Why we don't offer a pure web service?

The advantage of installing FileCatalyst on your network is primarily security and manageability. Typically our clients want their own users to be able to retrieve data over the LAN rather than through the internet. Large files would take too long to be be retrieved from a hosted solution. Most FileCatalyst clients were virtually always also interested in controlling their own data at their own locations.  Providing a hosted solution has simply not evolved as one of our “core competencies” though we have some of our software deployed by hosting providers.

Users looking for a free web based file transfer service, should visit http://www.files2u.com. Files2u is an instance of our FileCatalyst Webmail solution.

Many organizations are also moving to “cloud computing” with various providers, Amazon being one of the biggest. This gives companies the advantages of a “hosted” model, but the privacy and security of an “owned” model. On top of this, companies like Amazon provide an easy way for providers like FileCatalyst to pre-configure software for near-instant production usage. In fact, we have developed FileCatalyst Direct AMI under the forthcoming FileCatalyst Cloud family of products. If you are interested in this option, here is a link to get started http://www.filecatalyst.com/products/fcc-overview.html

Finally, there is a hybrid option: you as the system admin go through the admittedly “technical” installation process for FileCatalyst Server, you can then expose file transfers to your end users using only Web Applets. The end users would not need to install client software; the applets are very easily integrated into any existing or new web pages on your site. This does not ease the installation of the Server application, but certainly makes it a zero-hassle experience for the end users.

John