While personal cloud space and services like Dropbox had already simplified file sharing and collaboration to a certain level, Google has just released its Upspin to deliver an upgraded experience. The new file sharing framework is available as an open source solution.
Upspin makes it easy for end users to set up a secure file sharing system. Google is particularly targeting at personal users, friends and families who are seeking an easy-to-understand and easy-to-use file sharing system. The open source project has paid keen attention even to file names and lets you modify the permission access for each user.
“Upspin is not an ‘app’ or a web service, but rather a suite of software components indented to run in the network and on devices connected to it that together provide a secure, modern information storage and sharing network,” Google’s software engineering team writes in a blog post.
New way to create path name
Upspin can help you evaluate full path name using FUSE filesystem. The path name for each folder in the framework begins with user’s email address followed by folder and then file name. This is very similar to Unix path name.
Notably, Upspin names are used to identify regular static files and directories. These path names can also point to dynamic content by devices, sensors and services.
Each file shared through the Google solution consists of a description of all users and their permissions. Upspin has also provided an option to limit server bandwidths and records. Both these features enhance your experience not just as an end-user but also as a developer or service provider who has integrated Upspin in an app or web service.
Google has enabled end-to-end cryptographic encryption in Upspin. This makes the data stored on Upspin secure and trustworthy. Going forward, the search giant is in plans to integrate the open source solution with its Key Transparency server.
You can access the code of Upspin from a GitHub repository. The online repository has necessary documentation to let you easily contribute to the solution.
