BitTorrent Sync Takes Byte Out Of Cloud

According to the BitTorrent blog, BitTorrent Sync which has been undergoing beta testing since January, is now open to public use. BitTorrent Sync allows users to send an unlimited number of files between their own devices or sync files and folders with other users. There is no cloud-based hardware that the files are stored on, the connection is P2P- directly between the computers that are syncing the data. This also means that, depending on your network plan and connection, files can be transferred at blazing speed- as fast as your network can handle.

Why do I need BitTorrent Sync?

Perhaps you just don't trust cloud storage services such as Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, iCloud, etc. There have been security incidents involving many of the most popular cloud storage providers and a direct connection between computers is a safer approach to file transfer. If a direct connection between computers is not possible, a relay server is used with 256-bit encryption and another feature (an encryption secret) that allows your data to be read only by your authorized device.

You can use BitTorrent Sync as a remote backup plan or it can be used simply as a safe, secure file-sharing platform to transfer large files. While most cloud storage providers limit file sizes, BitTorrent Sync actually encourages larger files- the only limits are the size of storage on the device you are transferring to.

So how does BitTorrent Sync work?

It's very simple. Download BitTorrent Sync here. Start the program, select the folder you wish to sync and generate a 21-byte encryption secret, which authorizes the link between the various devices. Simply install BitTorrent Sync on your other devices, input the same encryption secret, and your link to sync will be setup between the devices. More detailed information can be found on the BitTorrent Sync User Guide.

There have been many changes since the pre-alpha release in January, many new features have been implemented and many features have undergone major revisions. Since the program is still in alpha phase, many more changes are sure to happen in the upcoming months.

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