OwnCloud Alternative: Remote Access Without Migration
Keep your files where they are. MyWorkDrive delivers instant, secure, and compliant remote file access using your existing Windows file servers, Azure Files/Blob, or S3-compatible object storage. No data migration, no sync, and no new workflows. Full service support always included.
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Quick Comparison
| Capability |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Data migration required | No — works in place with SMB/NTFS, Azure Files/Blob, or object storage you control | Avoidable via External Storage (SMB/CIFS, S3); otherwise files live on ownCloud-managed storage |
| Active Directory / Entra ID integration | Native — live NTFS permissions enforced, no duplicate identity store | LDAP/AD or SSO (SAML/OIDC); NTFS ACLs not enforced unless SMB mounted per-user via External Storage |
| File locking | Native SMB locks for local and remote users, consistent with Windows workflows | Application-level locks, not SMB-native; mixed SMB scenarios need careful configuration |
| Hosting model / stack | Windows Server + IIS/.NET you manage, or your own cloud. No external database | Self-hosted server you run: legacy oC 10 (PHP/LAMP) or Infinite Scale (Go, database-less) |
| Maintenance overhead | Minimal — no external database or reindexing, uses your existing storage stack | Higher — a separate platform to deploy, secure, upgrade, and scale yourself |
| Product continuity | Stable, long-term roadmap | Acquired by Kiteworks in 2023; portfolio consolidation expected |
| Compliance & security | Built-in DLP, view-only/no-download, watermarking, and SIEM integration — no extra configuration required | Self-hosted; controls depend on your deployment. File Access Control and optional E2E encryption available |
| Support | Included at no extra charge | Community support free; Enterprise support is a paid subscription |
| List price | $5/user/mo or lessall features included | Free / by quoteCommunity free; Enterprise priced by sales, 25-user minimum |
Faster Setup, Lower Costs
No Migration Required
Deploy in minutes overlaying your existing SMB/NTFS shares or Azure Files/Blob. No re-permissioning, no user disruption.
Native AD and Entra ID
Live NTFS enforcement—no fragile sync jobs or permission drift. Keep Access-Based Enumeration behavior.
Lower Cost of Ownership
$5/user/month or less, zero migration spend, reduced infra/support overhead. Full service support is included.
Why Choose MyWorkDrive?
Architecture and Data Residency
- MyWorkDrive: Files remain in place (on-prem or your cloud storage). No external databases or vendor storage required.
- OwnCloud: Requires a web server, database, and storage solution (either local or external). OwnCloud may involve managing external storage depending on configuration.
Identity & Permissions
- MyWorkDrive: Uses your existing Active Directory/Entra ID directly; NTFS ACLs are authoritative and enforced live.
- OwnCloud: Integrates with LDAP/AD, supports SSO, but does not enforce NTFS ACLs for file permissions by default. External storage may require additional configuration for permissions.
File Locking & Collaboration
- MyWorkDrive: Native SMB locking interoperates with on-prem workflows and Office co-authoring via Microsoft 365 or OnlyOffice without moving data.
- OwnCloud: File locking uses its own mechanism for conflict resolution but doesn't natively support SMB. OwnCloud provides real-time collaboration through integrations like Collabora and OnlyOffice.
Performance & Endpoint Risk
- MyWorkDrive: HTTPS streaming with minimal endpoint data sprawl; no large sync folders.
- OwnCloud: Uses sync clients for web, desktop, and mobile, which may place data on endpoints. Features like virtual files may reduce local copies depending on client OS and configuration.
Maintenance & Deployment
- MyWorkDrive: Windows Server + IIS. No external DB to patch/backup; keep your existing backup/DR regime.
- OwnCloud: Requires web server, database, and cron jobs to maintain. Upgrades and backups need to be managed across the app and underlying infrastructure. External storage adds complexity.
Security You Can Prove
With MyWorkDrive, authentication and authorization stay anchored in your directory and your NTFS. No vendor keys to rotate for at-rest copies you don’t control, and no third-party repository to certify, making attestations simpler for regulated workloads.
Data Loss Prevention
(Block downloads, disable copy/paste, watermarking, device approvals)
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What our users are saying
Industry-leading secure remote file access solution
We have determined that MyWorkDrive software is essential to the Government’s requirements and market research indicates that other companies’ similar products do not meet or cannot be modified to meet the agency’s needs.
We conducted annual market research in January 2025 by comparing two competitors, ShareFile and Dropbox.
However, neither of these companies provides us with the necessary capabilities required to allow us to utilize the existing infrastructure, maintain stringent control over their data, and integrate with current enterprise security and authentication protocols.
These companies software do not provide real-time collaboration capabilities, does not eliminate Virtual Private Network (VPN) security risks nor prevent lateral network access.
Due to the inabilities noted, we have determined that MyWorkDrive software is essential to the Government’s requirements and market research indicates that other companies’ similar products do not meet or cannot be modified to meet the agency’s needs.
MyWorkDrive is the most network secure compatible software application capable of eliminating VPN security risks and preventing lateral network access…
…Therefore, it is in the Government’s best interest to procure MyWorkDrive software.
Undisclosed Government Agency
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