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How to Manage Multiple Google Accounts (Without Logging Out)

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Manage Multiple Accounts


 

For various reasons, many of us have multiple Google accounts, so this blog post will cover 4 methods you can use to keep track of your multiple accounts.

Three of the methods are clumsy and frustrating. The fourth one works like a charm.

Let’s have a look:

Clumsy Method 1: Logging In and Out of Accounts

The most common method for managing multiple Google accounts is logging out and then logging back in.

 

cloudHQ Multiple Google Accounts SignOut


 

 

You would think this method would be clean and straightforward.

But it’s not.

For example, what if you’re working on a Google Doc, but you need to access a Gmail message in another account.

You open a new tab, go to Gmail, sign out of your account, then sign in with the new account.

You find the message you need, switch back to your Google doc and…

Oops. You’ve been booted from your work.

 

cloudHQ Multiple GoogleAccounts Signed Out Doc


 

 

Same thing with your Google Drive.

 

cloudHQ Multiple Google Accounts Signed Out Drive


 

 

Now you have to repeat the process of signing out and signing back in—again.

Not exactly a smooth process.

Clumsy Method 2: Use 2 Browsers

Multiple browsers = multiple accounts. Problem solved, right?

 

cloudHQ Multiple Google Accounts Multiple Browsers


 

 

Except, this is still clumsy.

Which account am I logged into in Safari? Which account am I using in Chrome? It’s difficult to keep track of which is which.

If you use Chrome-specific plugins to add functionality to any of your Google services, you’ll lose those features by going to another browser.

And what if you have more than two accounts and need to keep track of all your data across all the accounts?

Combined, these problems mean the “multiple browser” option doesn’t provide a clean user experience.

Clumsy Method 3: Google’s “Add an Account” Feature

Google tried to address the multiple accounts problem by adding the “add an account” feature.

By using this feature, you can simply “add” an account—without logging out of the first one.

 

cloudHQ Multiple Google Accounts Add Account


 

 

Simple in concept—but in reality, this just makes life that much more confusing.

In this scenario, you can be logged into multiple accounts in different tabs, making it even more difficult to keep track of what’s happening.

Again, this method does not provide for a clean user experience.

The Easiest Method: Sync Your Google Accounts.

 

cloudHQ Multiple Google Accounts Sync


 

 

Two-way syncing is the easiest way we know to manage an unlimited number of Google Drive accounts. Here’s how it’s done:

Choose two of your Google Drive accounts, and sync them (or you can also just sync a folder). You can do the same with your Gmail accounts, too.

By using our Chrome Extension, you can also do a bunch of neat stuff for free like: share a Gmail label folder, comment on emails, and have a chat thread with your team. Get the Chrome extension and check it out for yourself.

The Payoff

Stop logging in and out or “adding” all your accounts and trying to keep track of them.

By syncing files and sharing labels, it’s possible to manage an unlimited number of Google accounts from a single login.

It’s the easiest way we know to manage multiple Google accounts.

 

Get Started
 

 

Difference Between Google Drive and Dropbox: The Real Story

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Google _Drive_Or_Dropbox

There are many online comparisons between Google Drive and Dropbox. The problem is that many of those articles are biased, and are light on substance. Most articles discuss either the costs of storage or the free storage space being offered, and then often attempt to recommend one service over the other based on these two characteristics.

Cloud Storage Solutions Based on Amount and Price Alone are Irrelevant

Cloud storage platforms such as Google Drive and Dropbox are so much more than just cloud storage. Prices are already very competitive, so price shouldn’t be a factor when deciding upon a solution that will store all  of your company assets. Does it really matter if one solution is a few dollars per month more than the other, especially if one of the solutions doesn’t completely meet your company’s storage needs?

