Sharing Business Files with e-mail links (using your own server)
Hi, I am trying to find a solution for a company that will allow them to share their files with their customers (that are too large to send as attachmemnts) by sending e-mail links to them that the customers can then click on and download the file. I have seen many third party solutions like www.yousendit.com but I wondered if there were any scripts or applications that could be installed on a company network whcih will do the same thing straight off the company file server. I understand it might be difficult with firewalls and permissions etc. I have looked all over the net and have not found anything. Straight FTP is not really an option. It has to be as user friendly for the recipient as possible too.
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Marius, thank you for your answer. Can you explain how it is possible to send a direct link to a customer using FTP, what would the format of the link look like bearing in mind the customer's are external customers / people with no vpn access etc?
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The ftp server will do exactely what you ask:
1. Store in a secure way the needed files.
2. Your users can send a direct link to a file by e-mail to their customers.
3. The customers will just click, authenticate and download the file.
Besides, you have the advantage that your users will have fast access to the files (customers will have to download the files anyway, from you or third party).
Also, a ftp server is fairly easy and cheap to install and manage, but a third party integrated solution for your business might be expensive, require training for both IT personnel and users, installation and maintenance costs, etc.
I don't think you can find a cheap solution for what you ask, and free software lying on the net might not be reliable and secure enough for business enviroment.