Moving HUGE files?

Kwesi · #1 04-02-2011, 12:49 PM

So, I've recently gotten into photography and I've found it's something that I really love to do and want to turn it into a small business if possible (not a career though, lol). Anyway, as I expected the archives of photos that I take are huge and it would be nice if there were some reliable way to get my photos to my clients without having to meet them physically (because they're all over the place).

Previously, I used MegaUpload because it let me get away with pretty large, single files but the archive I'm trying to move now is nearly 5GB. I thought about creating a torrent and directing my client to them but I feel like the download would take ages with only one seed. Any ideas would be a appreciated!

DRafalske · #2 04-02-2011, 12:59 PM

6-8gb flash drives can be had pretty cheap these days. Just include their cost in your price and deliver your clients' photos on the flash drive.

MJ5150 · #3 04-02-2011, 01:00 PM

Use the cloud.

Set up an FTP. If you're dishing out 5GB at a time, that is a good option. You have no control on the speed or time anyway since you can't control how they connect to download, so don't sweat that.

-Mike

bluestarbass · #4 04-02-2011, 01:06 PM

Yea it's fairly easy to set a media server or FTP server. Get a quick Internet connection, a static IP, and a decent computer with lots of storage.

Jimbob Jones · #5 04-02-2011, 01:07 PM

you could even get a few flash drives printed with your company logo; that'd look dead pro.

Kwesi · #6 04-02-2011, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Use the cloud.

Set up an FTP. If you're dishing out 5GB at a time, that is a good option. You have no control on the speed or time anyway since you can't control how they connect to download, so don't sweat that.

-Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluestarbass

Yea it's fairly easy to set a media server or FTP server. Get a quick Internet connection, a static IP, and a decent computer with lots of storage.

Yeah, I'll be looking into this soon. We'eve got a bunch of computers around the house that I could probably set up as servers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbob Jones

you could even get a few flash drives printed with your company logo; that'd look dead pro.

Haha, this would be sweet! I'd probably wait until I'm have a larger customer base so I could offset the cost.

**Horny Toad** · #7 04-02-2011, 01:29 PM

Maybe use an online backup service like iDrive and give people temporary access for downloading. 500gb is like $150 per year.

Online Backup, Data Backup and Remote Backup for PC and Mac | IDrive

Selta · #8 04-02-2011, 02:10 PM

Just realize that if you do home serving, a home internet connection wont work. Well, it'll work, but you'll run into a limit :P Especially if you have Comcast. You'll either end up over the 250GB monthly limit and get shut down, or you'll get a nice cease and desist letter from them due to running a server at your home (which violates many ISP's TOS). You don't need a static IP, just use dyndns. But, you'll want to look into business level connectivity, which will be more $, and usually includes a static IP anyway, and will let you run your server without issues.
Otherwise, if you want to skirt the "home server" idea (but not the bandwidth one), then just buy a hosting package somewhere and upload all of the stuff to it, and then setup a web driven front end that they log into and view/download their stuff.

sloasdaylight · #9 04-02-2011, 02:22 PM

There's a service called yousend it, that lets you send really large files, which you may want to look into. The other thing would be to set up a website on a hosting account with some one like Hostgator or Micfo and buy one of their unlimited plans (which are fairly cheap if I remember right), and, then password protect certain directories for customers with a random collection of characters. That's how we handle things anyways. We set up a domain like http://www.exampledomain.com/clients/Billy-bob and then assign a user/pass to that folder, which we only give out to the client, and is randomly generated by me or my boss or one of the dogs @ work slamming a hand/paw down on the keyboard. Words pretty well, because the client doesn't need an ftp server, doesn't need to go to a weird address or anything, and you don't have to give out FTP information.

hover · #10 04-02-2011, 02:33 PM

there's always dropbox...

MJ5150 · #11 04-02-2011, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

Well, it'll work, but you'll run into a limit

Tap into a neighbors wireless.

-Mike

Stilettoprefer · #12 04-02-2011, 04:37 PM

Could get your own website where you can have folders for each client that are password protected and a "sample" folder for public viewing.

seventhson · #13 04-02-2011, 05:53 PM

Just get a gmail account and use their Documents. You can store gigabytes of data there for free. Use a program like winrar or 7zip to break up your archives into manageable chunks.

Happynoj · #14 04-02-2011, 05:58 PM

Can't you just host them all on flickr or a similar site?

seventhson · #15 04-02-2011, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happynoj

Can't you just host them all on flickr or a similar site?

photo sites will make hi-res photos lower-res to host them efficiently.

L-A · #16 04-02-2011, 07:45 PM

Send your client a nicely packaged USB key. When a photographer I hired mails me a DVD or a flash drive in an identified box that can withstand archiving, I consider it extremely convenient, and the additional attention goes far in telling his or her commitment to quality.

p.s. Screw the whole world and their sufficient amount of monthly bandwidth. But that's another story.

DerHoggz · #17 04-02-2011, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L-A

Send your client a nicely packaged USB key. When a photographer I hired mails me a DVD or a flash drive in an identified box that can withstand archiving, I consider it extremely convenient, and the additional attention goes far in telling his or her commitment to quality.

p.s. Screw the whole world and their sufficient amount of monthly bandwidth. But that's another story.

Yeah, a dvd in a case shouldn't be too expensive.

NateS · #18 04-02-2011, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L-A

Send your client a nicely packaged USB key.

p.s. Screw the whole world and their sufficient amount of monthly bandwidth. But that's another story.

Here here! That's exactly what I would do.

(And yea, the whole "nobody should use more than x amount of bandwidth" is total bs. You are an internet service provider, I pay you for internet. I'm gonna use it.)

TheSuzie · #19 04-03-2011, 12:18 AM

At this point I would have to vote for physical media. Some of your customers may also be subject to bandwidth caps. I am forced to live with 5GB/month because there is no DSLAM within about 15 miles nor any cable.

Good Luck,
S