OneDrive delivers unlimited cloud storage to Office 365 Office

Layback Bear · 29 Oct 2014

I don't understand those that think it's a gimmick.
It's a selling point for those that are looking for a office product.
As far as I know adding special features to a product (365) to increase sales has been around for thousands of years. Their is nothing wrong with offering more compared to their competition. That's called being business wise.
I never did have a problem with free. Free fits within my budget quite well.

As of now I really don't need a Cloud or 365 but it's nice to know that if tomorrow I do need a Office program like 365 the added little goodie of free Cloud is their for me to use if I so desire.

Concerning upload and download speed, well that is each persons or companies concern. Microsoft's speeds are quite quick but they do not control the speeds or methods and equipment for the other billions of systems using the Cloud.
I can't even conceive the cost to Microsoft for all that storage and bandwidth they use and offer the world for free with the use of Office 365.
Folks this is a good thing for those that need or want it.

As my grand-pappy use to say: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Trust_No1 · 29 Oct 2014

removed my post...decided this not a debatable issue, you can either use it or not.

Layback Bear · 30 Oct 2014

Very true it's their for those who need or want it.
It's not mandatory. Just another choice. Choice is good.

ThrashZone · 30 Oct 2014

Yep it's the 1 year storage gimmick I did not see the point in :/
You won 25... gig's free storage for a year Whoopee

Slartybart · 31 Oct 2014

What happens to the cloud storage when you discontinue the subscription.

Yes, unlimited storage is great and MS has a good business model to capture revenue for a long time.
Gimmick - nah ... smart, yes.

Re: access speeds. This is true regardless of a cloud storage or a NAS - you have to the data across some wire. I'm with BadRobot on this though. You set up your own cloud server and manage your data and access to that data. Original documents (copies are not always legal) stored offsite in a safety deposit box. You can backup any storage and place it off site.

As BadRobot described - you can set up a home cloud and access it from anywhere. The difference between a hosted cloud and a home cloud is the location - by adding smart recovery plans the real difference is data security. The choice becomes a matter of preference or convenience.

At least with NAS, you have some control over data access - there will always be concerns about hackers and malware, but that's true for the cloud servers too. Given that really big organizations attract more attention (hunters go where the deer are) a NAS is a better solution in my mind.

Still, unlimited storage is tempting and that's the point.

Antilope · 19 Apr 2015

Many Windows tablets are offering a free 1 year personal subscription to Office 365. I recently purchased a cheap Windows 8 tablet that came with the free 1 year of personal Office 365.

You can convert the 1 free year Office 365 personal edition to 1 free year of 5 user Home Office 365 for a one time payment of $9.99 at the Microsoft Store online.

I converted the free 1 user Office 365 today to a 5 user Office 365 free for 1 year by paying a one-time payment of $9.99 in the Microsoft Store.

I found the info on about how to accomplish this at Paul Thurrott's Windows Blog. He's on Leo Laport's Windows Weekly program on Twit.tv every Wednesday. For more info, Google "Thurrott convert Office 365".

Here are the steps to convert the 1 year of free Office 365 to 1 year of free 5 user Home Office 365 for a one time payment of $9.99 (it's kind of a loophole in Microsofts system):

1. Install the free Office 365 that comes with the tablet. If it won't fit on the tablet, install it on your laptop or desktop windows computer. Login to Office 365 free personal with your Microsoft account (Outlook e-mail).

2. Now, Go to the Microsoft Store online and login with your same Microsoft account.

3. Purchase a one-month auto-renew subscription to Office 365 Home. (Make sure you select the “1-month auto-renewal box” and do not leave the “1-year auto-renewal” selected.)

4. Checkout and pay the $9.99.

5. Login to My Account on Microsoft Office Online.

6. You will see that your Office 365 Personal account has changed into a 5 user Office 365 Home account, with the same expiration date as before, but with an additional month added on for the $9.99.

7. Click “Turn off auto-renew.”
In the screen that appears on your My Account on Microsoft Office Online , click the “Turn off auto-renew” button.
This will take you through a series of prompts saying they are sorry you are leaving. Click cancel subscription. Keep clicking to "Turn off auto-renew".

8. Log back into My Account on Microsoft Office Online. You will see the 5 User subscription for 13 months is still there. The single $9.99 payment upgraded the free single user Office 365 to 1 year free of 5 user Office 365. Confirm that Auto-Renew is still off.

9. You can send invitations to friends and family to share the 5 user Office 365 from your account.

I installed a copy of Office 365 on the Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10041 that's on my Dell laptop.

FrozenCursor · 20 Apr 2015

Slartybart said:

.....
At least with NAS, you have some control over data access - there will always be concerns about hackers and malware, but that's true for the cloud servers too. Given that really big organizations attract more attention (hunters go where the deer are) a NAS is a better solution in my mind.

Where is your data safer with regard to hackers and malware?
In the cloud?
Local?

I am interested in opinions, thanks!

labeeman · 20 Apr 2015

FrozenCursor said:

Where is your data safer with regard to hackers and malware?
In the cloud?
Local?

I am interested in opinions, thanks!

Local data is the safer way. Cloud storage is always available to hackers but a NAS that is turned off is not.

Kari · 20 Apr 2015

labeeman said:

Local data is the safer way. Cloud storage is always available to hackers but a NAS that is turned off is not.

Just out of personal interest, one scenario, one question:

I have two-step verification set up on all my MS accounts, which to start with are all protected with a very strong, randomly generated password. To get to my OneDrive you need access to my mobile phone, either to use the Windows Phone Authenticator App to generate one time verification code, or alternatively (only alternatives) requesting the code to be sent to that same phone as text message, or to another of my MS accounts (all similarly protected) by email.

In case you decide to try by requesting a password reset, I get an email about it at the same time, whereas you get a notification telling that please wait 30 days, then if the account has not been used with proper security verification codes in the meantime, an access code will be sent to one of my email addresses. Of course this 30 day waiting period will never in reality last more than a few hours, a day maybe, because I have naturally answered the security email from MS telling no, it was not me requesting the reset.

The question: how is my data on OneDrive more vulnerable and open to hackers than your data which is stored locally?

Kari

P.S. I forgot to ask: when your local storage breaks down or you need more space, am I right assuming you need to fix it by yourself or buy new storage media? I'm just asking because I do not know; my storage never runs out and if it breaks down, my data is stored in numerous backup servers so it's not my headache, MS just builds a new server.

badrobot · 20 Apr 2015

Kari, I am not saying I agree or disagree with you or with anyone. But what if the hackers' target is the server (which gives access to all linked accounts) and not individual accounts?