If storage for your company data is less important than $5 per employee per month, then stop reading this blog post right now. If you want to know the real differences between Google Drive and Dropbox, take the blue pill:

There is No Actual “Winner”

It’s important to understand that there is no clear winner between the two services. Each cloud service has different features that target different audiences. In this article, we will compare the following features of both cloud services:

  1. End user support
  2. Sharing and Collaboration
  3. File Revision Control and Recovery of Deleted files
  4. Ease of Use
  5. Desktop Client (speed and quality)
  6. Company Vision
  7. Marrying Google and Dropbox

1. End User Support

End user support is very important for companies. Some primary signs of great support are:

  1. What’s the process for contacting support?
  2. Is the support response time efficient?
  3. Is the company support knowledgeable?

Unless you can afford to pay an additional $400/month for a dedicated end user support, Google struggles in this area. Google Apps customers cannot directly send emails to Google support team, but must work through their own Google Apps administrator in order to contact support. In most cases, Google support sends a reply email directing the user to Google forums. The main takeaway from working with Google is that they created an enviable ecosystem, where everything is automated and scalable. If your problem is not already answered by any of their support forums, you may very well be out of luck.

Dropbox has far easier methods to contact their support desk, and Dropbox for Business administrators receive an additional support layer of priority email support and live support.

PRO TIP: We advise you to try both services. Purchase both a Google Apps and a Dropbox for Business account, and open a support ticket. Use the three questions listed above to determine their support process, response time, and support staff knowledge.

2. Sharing & Collaboration

Google Drive
Google Drive’s sharing features are elaborate. If you need to share files in read-only mode, in read-write mode, or if you want to print directly from the document that’s being viewed, Google makes it easy. And as for collaboration, you’re allowed to have up to 50 users simultaneously collaborating on the same file. Clearly, this kind of collaboration feature is impressively powerful.
However, there are three downfalls to consider:

  • Duplicate file names: Google Drive allows duplicate file names to be created. This can become especially problematic if two team members create files with the same name.
  • Multiple file locations: When someone shares a file with you, it does not go directly to your Google Drive folder. Instead, it is stored in a special folder named “Shared With Me,” which can be confusing when you have files that are being stored and shared in different locations.
  • File size limits: Google Drive limits the size of files that can be shared and opened via Google Drive; for instance, shared files are limited to 5 TB each, and documents opened in Google Docs must be 50 MB or less, while presentations must be 100 MB or less.

Dropbox
Dropbox has a much more simplistic sharing method, but its sharing features are more lackluster than its Google Drive competitor. You can share folders in read-write mode, but files cannot be shared in read-only mode.

  • File size: Dropbox has no file size limit, so you can share files of any size.
  • Read-only mode: Dropbox does not currently offer read-only mode as a  sharing method, while Google Drive does.
  • Read-write: Dropbox does not allow users to share a file in “read-write” mode with a team of collaborators like Google Drive does.

PRO TIP: While Dropbox offers simple sharing, Google drive provides more features and better collaboration options. However, for small businesses, Dropbox is a better choice for its sharing simplicity.

3. Revision Control and Recovery of deleted files

Revision control describes the process used to handle previous versions of files. Usually, each time a document is revised, a new version is created. If you revise a document many times, you can end up with many versions of the same file. This is one area where Google Apps and Dropbox have notable differences in the way they operate.

Google Drive:

  1. Revisions: Each time a file is revised, Google Drive creates a new version. Each of these versions count against your storage quota. If you revise a large file multiple times, you may use up all of your storage. Thankfully, Google Drive limits the number of revisions per file, and some versions can be deleted in order to free up storage space.
  2. Trash: When you delete a file, it goes into your trash folder. Files in your trash folder count against your storage quota. Google Drive keeps your files in trash until they are deleted by the user, so this can really add up to a lot of your storage space if you don’t manually delete your files.
  3. Deleted files: Google Drive has no “Show me all deleted files” feature, so there’s no simple way to determine which files were deleted from specific folders. .

Dropbox for Business:

  1. Revisions: When a file is revised, Dropbox creates a different version for each revision. However, Dropbox does not count revisions against storage space quota, so you do not have to worry about using up all of your space by revising files multiple times.
  2. Unlimited versioning: Dropbox does not limit the number of versions a user can create, so you can place your focus on the content you are creating instead of the number of revisions.
  3. Deleted files: Dropbox has an extended version history, which allows users to view and restore deleted files. Dropbox allows users to see all deleted files, so you always know exactly what was deleted and when it was deleted.

