Tech Advice: Weigh options closely before selecting way to share large files

by Jonathan Sessions

August 25,2007

At some point, everyone has needed to share a file. There are many different ways to do this: burn to a CD, send e-mail or use USB flash drives or even use floppy disks, if the files are small and you still have a floppy drive. However, most of these methods require physically handing the transfer device to the recipient or, as is the case with e-mail, are limited by size (usually in the range of 10MBs or less). What is the solution for larger files needing to be sent quickly across the state or country? There are better options than shipping the file.

Using a Web server to share the file from the Web allows for quick and easy distribution. Using your own Web site, you can load the file into your Web directory and e-mail a link to the recipient. This is a fast, easy task, if the Web site is hosted in house. Transferring to the server is quick using the local network or a transfer device listed above, but if the site is hosted somewhere else (as it should be), then the file needs to be uploaded to the server, which takes time, depending on the file size and the speed of your office Internet connection.

Digital content delivery companies are another great Web-based solution. Companies like yousendit.com, transferbigfiles.com, skootit.com and mailbigfile.com offer large file transfer with many addition features. Most of these companies offer free transfers of up to 100MBs, charging for larger files and extra features such as delivery tracking, secure transfer and longer download availability. Skootit.com offers small Mac and Windows applications to assist with transfers and adding interrupted transfer support, meaning there is no need to start over if the Internet connection is lost.

Another great possibility is BitTorrent, which allows for fast file transfer among a community without the original distributor incurring the entire costs of hardware, hosting and bandwidth resources. Although BitTorrent has become synonymous with illegal music and video distribution, large quantities of open-source developers use it to distribute source code and new software. Although this is not an ideal solution for transferring a file to one person, if the file is very large and it needs to get to 20 people, BitTorrent is a great solution.

There are many solutions to transfer files beyond e-mail. However, the best solution depends on how large the file is and how fast it needs to get there. Although all of these options have benefits, the biggest limitation is the upload speed from the sending location. While that speed continues to improve from Internet service providers, sometimes the solution will still be to pack it in a box and mark it "priority overnight."

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