The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has started operation of the online memory service “bwSync&Share” for the synchronization and sharing of documents. The state-wide ser-vice is available cost-free to about 350,000 students and 100,000 employees of all universities in Baden-Württemberg and, hence, represents the biggest university cloud in Germany. Every user can now access about ten gigabytes of memory capacity at his workplace and via mobile devices. The memory service is funded by the State Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts.
To cope with current research tasks, scientists of various institutions are forced to increasingly cooperate. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for tools supporting such a cooperation. Joint processing and easy, secure, and flexible exchange of documents among universities are indispensable.
”bwSync&Share“ is a memory service developed by KIT’s Steinbuch Centre for Computing (SCC) in cooperation with the Power Folder company. The service is to provide for the exchange of data among various users, computers, and mobile end devices. Research re-sults, homework, photos or videos can be stored, shared, and syn-chronized. Access takes place via desktop systems, smartphones, tablets, or web interfaces. This ensures maximum comfort for the user. In the starting phase, 500 terabytes will be supplied for “bwSync&Share” in Karlsruhe. The memory capacity per user is limited to ten gigabytes.
“In contrast to other known services like “Dropbox” or “Google Drive”, the data are not stored at server locations abroad, but at KIT’s Large-scale Data Facility. Hence, the service is subject to German law. Employees and students of universities and colleges in Baden-Württemberg do no longer have to trust external cloud services, but can cooperate easily and safely via this state-wide service,” Nico Schlitter, head of the project at SCC, explains.
The data of the bwSync&Share users are stored at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and, hence, are subject to Germany law. Communication between the end devices of the users and the central memory systems is encoded. Data access is restricted to the user supplying the data and other users authorized by him.
Use of “bwSync&Share” is cost-free for members of the state uni-versities and colleges. Members of other institutions can also use the service, but do not possess a personal memory space.
For access to the service and further information, click https://bwSyncAndShare.lsdf.kit.edu
For further information, please contact:
Ursula Scheller, SCC, Tel.: +49 721 608-44865, Fax: +49 721 32550, E-Mail: ursula scheller ∂does-not-exist.kit edu
Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.