PRO TIP: Revision control and file recovery are critical features for many businesses; if this is the case with your business needs, then Dropbox is your best choice.

4. Easy to use (for non-technical users)

Google Apps is fairly simple to use, but there are some issues which cause confusion. Google Apps has many additional features that Dropbox does not have, such as an entire office-editing suite, email, and much more. But Google also has different app interfaces, notably, one for Google Docs and one for Google Drive.

  • File Deletion Does Not Delete:
    If you create a file in Google Drive, and share it with some team members, and then decide you need to delete it, it’s not actually deleted. Sure, it disappears from your folder, but you will see a popup which states that you deleted a file, but it is still fully accessible by collaborators (team members you shared the file with). To delete the file completely, you actually have to click on the trash folder, and delete it again. This is one area in which that Google is not so simple, especially if you’re in a hurry and think a file has been deleted—it actually may still be accessible to many people.
  • Mobile issues:
    For mobile devices, Google provides two apps – one for Google Docs and one for Google Drive. They play well together on mobile; for instance, if you click on a document in Google Drive, it will automatically open in Google Docs so that you can edit it. However, if your organization uses MDM (Mobile Device Management), you’ll need to update the company app whitelist to include both Google Drive and Google Docs apps. If you are unable to get them approved, you will still be able to use Google Drive to store and share files, but will be unable to open them in Google Docs for editing. It’s clearly very clunky and confusing.
  • Web issues: On the web, Google has both interfaces as well. This can be largely confusing, when you think you are accessing a file in Google Drive but instead it opens in Google Docs. Should you open it in Google Docs or in Google Drive? Basically, you should try to remember that Google Docs is for editing, Google Drive is for sharing.

Dropbox has the simplest interface, but has far less features. For quick and simple sharing, Dropbox is the obvious answer, but for more powerful online office features, Google Apps has you covered.

PRO TIP: If your workforce needs a simple file sharing solution, stick with Dropbox for easy sharing features. If you need heavier office features like superior team collaboration, Google Drive is your best choice.

5. Desktop Client – speed and quality

Syncing cloud files to computer hard drives and devices is critical to maintaining an up-to-date company file structure between team members. Both Google Drive and Dropbox provide desktop clients that allow companies to sync files between multiple computers and devices, and the cloud.

Dropbox:

  • De-duplication: If two different users store the same file in their respective accounts, Dropbox will only store a single copy of the file on its servers. If you have a file that is virtually the same, but a portion of the file that’s different, Dropbox will only upload the portion that’s different. This works great for large files which only need slight updating, such as Photoshop images, and this feature helps save an immense amount of storage space.
  • Lan sync: Dropbox provides LAN sync, which is very useful for keeping company computers fully-synced, even in times when there is no internet connection. LAN sync is available to any computers and devices which are connected to your network.

Google Drive:

  • Lack of de-duplication optimization: Google drive allows duplicate files and information to be stored. When you’re dealing with large files, this can quickly use up a lot of storage space. The reason for this is versioning (mentioned above), the process in which Google Drive handles versions of files. Each time a file is revised, even slightly, a new version is created and the entire new file is uploaded—and all of these versions count against your storage quota.
  • Resource bottleneck: Google Drive’s desktop client uses a lot more CPU power and resources to operate than Dropbox does because it doesn’t upload a portion of a virtually similar file, it uploads the entire file, a process which continues as long as revisions are being made. This can cause issues with computer speed and reliability, as Google Drive consumes most of the computer’s resources during the syncing process.

PRO TIP: For syncing large files, Dropbox is the best choice because there are no file size limits. If you are syncing light office documents such as PDF files, text documents, Word files, and spreadsheets, Google Apps may be your better choice.

6. Company Vision

Google is continuously updating its services and its interfaces, and there is no guarantee that the product you’re using won’t be shelved for a newer, better solution. One of the main problems Google has is that it’s an advertising company first and foremost, which means that all of their services will be designed with that in mind.

