues even when users carry their laptops and mobile devices outside of the office," the Pogoplug Team site currently describes. "Share large files with clients with no size restrictions. Password-protect shared files and allow clients to upload files to selected folders."

Pogoplug Team is available for purchase now at www.pogoplug.com/team and costs $15 per user, per year, with a minimum of 3 users required. Existing Pogoplug PC and Pogoplug device owners may subscribe to the Pogoplug Team service to upgrade their software or device to enjoy all of the benefits of Pogoplug Team.

Kevin Parrish is a contributing editor and writer for Tom's Hardware,Tom's Games and Tom's Guide. He's also a graphic artist, CAD operator and network administrator.

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