File Sharing and Data Transfer Methods. Which is best?

Either map drives on the computer and swap directly from computer to computer or use a NAS that has the files stored on it (and those files are edited on the NAS itself) shared across the LAN.

NAS method is my preferred method.

I wouldn't advocate having computers that have an internet connection connected (and that includes the Mac based PCs as even if they don't get infected, they can act as a typhoid mary and infect the rest of the system).

I'm personally not much of a fan of using other people's computers for file sharing. Prefer to keep it all local.

I have gotten this to work in a Linux, Windows and Mac (this one Mac computer is fixin to be gone though and not to be replaced with another) ecosystem as well.

 

I have a NAS that I do this with. When I do a design I save it to the Network drive and that way I can retrieve it from any computer and the only computer that has to be on is the one I am working at.

 

To me, this is the best way to do it. Just make sure that you also have a true backup solution as well (having the QNAP in a RAID setup isn't a true backup solution).

 

Totally off topic here, but could you comment on Ergosoft?
We use Flexi and not really happy with the limitations and idiosyncrasies.
Thanks in advance for any feedback on my ot question & understood if ignored.

BTW, we use a combination of a 5TB dropbox account and a (local) 14 GB Thecus SAS8800.

 

Ergosoft is a Great and versatile RIP. I have Caldera for a SEIKO ColorPainter 100 and Onyx for my both Epson (30610 - 80610) too, but Ergosoft is better and easier than all. It is our Standard Rip since 2008.

 

Exactly. We have a raid10 Qnap with an external HD we backup to every night, swapping the backups off site every couple of days.
I got sloppy with the backups then a couple of months ago the Qnap wouldn't boot up so heart attack time..

 

You probably don't want to be using a cloud setup like Wetransfer or Dropbox to send files from your design computer to your production computer, even with today's internet speeds.

If your two computers are in the same building, just wire them to the same LAN and share a folder. Even better, use a NAS, which is a physical box with hard drives in it that acts as your own local "cloud" drive. We have one and we save everything directly to it.

 

We are set up with 4 raid 1 comps that acess the Nas, then the NAS is backed up to each of the 4 comps thru Synctoy. Each computer is then backed up to Crash Plan. We do not access outside of the office as most work is done in shop, only have needed outside access 3x in 7 yrs and then we just email or use Wetransfer.com

 

I use Pcloud. I get 2 tb of storage for $90 a year, Amazing and fast .Backups all my files as i work on them on my computer and has file sharing with passwords if you want .