Access Your Files from Anywhere – Free!
Microsoft has been working on a new ‘cloud’ service called Live Mesh. Live Mesh provides a simple way for you to remotely access you computer(s) and important files from anywhere you have internet access. And better yet, it is free.
Mesh works in conjunction with your Microsoft Passport/Live ID universal account – so the same username and password you use for your other online Microsoft services is what you use with Mesh.
Mesh works with Windows Vista, XP and I have also tested it with Windows Server 2003 without a hitch. (Apparently earlier versions did not support server OSes.) Although I have not tested this myself, the Mesh site says that it will work with certain web enabled phones to allow you to access files you have published to your ‘mesh’.
Simply put, a ‘mesh’ is a group of ‘devices’ – PCs (and also Macs) and folders you set up allowing access to the contents from anywhere you can sign into your Live Mesh account. In the mesh desktop, you manage your folders and designate what the syncrhonization rules will be between your mesh and your devices.
You can access your mesh desktop, and thereby the folders in your mesh, by logging in with a browser w/o adding a PC as a mesh device. However, when you add a PC to the mesh, you gain more functionality. If you have specified that a folder should be synchronized to a device, that folder appears on your device’s Windows desktop right next to your other ‘normal’ icons. You know it is a mesh folder because it is blue instead of the traditional Windows yellow.
Adding a PC to your mesh installs a small application that runs in the system tray. You can specify to have mesh login automatically whenever you turn on the PC. Doing so, as long as you are on the internet, will then allow automatic synchronization of your mesh folders. What this means is that the contents of your shared folders is always up to date across all of your devices and also available online in your Mesh Live Desktop. Never be without your critical files again! (Side note: Currently Mesh allows up to 5 gigabytes of data storage.)
Another very cool feature for Windows PCs in your mesh is remote access. You simply select the device in the device ring in your mesh account and click ‘connect’. As long as that machine is powered on, you will be able to estabish a secure connection and use that machine as if you were sitting in front of it. (Keep in mind that if the device is also used by someone else, you will effectively be bumping them out of the machine – they will get a 30 second notice to decline your remote access request.) With the remote access feature, you can reach out to data and programs that cannot be stored in your mesh folders. Good stuff!
That scratches the surface of Microsoft Live Mesh. If you can benefit from being able to access files and PCs from anywhere you might be, along with data sharing and easy configuration, check out live mesh: www.mesh.com and the Live Mesh blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/livemesh/
M Scott Schaffernoth, ACC
senior analyst
Winnovative Technology Consulting, LLC
