SkyDrive and SkyDrive Pro Sync with Office 2013

Two new offerings with similar names, SkyDrive and SkyDrive Pro, employ storage on centralized servers and file synchronization to make files easily accessible from multiple devices and to enhance document collaboration among users. While both exploit common user interface elements in Office 2013 and some Windows versions, there are fundamental differences between them: SkyDrive is a free storage service targeting consumers, and SkyDrive Pro is a business-focused technology that supplements Office 365-based or on-premises SharePoint 2013 sites. Businesses should consider the costs, features, and security of both services when deciding which to use.

SkyDrive Fundamentals

SkyDrive is Microsoft’s public cloud-based storage and synchronization technology. SkyDrive enables users to synchronize a folder on each of their computers with the SkyDrive cloud-storage service. As documents and folders are added to the SkyDrive folder on a user’s computers, they are automatically synchronized to the SkyDrive service as long as Internet connectivity is available.