ownCloud (the business) could be dead. But long live Datto Drive. Indeed, ownCloud -- an enterprise file sync and sharing service -- ceased U.S. operations in recent days. The logical question from MSPs: What does that mean for Datto Drive, which leveraged some ownCloud technology via partnership?
The quick answer from Datto CEO Austin McChord: Drive is alive and well. In a blog, McChord said:
"Datto was disappointed to see ownCloud, a long-standing technology partner, cease US operations last week. However, the status of ownCloud has no bearing on Datto nor the ongoing development of Datto Drive, our File Sync and Share service built upon the open source and enterprise versions of ownCloud 9.0. Datto has comprehensive rights to the use, development and distribution of the ownCloud source code and continues to invest significantly in the ongoing development of Datto Drive to target the specific file sharing requirements of small and mid-sized businesses across the globe.
Datto Drive launched earlier this year as a freemium alternative to Box and Dropbox. And within the MSP sector, it's expected to compete against Autotask Workplace and eFolder Anchor, among other options. The twist? Drive is designed to be a lead generation service for MSPs. As end-customers sign up for Drive, the company promised to funnel those leads to its MSP base.
Drive is one of several major initiatives that seek to extend Datto beyond the backup and disaster recovery (BDR) market. Multiple unveilings are expected at DattoCon16, the company's partner conference, later this month. Chief among them: Datto Network Appliance (DNA), a WiFi router designed for MSPs.
