ExaVault Vs Box Business

Overview of ExaVault

ExaVault is a cloud-hosted FTP platform that enables organizations to securely store, transfer, and share files between users, teams, and organizations. The ExaVault FTP solution provides a robust and secure environment for transferring files over the Internet. It offers a range of features and functionalities that cater to the needs of businesses and individuals who require a reliable and user-friendly file transfer system. ExaVault is targeted at SMB and mid-market businesses and provides support for FTP, SFTP, FTPS, and FTP-SSL protocols. If you or your organization frequently works with large files and requires a reliable and efficient file transfer system, ExaVault is an excellent choice.

In March 2022, ExaVault was acquired by Files.com — a U.S.-based cloud-native Managed File Transfer (MFT) service. However, according to ExaVault, it will continue to operate as a standalone platform in the short term, over the year until it is fully merged with the Files.com platform. Thereafter, ExaVault existing customers will be migrated onto the unified platform, and will get the following additional capabilities and benefits included with their subscription:

• SOC-2 compliance
• Global footprint: Your choice of 7 regions for file storage, including Europe, the UK, Australia, Japan, and Singapore
• Built-in Microsoft Office integration, supporting real-time co-editing
• Stronger security features, including encryption at rest, 3 more types of 2FA, and more compressive controls around IP lists, keys, and passwords
• Granular permissions capabilities
• Desktop app (Windows and Mac)
• Mobile App (iOS and Android)
• Command line app, better API, and SDKs for 6 languages
• Higher quality, instant search results

Exavault offers a free 10-day trial with full access to the entire platform, including all integrations, automations, protocols, and APIs. When you’re ready to buy, your trial environment will seamlessly convert into your paid environment.

Overview of Box Business

Box is a U.S.-based cloud storage and file-sharing service for individuals and businesses.  The business edition known as Box Business is a full-featured product designed primarily to suit the needs of small and mid-size businesses and even enterprise customers. It brings together file storage and sharing, content management, collaboration, e-signature, publishing, password policy enforcement, compliance features, and workflow automation onto a single, secure, easy-to-use platform that simplifies how you work. Supported use cases include cloud Storage and backup, collaboration, cloud content management, remote work, file sharing, project management, large file transfer, and more.

Box also uses a client application to synchronize files and bring them together in one central place on Box’s cloud servers where they can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, but it does not compel them to download these client applications like others do. Instead, it lets them work completely online as if they so wish. However, you are at liberty to download and install desktop apps for Windows or macOS, as well as mobile apps. Box Business has mobile apps for Android and iOS, and you can also access your account in a mobile browser.

Box offers a variety of features, including the ability to create shared folders, collaborate on documents in real-time, and version control. Other features and capabilities include, but are not limited to:

• Box Content Cloud empowers your teams to safely collaborate with anyone, using any productivity tool.
• Box Relay for automating common business processes and accelerating workflows
• Box Canvas for collaborating through chat, sticky notes, voting, and more
• Box Shield for native data leak protection (DLP) and cyber threat detection.
• Box Notes for creating structured project plans and schedules
• Box Shuttle for migrating your content into Box
• Box Sign for facilitating digital signatures
• Lots of add-on products for different industries and situations

A free 14-day trial of Box Business is available on request with full access to the available features. However, Box requires your payment card details to start off the trial period. But won’t be charged until your free trial ends, and you can cancel anytime.

ExaVault vs. Box Business: How They Compare

Installation and Setup

ExaVault is a cloud-based FTP application, which means there are no installation hassles other than the usual sign-up process using an internet-connected device with a supported browser. The sign-up process is straightforward and can be completed in a few simple steps as shown below:

• Sign up and create an account: Visit the ExaVault website and sign up for an account. You will need to provide your basic information and choose a subscription plan that suits your needs.
• Set up your workspace: After signing up and logging in, you will need to set up your workspace. A workspace in ExaVault is essentially a container for your files and folders. You can create multiple workspaces based on your requirements, such as for different projects or clients.
• Configure user accounts: As the account administrator, you can create user accounts for yourself and others who will be accessing the ExaVault platform.
• Connect to ExaVault: Connect to ExaVault using your favorite FTP client software. Once connected, you can start transferring files to and from your ExaVault workspace.

Similarly, Box is also a SaaS-based file hosting and sharing application, which means there are also no installation hassles other than the usual routine sign-up process. The sign-up process begins with a trial period which involves providing your contact, payment card information, and billing address and then confirming your email, and you’re good to go. However, having to enter payment card information to kick-start the trial period can be a turn-off for some.

When you log in for the first time, you go through a guided feature and setup tour, including how to customize branding, how to invite and add users to the platform, how to create folders and files, and more. For those who want to keep a copy of the files locally, you can download the Box Sync client application to synchronize with the cloud storage.

Cloud Storage and Backup

Exavault isn’t designed for online storage and backup, but it performs this function indirectly. It is primarily a cloud-based managed file transfer application, which means its focus is on the secure transfer of files. This also implies that the huge amount of file data that passes through the Exavault network for file transfers is also securely stored on their cloud storage servers around the world. Uploading files, copying files, creating, or updating new versions all contribute to additional storage usage. ExaVault also allows you to create folders and subfolders within your workspace, enabling you to organize your files and maintain a structured file hierarchy. This makes it easier to locate and manage your files efficiently.

On the other hand, Box is a cloud storage and file-sharing service, which means data storage and backup service are part of its primary function. Box’s cloud storage and backup ensures you always have an online backup handy and can access data from anywhere. Box Business users have access to unlimited storage capacity depending on their subscription plan. Box has servers across multiple geographical regions across the globe to support your data residency regulatory requirements.

