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Cloud Computing for SMBs

Gladinet has announced the release of Cloud Desktop v1.4.2. This version adds the soon-to-be-released Microsoft Windows Azure platform to the list of cloud storage providers that the service platform supports. Cloud Desktop, which provides an Internet-based virtual disk drive for users, also supports AT&T Synaptic Storage, Amazon S3, Google Docs and EMC Atmos, among many others.

"Gladinet's mission is to provide our customers with what they need at the moment they need it," stated Jerry Huang, co-owner of Gladinet. "That's why we are out in front and ready for the introduction of Windows Azure. Our newest version of Cloud Desktop enables users to mount Azure storage and many other cloud storage services as a virtual drive or folder on their computers."

The platform upgrades Windows Explorer into a cloud storage portal, and users can map each service as a network drive directly accessible from Explorer. Instead of users managing numerous accounts and interfaces for various cloud services, Cloud Desktop provides a unified interface for a user's selected cloud storage providers.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in particular appreciate Cloud Desktop's capacity for integrating multiple third-party cloud storage services into individual desktop operating systems on an open platform. Cloud Desktop also allows for both drag-and-drop and set-it-and-forget-it file backup to Azure and other cloud storage services.

"Moreover, Cloud Desktop facilitates cross-storage backup among providers," said Huang. "The virtual drives allow for backups to a redundant array of cloud storage so that users do not have to rely on one provider for backup. With our interface, users simply drag and drop files and folders from providers such as Amazon S3 to Azure."

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