Dropbox is an independent company, and a relatively small one at that compared to such a giant one like Google. However, Dropbox holds its own by having acquired 8 million business customers business customers who love the simplicity of its sync and share file features.

PRO TIP: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. It’s better to use both services, rather than just use one that doesn’t fully meet your company’s needs.

7. Marrying Google and Dropbox

Google Apps and Dropbox for Business both have features that are essential to any business. Integrating these two services would make your company so much more productive than choosing one that doesn’t work for you.

You can use Dropbox and Google Apps together to get the best of both worlds: the simple, but powerful, file sharing features of Dropbox, and the incredible office apps of Google.

Here’s how cloudHQ can help

cloudHQ specializes in Dropbox for Business and Google Apps solutions, such as cloud-to-cloud integration and real-time data consolidation, which improves team collaboration and company productivity. cloudHQ ensures that all authorized team members have the most current version of the file they are collaborating on, even if some team members are using Dropbox, while others use Google Apps. But cloudHQ does so much more than just sync files, we actually provide complete integration between many cloud services.

Once cloudHQ’s 2 minute setup is complete, your Google Apps and Dropbox will automatically be integrated with nothing to download. If you save a folder in Dropbox, it’ll automatically be replicated to all authorized users in Google Drive. And vice versa with Google Drive into Dropbox.

Notably, Gmail is one of the top email services for companies, and cloudHQ provides a sync service between Gmail and Dropbox, allowing you to save all of your emails (including attachments) to Dropbox, so that everyone that needs access to your files will be able to access them whether they use Gmail or not.

cloudHQ will automatically converts documents to the native file format of whichever program is being used. For instance, if you drop a Word document into Dropbox and you’ve set up a Google Drive and Dropbox integration, cloudHQ will make sure that the synchronized file in Google Drive will be accessible as a Gdoc so that it can be easily edited directly from Google Docs. The file in Dropbox will remain in Word format, but all revisions and comments that are added to the file from Google Drive will available in Dropbox. This allows everyone to have the latest copy of the file whether they are using Google Drive or Dropbox, and will help increase your team’s communication and productivity.

cloudHQ runs in the background, so that team members don’t have to be bothered by annoying popups or any other distractions. Since everything happens in the cloud, there are no files to download, and no software installation required.

4 Simple Steps To Set Up Your Sync

Your IT administrator will need to create an integration between Google Apps and Dropbox for Business via cloudHQ. Want to convince your IT admin?

This can be accomplished in just 4 steps:

  1. Sign up for cloudHQ. Once you have signed up, visit the Sync Wizard.
  2. Choose Google Apps for Work, then authorize Google Apps to work with cloudHQ. cloudHQ will automatically detect your users.
  3. Choose Dropbox for Business, and authorize it to work with cloudHQ.
  4. Choose the users that will have access to the files that are synced between Dropbox and Google Apps.

PRO TIP: Try before you buy. cloudHQ is currently offering a fully-functional, 15-day, free trial.

Get Started Now 

Integrate Evernote with Google Apps And Simply Business Workflow

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Evernote never stops trying to make everyone’s life easier. With over 100 million users, Evernote wants to be the home of things you need to remember.

Evernote_Notes

That’s great for Evernote users, but what about Microsoft OneNote users, Google Docs, or Slack users? Sure, each have different features, but they’re all trying to be the home of our cloud-based memory. Some integration is possible, but there’s a limit to how many online accounts people will use. Interestingly, 85% of smartphone users use apps, but only 5 apps experience heavy traffic.

Digital Overload

Even for work, hyper-connected professionals are reluctant to use additional online services. This can cause problems if different teams, freelancers, contractors, and clients are all using different services, isolated behind numerous walled platforms. The one exception is Google Apps for Business, with hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Here’s A Simple Guide to Sync Your Google Apps for Work with Other Apps To Increase Your Productivity

We need a new solution for our workplace of fragmented platforms; of which is seemingly inevitable. Luckily, cloudHQ makes it easy.

