While cloud storage is relatively new, it still remains a facet of the business world that is grounded in the digital world. However, Snow and Dore have brought the cloud across the border into the real world. Upon access, the user will notice the file page is laid out with a tree on the left side, the actual document in the middle, and the metadata associated with said file on the right. The metadata of most cloud storage systems remains similar – names, dates, access logs, etc – but SafelyFiled has one major difference: the location of the original document. Not all documents can be digitized, and sometimes a hard copy is needed for certain aspects of life. Wills, powers of attorney, and death certificates, to name a few, typically need to be certified, paper original. Snow aptly puts it, “The problem with documents that you rarely use is that you forget where they are.” Users can now store the certified original in their physical filing spot and input the exact location into SafelyFiled. That way, when needed, the document can be easily located and utilized. This feature also aids in the bequeathing of digital files and file records to future generations. For example, if an older member of the family who used SafelyFiled passes on, the rest of the family will not have to dig through thousands of papers to find one important document. When you add that to the security system of Dr. Susan Hinrichs, a PhD from Carnegie Mellon, you see why SafelyFiled could have the leg up on the competition. Upon signing up, you are assigned unique keying information only accessible with your password. In addition to that, all data uploaded to the cloud is encrypted with a 256 bit key that is protected with your keying information. So, even if someone were able to break into your storage account, they would not be able to make heads or tails of your information without your unique password. While the security features of the system are complex, Snow assures us (laughing) that “a lot of work went into making the user experience very easy.” To assure that each user gets the most out of their experience, Snow and Dore have also developed SafelyFiled to work with mobile platforms. That way you can access your files anytime and anyplace. And while programs like Dropbox and Evernote offer features like this, they fail to cross the barrier into real-world filing and organizing. It is one thing to know you have the information you need, but it is another thing entirely to know the exact location of that information when you need it.
