External Drive Backup Requests

Many organizations have long-term archival or regulatory needs that require local, offline access to their files. Sometimes that takes the form of a request to export content to a physical external drive and have it mailed. Files.com does not offer a service that writes data to a hard drive and ships it to customers, but two alternatives reach the same outcome: syncing to a major cloud provider and using that provider's physical-export service, or downloading directly to a drive you already own.

Using Cloud Syncs for Physical Exports

The most scalable way to produce a physical backup from Files.com is to sync content to a cloud storage platform that offers its own physical-export service. This approach handles terabyte-scale data with minimal manual work and uses the provider's secure shipping and verification.

Sync to Amazon S3 and Request an AWS Snowball

Files.com can Sync directly to Amazon S3. Once the sync is complete, you initiate a Snowball job from your AWS Console, specifying the S3 bucket as the data source. AWS loads the data onto a Snowball appliance and ships it to your location.

Snowball includes encryption, integrity verification, and secure erasure of the device on return. It is built for customers who need to offload large datasets from the cloud while keeping physical control of the archive.

Alternatives: Azure Data Box and Google Transfer Appliance

If you are using Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud, similar services are available.

Microsoft's Azure Data Box pairs with an Azure Blob Storage container. After syncing Files.com to the container, you request a Data Box device, which Microsoft loads with your data and ships to you. The service supports up to 80TB per device and follows secure encryption and shipping protocols.

Google's Transfer Appliance works the same way. After syncing Files.com to a Google Cloud Storage bucket, you request a Transfer Appliance that arrives at your location preloaded with your content. Google offers devices in 100TB and 480TB capacities for high-volume transfers.

Managing Backups Yourself with Local Tools

If you already have external drives or prefer a hands-on approach, Files.com offers two ways to download content directly: the Files CLI App and the Desktop v6 App.

Using the Files.com CLI

The Files CLI App fits users who are comfortable with the command line and want to script or automate the download. After installing the CLI and authenticating with your Files.com account, you point the tool at any directory in your Files.com storage and mirror its contents to a connected external drive. A single CLI command recursively downloads an entire folder tree to the target location. The same command can run on a schedule for ongoing local backups or pre-archival exports.

Using Files.com Desktop v6

The Desktop v6 App fits users who prefer a graphical interface. Once installed, the app mounts your Files.com storage as a drive on your local file system, the same way an external USB drive appears. You navigate your Files.com folders in the app and copy files or folders to an external drive. This works well for ad-hoc or one-time backups where scripting is not needed.

Choosing the Right Method

Customers handling massive data volumes are usually best served by syncing to a cloud provider and using a physical-export service like Snowball, Data Box, or Transfer Appliance. Teams that already own the drives and want to manage the process directly are better served by the CLI for scripted, repeatable exports, or by Desktop v6 for one-time visual workflows.