 

7-Step Guide

  1. Login to cloudHQ
  2. If you’re an IT admin, select the multiple user set up and follow the wizard.  
  3. If you’re just looking to sync your personal cloud services, just select the single user setup. From there, follow the wizard in selecting which apps you want to have in a folder within your Google Drive.
  4. Select Evernote, Slack, and any other services you want to sync to Google Drive
  5. Go through the authentication for each cloud app you want synched with your Google DriveEvernote_cloudHQ_-_Allow_Account_Access
  6. If you want to sync a folder in your Google Docs or a Gmail label with or anyone else; like external freelancers, teammates, clients, etc., you could share your folder with them. This way, as they update that folder in their clouds, you’ll be able to see their work, and they’ll see yours in real-time. No email attachments necessary… just check your Google Drive folder and collaborate like a team!
  7. And you’re done!

Instead of multiple conversations, documents and attachments bouncing around different platforms, resulting in some teammates not having access to all the information they need – everything is centrally consolidated. Making decisions is easier when data can be accessed by all stakeholders.

 

Lead your team, and keep it tight with cloudHQ.  

Get Started 
Need help? Just ask us! 

7 Steps To Consolidate and Archive Your Company Data To Amazon S3

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Amazon Simple Storage Service, known as Amazon S3, is part of the cloud giant’s AWS division. Amazon S3 is a great way to store data and files cheap, given that there’s no setup costs or minimum fee, which means you only pay for what you use (at the end of the month, by credit card).

Your Remote Team Can Increase Productivity with Amazon S3
Image by wagg66 / freeimages

Amazon S3 recently turned nine years old, which is when they announced the introduction of Cross-Region Replication. With AWS divided by regions, like counties and states on a map, Amazon customers often need to store data in different regions from their primary locality.

Storing the same files in numerous locations is normally part of complying with an increasingly stringent regulatory environment when it comes to companies handling sensitive data.

It’s also a matter of safety, with some also opting to store files in Amazon Glacier, a dirt cheap long-term option ($0.01 per gigabyte), which only costs when you retrieve data (it can take 4 -5 hours to thaw out your files). Should multiple backups ever fail, or your office incurs fire or water damage, you have a backup of everything, like an insurance policy.

Amazon S3 is ideal for those with larger than average storage needs, making it far more cost effective than the likes of Dropbox.

Getting Started with Amazon S3

1. Firstly, login to Amazon

2. Sign up with your logins to get an Amazon Web Services account

3. Pick Amazon Simple Storage Service: fill in your details, including a credit card. Don’t worry, you won’t be billed for anything yet, not until the end of your first month, and even then you only pay for usage. You can calculate anticipated costs here.

4. Keep your Access Key ID and Secret Access Key safe, since these are how you access your AWS account. These can be retrieved through AWS Access Identifiers in your account settings.

5. Next: Create a Bucket.

When you’re as big as Amazon, you can create new words and your audience has to go along with it. Bucket is Amazon trying to make fetch happen.  Here’s how you create a Bucket – which is a root storage folder. Admittedly, “bucket” does sound better.

6. Your bucket as a web hosting solution

With your bucket, you can upload as many files and images as you need. A bucket, when connected with other Amazon services, like CloudFront, REST APIs and SDKs, amongst others and third-party applications, can be used as part of a web or mobile hosting solution.

This has made S3 popular with web and app developers, especially those who need flexible storage with no minimum monthly fees.

7. Amazon S3 Backup for remote teams

Another way to get the most out of Amazon S3 is using it as a low cost, highly scalable storage solution for remote teams. They made this easier when they recently allowed Cross-Region Replication.

However, with cloudHQ we have eliminated the need to create external buckets when sharing with others. The reason for this is because not everyone needs to be synched to your Amazon S3 account. This should be your heart; *your core* cloud storage provider, and if you can sync everyone to your Dropbox account and then have your Dropbox account backing up automatically to Amazon S3, you’re ahead of the game.

Everyone has their own “bucket” anyways, so just sync them to yours where they can upload to it from any device or platform they choose. Our sync allows for real-time sharing of files and data, which makes S3 easier to use and more secure.

3 Reasons To Use cloudHQ With Amazon S3

 

    1. Real-time backup:

      We provide a real-time backup of all your files, emails, projects, etc. All changes are backed up – immediately and in real-time. It’s most beneficial when you can sync your employees’ accounts to your AmazonS3 account so that you can easily store all their work as a solid backup in case of any loss of information.