File Sharing and Collaboration

The real power of Exavault is made manifest when it comes to business-critical managed file transfer workloads. Within ExaVault’s user-friendly web-based interface, you can conveniently send files, share folders, receive files, and perform various tasks effortlessly. The intuitive design allows for seamless navigation, and the drag-and-drop feature simplifies the organization of your files. All your files and folders are accessible in a single, easy-to-manage interface. With streamlined file transfer operations, you can search, click, and share files effortlessly, enabling efficient collaboration and productivity.

A shared folder allows you to let outside parties access a folder in your account (including any files and nested subfolders) using just a link. A file send lets you send one or more files via an easy download link. File sends are different from shared folders because file sends are ‘point in time’- the recipient will get the files as you sent them. Sharing a folder with customers or colleagues is as simple as a single click, instantly generating a unique URL for the shared folder. You can conveniently send invitations via email or instant message to grant access to the shared folder directly from the interface.

In terms of performance, the ExaVault FTP platform excels at providing fast and efficient file transfers. It leverages multiple data centers strategically located around the world, ensuring that users experience reliable and speedy transfers regardless of their geographic location. This makes it an ideal solution for businesses with global operations or remote teams that need to exchange large files quickly.

Box also distinguishes itself in the area of collaboration. The in-built Box Notes supports real-time collaboration where you can securely share ideas, take live notes online, and create structured project plans and schedules with people outside your company. And native Google Workspace and Office 365 support, allows you to create and edit Word documents, spreadsheets, and presentations directly in Box. Box also allows you to send a request to an external collaborator to upload a file directly to your Box cloud storage.

Hosting your files with Box means you can also share them easily with others.  Just like most file-sharing applications, Box allows you to securely share folders and documents with users across the internet by using links and custom URLs. You can also share via email or directly from the document, or even embed the link into your website; including the ability to set permissions such as who can access it, what you can do with it (including Editor and Viewer privileges), and for how long (file expiration dates), as well as allow or block file download. When you share documents or folders by email, the invitee will have to sign up for a Box Business account if they don’t already have a login. If you want to share with external users, you can do that via a public link, and unless they log in, the user can only view the document.

Integrations and Extensions

With ExaVault’s RESTful API, you have complete control and the ability to automate various aspects of your account. This powerful API empowers you to perform tasks such as creating new users, transferring files, retrieving activity logs, and more. Additionally, ExaVault offers built-in webhooks that provide programmatically triggered notifications whenever changes occur. You can leverage web or FTP connections to seamlessly transfer files, and orchestrate all of these functionalities seamlessly using the ExaVault API.

Just like ExaVault, Box also wants to ensure that you have direct access to your favorite productivity apps. Box Business provides out-of-the-box integrations with cloud applications that your teams use most such as Office 365, G Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud, Zoom, Oracle NetSuite, Salesforce, and more. Box also integrates natively with leading security solutions such as Okta, Webex, Broadcom, Splunk, MobileIron, and Palo Alto Networks. For those that want to build custom integrations, Box provides a user-accessible API that can be used to extend its capabilities and functionalities.

Security and Privacy

ExaVault prioritizes data security by implementing advanced encryption protocols during file transfers and storage. This ensures that your files are protected from unauthorized access and interception. The platform utilizes industry-standard encryption protocols to protect data during transit, ensuring that files are securely transferred between parties. Additionally, ExaVault offers advanced user management features, allowing administrators to set user permissions and control access to specific files and folders.

ExaVault provides support for user permissions (read-only, write-only, limit sharing, restrict to home folder, expire user), global permissions (Limit to FTPS/SFTP, IP restrictions, require two-factor authentication, comprehensive audit logs), and share permissions (expire share, password protection, require an email to access, download only mode, delivery receipts). Shared folders can be restricted; e.g. with an expiration date, password, download-only, etc. Share access logs to let you review who’s done what at any given time. It keeps you up-to-date with who has been in the share when it was created, and if any files have been downloaded.

Similarly, when it comes to security, Box ticks most of the boxes, including implementing zero trust architecture (ZTA) as a strategy to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data. Box is fully compliant with ISO 27001, ISO 27018, SOC1, and PCI DSS security standards. It uses SSL/TLS encryption for data-in-transit, and 256-bit AES for encrypting data-at-rest. Box Shield leverages machine learning for native data leak protection (DLP) and cyber threat detection. Box manages your encryption keys by default, meaning it has access to the key that decrypts your data. That makes Box easy to use, but slightly less secure than other services. But you can get around this by using an add-on called Box KeySafe which allows you to gain complete, independent control over your encryption keys. The only challenge here is that it isn’t free.

Licensing and Price Plans

ExaVault offers affordable pricing options for businesses of all sizes. Its pricing plans are broken into Starter, Power, and Premier price plans as shown in the table below.

Table 1.0 | Exavault Price Plans

Plan pricing is partially based on user count, which means that you must commit to a minimum number of users. Charges are based on one total monthly number called “Usage,” representing your total billable usage of the Exavault service. This “Usage” number is the sum of your “Storage Usage” and your “Transfer Usage.”

Box Business offers four different price tiers, ranging from Business to Business Plus, and from Enterprise to Enterprise Plus. No matter what plan you choose, the prices are charged per user per month, billed annually. Box Business cloud storage services pricing seems relatively higher compared to ExaVault and other similar services. However, the Business Plus tier happens to be the most popular among users who want more than what the core Business plan offers but don’t want to invest in the more expensive Enterprise and Enterprise Plus tiers. Nonetheless, Box provides a robust file-sharing and cloud storage service with unlimited storage features that most businesses will find difficult to resist.