We must get asked more questions about OneDrive from confused users than anything else. I’ve never liked the word users, I prefer clients, customers or even just people. It’s dehumanising! Where else are people refered to as users other than in reference to IT and drug addicts!
So, what is OneDrive?
Anyway, back to OneDrive. OneDrive is Microsofts general term for cloud storage. It used to be called SkyDrive (remember that?) but now it’s called OneDrive.
Every Hotmail, Live and Outlook account is now refered to as a Microsoft Account and gets 15Gb of OneDrive storage in the cloud (aka microsofts hosted servers). You can even create Microsoft accounts using your personal email domain, or even gmail address.
For example, I have a “Microsoft Account” with the username tom@jollyit.co.uk. This is linked to a OneDrive.
All clear so far??
The confusion arrives when you bring Office 365 to the table. Office 365 is a Microsoft cloud platform.
When you create an Office 365 account you get a user name. Something like <your name>@<your company>.onmicrosoft.com. Simples!
However once you’ve created that, the first thing you do is add your company domain name, e.g. jollyit.co.uk and change all the usernames to your email addresses.
This means I can log into Office 365 with my email address tom@jollyit.co.uk
Are you still following me?
Here is where most people get lost. I now have a live account, AND an Office 365 account with the same username. If you are like most people, you use the same password for both, so you have the exact same username and password for two separate Microsoft services.
ok, so what is OneDrive for Business??
Office 365 comes in many flavours, services and service bundles. The main ones are Exchange Online, Sharepoint Online, Skype for Business and OneDrive for Business.
Sharepoint Online and OneDrive for Business are both cloud file storage platforms.
So I now have two accounts, both with the same email address and password, one, the live account has OneDrive, and the other, the Office 365 account which has OneDrive for Business and Sharepoint.
You can access all three through the web interface, and also sync them. As of now, all three have different sync tools, but you will find if you sync them they will show up as shown in the pic below.
The trick is not to confuse the three.
Onedrive is personal storage via your Microsoft Account.
OneDrive for Business is personal storage for you and your business via your Office 365 Supscription.
Sharepoint is shared storage for you and your business also via your Office 365 Subscription
All three have their place and advantages and disadvantages.
So, now that is cleared up, maybe you would like some more information about them or how to use them.
If you do, give us a call on 08003317668 or email info@jollyit.co.uk
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