    2. You can use your own Amazon S3 Storage account:

      Your Amazon S3 account is your own account. Most reputable companies have their own Amazon S3 storage accounts; we let you sync directly to your account. If you need help getting one set up, we can help you do that.

    3. Reliable Cloud Sync Service Keeps your Backup Consistent:

      We reliably support the backup of all your cloud business platforms: Dropbox for Business, Google Apps for Works, Office365, Basecamp, Salesforce, Egnyte, Box for Business, and so on.
      Our clients are JC Penney, Gartner, and EMC. They rely on us to keep them safe, and you can too.

cloudHQ is fully integrated with Amazon S3, so now is a great time to put these hacks to the test. If you need any help getting your syncs set up, go ahead and book an appointment with us by clicking on the button below:

Talk With an IT Expert Now

Sync Dropbox With Microsoft Surface

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Microsoft Surface is a “dream for writers with tablets.” but what about Dropbox support…

Earlier this month, Microsoft released the MS Surface Pro tablet integrated with Windows 8. The tablet has received much acclaim and vendors are rushing to get apps that are compatible with the tablet and Windows 8.

Dropbox is one of the most popular services and one of the most downloaded apps. Just last month, Dropbox released Dropbox for Windows 8. While the app does have many useful features for Windows 8, it quickly received criticism for the features that were not included. This newest version of Dropbox was designed to run on Windows 8, as well as Windows RT. It is integrated with Windows Share charm, but it lacks the critical functionalities of Dropbox: real-time synchronization and the ability to save or access files offline. 

One of the critics who goes by the name “Max,” had this to say in the comment section of the above Dropbox blog post,

People buy Surfaces because they want to write. And Dropbox is a dream for writers with tablets.  

But if we can’t save or access our files offline, that dream is dead. If I can’t access my file on the train, or in the dentist’s office, or at that cafe without wifi, I can’t save it to Dropbox. Which sucks, because I want to. 

This comment highlights the frustration many users are currently experiencing. On one hand, you have an incredible new tablet that is sleek, fast, and abounding with useful apps, but on the other hand, you have the problem of not being able to access or save files offline and the inability to sync in real-time which could possibly cause data loss.

So what’s the solution?

Microsoft Surface comes with Microsoft’s cloud storage service, Skydrive, implemented with Windows 8. So if a sync could be created between Skydrive and Dropbox, this could solve all of problems mentioned above. The problem is that neither one of these apps come with the feature to sync to each other. Enter cloudHQ. 

CloudHQ provides the missing links by providing a real-time sync between Dropbox and Skydrive. Skydrive integrates seamlessly with Windows 8 and produces excellent scalability and integrations with other platforms of Dropbox. So now any changes from Skydrive will be instantaneously uploaded to Dropbox, and any changes (or if someone shares a file with you through Dropbox) will be instantly uploaded to Skydrive, providing access to the files whenever access is needed.

Microsoft Surface is an outstanding tablet. Windows 8 is the newest rage and app developers will have to work hard to get their apps to integrate with this version of Windows. Dropbox for Windows 8 is a decent app, but it lacks several key functionalities. CloudHQ is the answer; the link; the glue that can pull it all together and eliminate these problems.

And here is how to sync SkyDrive and Dropbox

 1. Go to http://cloudHQ.net

 2. Drag the SkyDrive icon into the empty box on the left

image

 3. cloudHQ will prompt you to create a cloudHQ account using your Google ID

 4. Then click on “Add SkyDrive account” to authorize the SkyDrive account with cloudHQ and, after authorization is finished, select top level and click on “Select »”

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 5. Drag the Dropbox icon into the empty box on the right, then authorize the Dropbox account with cloudHQ

 6. Select top level and click on “Select »”

 7. Verify options and click on “Synchronize Continuously”

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Related links:

Five Steps To Securing Your Data On Evernote

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Evernote securityEvernote is a popular cloud service and it’s my personal favorite note-taking and idea collecting service. But it’s really so much more than that. It also allows snapshots that can be integrated into notes and features an excellent search feature. All files and documents can be labeled with keywords in order to provide an easily searchable database for efficient time management.

