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We have been using cloud based applications such as Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive to share files across several users. They each have desktop applications that will allow the files to be synchronized in a certain folder in the hard drive. But our issue is that the consistency of the synchronization is terrible. It is quite often that the files in the web application of Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive are updated, but in the desktop application of the user, it will fail to synchronize.

Our primary purpose for this is for our Excel files that require data of all the users to be updated. Because if only 5 out of 10 users have updated files when the Excel file is analyzed, then the data will be distorted and very bad.

If cloud based applications are no good due to high failure rates, we also considered using Google Sheets and create a data connection to the Excel file, but we cannot seem to find the option to make a real time link between Google Sheet and Excel. We cannot use Google Sheets standalone because it does not have Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) capability and the automation advantage will be lost.

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You ask for more resiliency and performance. In this case, the public cloud-based solutions might not be your way to go with (IaaS, PaaS). A private cloud works this way allowing you have the full access to the data. Build own cloud using some commodity servers (Dell, HPE, Lenovo etc.) and shared storage (StarWind VSAN, HPE StoreVirtual). Setup a highly available storage cluster to achieve redundancy and resiliency. Build NFS/SMB shares on top of the cluster and sync data to clients using built-in tools in Windows/MacOS/Linux workstations.

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Depending on the version of excel you are using, but 2016 supports collaboration. If I recall correctly (from a job a few years ago) we also used collaboration in excel if the document was uploaded into sharepoint.

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  • Thanks i'll look into that. I never heard of sharepoint might as well look at it. We still use Excel 2007 at the office, but I can upgrade if it has those capabilities. I'll check on my Excel 2016 at home
    – Pherdindy
    Sep 3, 2018 at 7:44
  • Sharepoint uses OneDrive to store files in realtime in he desktop. The other features may be useful in other applications, but it's more for communication/collaboration, than real time data synchronization of files people work with.
    – Pherdindy
    Sep 3, 2018 at 10:09
  • Sharepoint is an enterprise level solution that is probably out of reach of most home users.
    – Burgi
    Sep 3, 2018 at 10:11
  • This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review
    – Burgi
    Sep 3, 2018 at 10:11
  • @Burgi Right. The good thing is that my university had Office 365 accounts for everyone, and within that had a sharepoint so I could tinker with it. It's more for collaboration/communication really. There's nothing really special about it really. It just reminds me of Slack and Ryver in terms of collaboration except that it has Site Pages, Calendars, and connection to the One Drive. Office 365 is good similar to Google Sheets, but then similarly to Google Sheets, the feature of having macros and other useful features was diluted due to it's flexibility like Data Models and Power Query
    – Pherdindy
    Sep 3, 2018 at 10:15

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