Online Document Repository (Work Project)

[Kaslo]

Ok so I was given the task of finding a secure online document repository for my office.

A little background. We have a moderately large case where we just had a company copy and scan a large selection of files and documents from a state agency into PDF format. We are looking for a cheap Document Repository so that the various Co-Counsels can all view the PDFs from each of their offices. Don't need too many options, just security and document viewing.

I have been trying to search the web but haven't found much yet. I thought about google docs, since it is pretty easy to use and free (for the first GB), but really I think our filesize would be too large and google prices after that first gig are a little scary. Plus the time to upload would suck.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

[Cadsuane]

Nix that idea and run an FTP?

[Nephlite]

Tough one but usually people hire an IT guy to build a server for this kind of thing. Vastly more secure than online repositories and can be updated/backed-up and you'll always have access to it. Can be set up so you can access the server from any terminal that's hooked up to the internet. Probably cheaper too.

[zoobernut]

Tough one but usually people hire an IT guy to build a server for this kind of thing. Vastly more secure than online repositories and can be updated/backed-up and you'll always have access to it. Can be set up so you can access the server from any terminal that's hooked up to the internet. Probably cheaper too.

This is what I was going to suggest. Set up a server then get a version control software on it so people can access it from anywhere like Alienbrain, Perforce, Starteam etc.

[The Stig]

We use Intralinks

http://www.intralinks.com/

All the health companies in the UK submits confidential medical info via here, our client is the health government, so highly secure stuff. Not sure of the costs though, I just maintain it.

[Senoska]

I can set you up on my server with like a login script in order to download it. If you're looking for something like that, let me know. How much data are you talking about here?

[Icari]

have you looked into Sharepoint?

[Cantih]

so highly secure stuff.

Didn't the UK just come out of a series of scandals of government being responsible for a shit ton of data leaks of it's citizens info?

[SephYuyX]

Not real descriptive on what youre trying to do.
Depending on what you want to do, there is a free/minimal way to do it.

-Are you (and your intranet people) adding all the files (assuming non editable PDFs since you just mentioned those only) to the 'database', and other people (people not in your intanet) are just viewing them? If so, just put them on your website behind a password.

-Are you as well as other people adding files to the 'database' to view them? Use an FTP or VPN.

-Are you as well as other people editing files (word, excel, etc) files? Use an FTP or VPN (id favor VPN in this case).

Theres no need to use some website, or other company to do this for you, as long as you have a somewhat competent IT guy, this can be done blindfolded. No need to have a special application installed to keep track of who has a document open either, MS Office keeps track of this, you can also specify who and what can be edited. Since you only mentioned PDFs, and since for the most part people dont edit PDFs directly, there will be no need to have people edit anything, and just upload and view PDFs. This can easily be done with a secure website and a website uploader (or FTP). When I say FTP, I mean an FTP program, not the protocol, btw.

[Kaslo]

I can set you up on my server with like a login script in order to download it. If you're looking for something like that, let me know. How much data are you talking about here?

If we did that, we would want to keep it on our server (attorney/client confidentiality and all). But yeah I have suggested just hosting it ourselves and password protecting it but boss wanted me to check out other companies. I need to find the disk to see how much data it is. If it is not I will probably just recommend setting up an office gmail account and putting it on google docs.

Not real descriptive on what youre trying to do.
Depending on what you want to do, there is a free/minimal way to do it.

-Are you (and your intranet people) adding all the files (assuming non editable PDFs since you just mentioned those only) to the 'database', and other people (people not in your intanet) are just viewing them? If so, just put them on your website behind a password.

This is exactly what we are trying to do. We currently have used concordance by LexisNexis, but boss feels its way to expensive (and my background in creating my own websites and using FTP, knows we can do it cheaper on our own)

Sorry if I wasn't descriptive enough. All the files are PDFs and we are just wanting an online secure database where we can view them from either our office, at home, or at our co-counsel's office.


EDIT: Just got the disk with the files on it. around 500 MBs, so not much really. About half the storage google docs allows. However, the company that scanned the docs for us did not put them in PDF documents. Its all single page .tiffs FML. Looks like shit just got retarded :/

[SephYuyX]

If your company is set up to host a website in house, it's free. If not, you can do it with hostgator for 100$ a year. If youre paying more than free, youre getting ripped off. 100$ is the most you should be spending if you dont have the in house capabilties, and you can probably find an even cheaper host, but id recommend HG.

[MisterBob]

You really don't want to be uploading case documents to some random person's server, like Senoska's (no offense).

Get a safe, secure, inhouse solution that's behind a Firewall. If you actually want to invest in your organization's future, try something like Sharepoint, as was mentioned earlier.

[Norellicus]

Sharepoint is pretty robust and integrates well with other Microsoft products (i.e. being able to link directly to documents and open them in their appropriate office application, rather than having to go to a webpage and download them first). If your company is looking to spend money on a solution that's a fine choice.

[Hosom]

As others have mentioned, just set up an in house FTP server. The 10 minutes it will take to train the lawyers how to download/upload from FTP will be well worth it for future use.

[Norellicus]

FTP is not secure by any stretch of the imagination, I would only use it if you have implicit trust that everyone who works there should have access to those files.

[Rydir]

have you looked into Sharepoint?

^

Sharepoint is pretty robust and integrates well with other Microsoft products (i.e. being able to link directly to documents and open them in their appropriate office application, rather than having to go to a webpage and download them first). If your company is looking to spend money on a solution that's a fine choice.

^

What they said, if your company is willing to spend the money Sharepoint is pretty badass and integrates very easy with active directory