JungleDisk - The Future of Grid Computing?

As we move into a generation of increased grid computing and client/server applications over the Internet, online storage is going to be a key component.  There is lots of speculation that Google will get in the game and offer a ” gDisk” online storage capability, but for those willing to pay a small fee, the solution is already here in the form of Amazon’s S3 service.

S3 is a file storage service with an associated API that let’s developers store files on Amazon’s highly redundant server farms.  Unfortunately, while individuals can set up Amazon web services accounts, they are unable to access the S3 service without understanding how to access the API.

Enter JungleDisk which is a commercial software solution that allows users to access S3 storage via a simple user interface.  JungleDisk is available for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux and once launched can be easily configured with your S3 account information.  The user can also configure an optional encryption mode which will individually protect every file stored on the S3 server.  Once configured and launched, JungleDisk creates a mount point on your desktop that can be accessed just like any other drive in your system (assuming you have Internet connectivity).   Worried that your MacBook Air not having enough hard drive space with that SSD option?  JungleDisk can give you near infinite storage available anywhere you can establish a connection.

Additionally, JungleDisk is available in USB format as well.  Load the small apps on your USB drive and you can launch them from any computer and access your S3 storage while keeping all your personal authentication information on the USB key only.  S3 storage is reasonably priced and getting cheaper all the time, so with the availability of JungleDisk there is no reason you shouldn’t be using it for storage on the go, or just as a reliable back-up solution.