CyBox lets you access work files almost anywhere

If you email work files to yourself or often carry those files around on a thumb drive, consider trying CyBox, Iowa State's new cloud-based storage system.

This convenient tool for stashing and retrieving work files was rolled out last spring and has attracted several thousand users. Nice features of the new system include:

• Easy setup. Faculty, staff and students have instant access to the free service.  To start using CyBox, simply go to iastate.box.com and sign in with your ISU Net-ID and password.
• Access anywhere. If you can get to the Internet, you can get to your CyBox.
• Lots of space. Faculty and staff automatically get 50GB of space and students get 25GB. Individuals can obtain more free space under special circumstances.
• More data security.  Unlike other storage accounts, CyBox meets standards of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Sharing on campus and beyond. You can selectively share folders or files with anyone via an email address or link.
• Special apps.  CyBox comes with several free applications to make it easy to transfer and work on files. Particularly useful is Box Sync for Windows or Mac, which allows you to access shared files and folders right from your computer's desktop.

CyBox is a version of the popular storage site Box.com that's been tailored for an educational institution, said Mike Lohrbach, information technology services senior systems analyst. ISU has contracted with Box.com to ensure that CyBox has beefed-up security to protect student privacy required by FERPA. Those contracts also guarantee that data in CyBox stays within the continental United States and that Iowa State retains ownership of the data.

"Because of the security aspects, we encourage faculty and staff to move work-related projects from other free cloud storage accounts to CyBox," Lohrbach said.

CyBox vs. CyFiles

Faculty, staff and students also have access to another free storage option, CyFiles, launched a couple of years ago.  The table below shows key differences between the two storage systems.