Many users and companies utilize the cloud storage and keep important, sensitive, individual or company data stored within Evernote. The only problem with this is that the data is in the cloud, and while Evernote provides excellent security for your data, it’s really only as secure as you make it. In this article, we are going to look at five ways you can secure your data on Evernote.

  1. Encrypt sensitive data.
  2. Change password frequently.
  3. Monitor authorized applications.
  4. Verify connected services.
  5. Backup your data.

Encrypt Sensitive Data:

Evernote has an extremely useful feature that allows users to encrypt their data. Many users simply don’t know about it or think it might be too much of a hassle. It’s a simple process really. First, you open a note containing the data you wish to encrypt. Select the text you wish to encrypt and right click on it. In the popup menu, you will see an option titled “Encrypt Selected Text,” and you need to click on that option. If it’s the first time you are using the encryption feature, another popup will appear. This is simply for you to input authentication and this popup will not appear again. Choose your authentication methods such as a passphrase and password hint. When you click Ok, the note is encrypted and will be unreadable unless you enter the correct passphrase. By encrypting your sensitive data, this will ensure that it does not fall into the wrong hands.

Change Authentication Frequently:

You should change your password and other authentication methods frequently. It is recommended that they be changed at least every 90 days or less. Your familiarity with your password can lead to it becoming compromised and in turn, unauthorized access to your account and data. Another excellent tip is to use different passwords for different services. This is extremely useful for replication and backup control. You will see a great example of this in tip #5 below.

Monitor Authorized Applications:

Evernote supports a variety of applications but any applications that you authorize to use on your Evernote account should be monitored frequently to see exactly what these applications are doing. This progress can be tracked by going to evernote.com, clicking on Settings and then clicking on Applications.

Verify Connected Services:

If you connect your social network accounts such as Facebook, Google and Twitter, you should verify these accounts on a regular basis. A popular move by hackers is to have malware sites and malware programs hijack these sessions and studies have shown that 68% of all data breaches are caused by malware. It’s easy to verify your connected services. Go to evernote.com, click on Settings and then click on Connected Services. Frequent verification of these services will let you know if there is any unauthorized use of the services happening behind your back.

Backup Your Data:

You should use the superior data backup service of cloudHQ to protect your sensitive data in case of any mishaps such as accidental data deletion or malicious hacking. Also, cloudHQ can export your notes in PDF, Microsoft Word and other formats to Dropbox or Google Drive. Evernote data is not very portable as Evernote exports your data in the proprietary XML format which can only be read by Evernote clients. It is highly recommended that you have another copy of your Evernote data in another cloud storage service in a portable format that is easier to access. CloudHQ provides this service, as well as real-time synchronization of notes and other files. By having a continuous backup of your data on Dropbox or Google Drive accounts that use different authentication methods from your Evernote account, even if your data gets accidentally or maliciously deleted, you will have a secure backup on Dropbox or Google Drive so there will be very little interruption in your work. 

Conclusion:

Evernote is a valuable cloud computing tool for individuals and companies, and data protection is a key concern of many users. By utilizing the encryption methods Evernote provides, changing your authentication methods frequently, monitoring your authorized applications, verifying your connected services and using cloudHQ to provide real-time synchronization and secure backup of files to Dropbox or Google Drive, you can rest assured that all important and sensitive data is as well-protected as it possibly can be.

Related articles

The Emergence Of ‘Bring Your Own Devices’

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BYOD

With the rising popularity of “bring your own devices” (BYOD), the corporate world is in the middle of a rollercoaster ride. Many companies are headed up- embracing the idea of employees using their own devices to access company data and perform company business, while others are headed down- keeping it strictly off-limits.

Are companies accepting BYOD?

