Xtendis: The Alternative to Google Drive
You’re an IT Manager at a healthcare facility. Or you work as an HR Manager at a small or medium-sized business. You’re always on the go and have a constant stream of meetings. On top of that, you also need to keep all your files secure. And you want to be able to share them easily with your colleagues. That’s why you work in the cloud. Google Drive is one of the most widely used services. But how well are your files actually protected there? The better alternative to Google Drive is Xtendis.
Comparing Clouds
Storing important documents in the cloud is nothing new. It’s ideal for a small business owner like you. No matter where you are, you can work from anywhere. That goes for your entire team, too. But not all cloud services are created equal.
It's better to turn off automatic synchronization for your Google Drive. Otherwise, everything might end up being saved in a folder on your computer as well. That way, all your information is still stored in folders, which are much easier to hack—and aren't always AVG-proof.
Major international cloud storage services, such as Google Drive, are located far beyond our national borders. Our Dutch rules and laws no longer apply there. You have absolutely no idea who is doing what with your files. Who’s secretly taking a peek? Or making off with your data? In any case, you don’t know. And Dutch law can’t do anything for you if things go wrong.
That’s not just inconvenient for you—because you don’t know exactly what happens to your data—but you also can’t be sure whether the storage complies with Dutch privacy regulations. U.S. companies have very different privacy laws, and Google Drive happens to be a U.S. company. The question is whether you really want all of this. Of course, it doesn’t feel good not to know what happens to your patient records or data related to a lawsuit.
Is watching
In this case, Google Drive. You haven’t given anyone access to your documents. So you can assume that no one is reading them. Well, not quite. You don’t have time to read the privacy policy. You’re already busy enough. But if you had, you’d know that Google reads all your documents—mainly to tailor ads to you, or to sell this information to third parties.
“When you upload, submit, store, send, or receive content to or through our Services, you grant Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations, or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display, and distribute such content.”
-Google Terms of Service
Is your Google Drive full of documents from a client who sells houseplants? Then don't be surprised if Calathea or Ficus plants suddenly show up in your ads.
It’s not like there’s a guy at Google sitting there going through all your files. An automated system scans your documents—to check whether you’re following the rules and to collect interesting data. You’re still in control of your files, but Google can do whatever it wants with them.
And the cloud
You’ve spent hours complying with GDPR regulations. That’s no small task for an SME or a self-employed person. But your files are still stored on Google Drive. Our GDPR regulations don’t apply to them at all. As an American company, they have their own privacy laws. Has all that effort been for nothing?
If you use the Dutch version of Xtendis Online, you can be sure that you are fully compliant with the GDPR. This storage solution strictly adheres to the rules. Encrypt documents. Grant access to a limited number of people. And you’ll easily overcome the biggest hurdle of the GDPR. In Xtendis Online, you specify how long something must be retained—and when it can be destroyed—all in full compliance with the GDPR. This saves you a lot of work.
With your cloud
We all agree that Google Drive might not be as great as we thought. Storage in a foreign country. Google reading everything. That doesn't sit quite right with you. Fortunately, that's not an issue when you store everything in the cloud with Xtendis Online.
The government taking a look at your files. In the Netherlands, that’s not allowed just like that. In the United States, on the other hand, it is. Under the Patriot Act, the U.S. government can compel Google to grant permission to snoop through your files—simply because Google is an American company.
The storage facility is located right here in the Netherlands, where our rules and laws apply. That way, you can be sure that just anyone can’t suddenly access it. It also means that the GDPR isn’t an issue for your storage. Implementing that Dutch regulation in your company will be a piece of cake.
Your small business needs strong protection. Has this article convinced you? We’d be happy to give you personalized advice. Stay in control—we’ll show you how.