'This sync test told me everything that I needed to know about the available solutions for cloud-based file storage.

Using the exact same set of files, Dropbox finished in hours. Box, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive did not complete the upload on either platform, and the sync was cancelled after 5 days’ time. Consider the “sync or swim” test aimed at assessing sync speed: Smith uploaded a 112 GB file set to each service-this included 13 folders containing over 70,000 files of varying sizes-in order to see which would complete the fastest upload on Mac and Windows. So Smith’s team did an extensive comparison of Dropbox, Box for Higher Education, Google Drive for Education, and Microsoft OneDrive. Sync or swimįor Davidson, the path to their server replacement meant putting contenders through their paces. His objective? Enable better collaboration for students and staff at a lower, more predictable price point. When Davidson’s Director of Systems & Networks Rob Smith was looking to replace their twenty-year-old Windows server, he channeled this same sense of innovation. Davidson is known for innovative programs like its elimination of loans in financial aid packages-a first for a liberal arts college. A private liberal arts school located in North Carolina, Davidson College counts 23 Rhodes Scholars, NBA star Stephen Curry, and NASA astronaut Thomas Marshburn among its alumni.

In the end, Dropbox for Education was selected as Davidson’s choice for its faculty, staff, and students.

Instead, the IT team pit Dropbox against three competitors in a series of tests designed to find the best tool for the job.

When Davidson College was looking for a collaboration platform to replace its legacy server, it put aside guesswork and checklists.

Box vs dropbox vs google drive 2015