A recent survey by SANS on mobility, BYOD security policies and practices, found that 1/4 of all companies surveyed do not allow personal smartphones or tablets to access the company network. However, the majority of the remaining 3/4 that do allow it do not have efficient security policies and controls in place to control the personal devices. These companies that do employ some kind of security use a couple of methods. Most use encrypted data protection and secure access to company resources, while the remaining companies used data loss prevention through methods such as anti-malware. Over 2/3 of the companies surveyed said they expected to use cloud based provisioning within the next year.

One interesting factor is that companies that do have policies appear to be taking the functions they are familiar with- authentication measures, firewalls, VPNs and access controls and implementing these functions on the mobile devices. However, many employers are hesitant to install such measures on an employee’s device and instead are relying on employee agreements and education to prevent any mishaps.

Nearly 1/3 of all companies rely on employees to protect the device they are using to access company information and it’s up to the user to delete the data when it is no longer needed.

What about data security concerns?

Many company Chief Information Officers (CIOs) have expressed concerns over company data and infrastructure security because of the BYOD movement that seems to be catching on everywhere. The explosion of BYOD seems to be more about convenience- employees can take care of business in the workplace, at home or on the road. Connectivity is the key. We all want to stay connected at all times. Communications and connectivity ensure that employees stay “in the know” at all times.

Companies must realize that this movement will not go away. Once employees have gotten a taste of the realization of connectivity, convenience and communications aspects of BYOD, they are not going to go back to the way it was before. Companies must take steps to ensure that they are protected throughout the process of implementation of the BYOD.

One profitable aspect of the BYOD movement is that employees will provide their own equipment, their own devices. This can help the company cut down on costs of purchasing equipment for their employees.

Most people know their devices pretty well- the functions, the apps and how to operate them. With the many new technologies and innovations, smartphones and tablets can perform actions as well, if not better than some computer applications. The advances in cloud services allow the employees to perform company business practically anywhere they may be.

One important note is that because employees know their own devices so well, along with the apps and services they are used to, they tend to stick with the cloud services that they are already accustomed to. For instance, the company may use Sharepoint for the majority of its cloud services but many employees may not use Sharepoint. They are more interested in using Evernote than a cloud service they have never used before. When surveyed, many companies (most small companies) had accepted the fact that employees may choose their favorite cloud service over the company preferred service and these companies are looking for ways to merge the various services in order to provide a more efficient experience for the company operation and employee performance.

While companies must accept the aspects of the BYOD movement, this does not mean they must relinquish data security. There must be new security protocols implemented however, and the protocols must make data access, data storage and file transfers compatible with the BYOD movement.

SalesForce and Google Docs/Drive are several preeminent services that form the structure that help produce the BYOD movement. There are many other impressive cloud services as well and companies should not force their employees to only use the company preferred services. Creativity is the key to growth and success and does not need to be inhibited. This can end up costing companies in the long run.

While it’s certainly understandable the security concerns of companies and CIOs, this movement is not going anywhere and the security must change to remain compatible with the BYOD movement that is pushed by the reproduction of public and private clouds, the consumerization of information technology (IT) and the need to harvest large amounts of data. Success will come to those who implement the measures to ensure that BYOD is able to continue, while implementing security measures that protect company data.

 

Upload Dropbox photos to Google+ via cloudHQ

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As you’ve probably noticed, Dropbox now automatically uploads all your photos from your iPhone to your Dropbox folder under ‘Camera Uploads’:

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Now, with cloudHQ, you can automatically upload all your photos to Google Drive so all these photos are available in Google+ (which is a great lifehack!).

Just go to https://www.cloudhq.net/synch_wizard and establish a sync configuration to sync your Dropbox ‘Camera Uploads’ folder with a Google Drive collection (just create a dedicated collection in Google Drive for Dropbox photos – name it something like ‘Camera Uploads from Dropbox’):

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Now, cloudHQ will continuously copy all your Dropbox photos to Google Drive and all these photos will be available in your Google Plus account:

  • Click in the Google+ sharebox to create a new post
  • Click the camera icon, then select From Google Drive
  • Choose photos from My Drive and select collection ‘Camera Uploads from Dropbox’
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Once you’ve selected your favorite shots, just pick the circles you want to share with, and you’re done!

Simplicity at its finest! 🙂

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