Today is a big day for OneDrive, with several long-awaited features rolling out at once. Microsoft has brought a host of file collaboration features and a dedicated Mac client.
Among those features is the ability to sync between OneDrive and SharePoint Online. Users can now work will all of their team site files, including those inside Microsoft Teams and OneDrive folders. The features should make things far more seamless and include offline functionality.
Standalone Mac Client and Activity Center
The other major change is a standalone Mac client. Though OneDrive is available in the App Store, some organizations prefer to deploy apps outside of it. Microsoft has now made a separate .pkg file available for such scenarios.
The client will let admins modify options like visual overlays in Finder, enabling sync status, and Finder shortcuts. You can also modify OneDrive sync to run on login, and it comes with multi-language support.
In addition, the new OneDrive sync client is now available on Mac and Windows. The feature first appeared in Windows Insider build 14986, so its good to see a wider release. It provides a better overview of sync status and recent activity.
Better Sharing Experience
As well as SharePoint sync, Microsoft has overhauled the sharing options themselves. The new interface gives simple warnings when sharing outside of an organization. Links to external users will bring up the sharing pane, allowing for expiration dates, anonymous guest links, and more.
This combines with more streamlined guest access. When outside users try to access a file with authentication, they're directed to a more simplified account setup process. This results in much faster access to the files.
OneDrive Admin Center
Finally, Microsoft is rolling out a boatload of new management tools for admins. The new OneDrive admin Center has the following new features:
- “Home—Admin center dashboard will soon show recent Office 365 Message Center posts and usage reporting related to OneDrive.
- Sharing—This section helps you gain control over how and with whom your users are sharing information. Includes controlling the use of external sharing and anonymous links, as well as limiting which external domains users can share with.
- Sync—You now can block syncing of specific file types and deny syncing to non-domain joined PCs.
- Storage—Where you can easily set default storage limits and document retention durations.
- Device access—This gives you control over how and from where a user can access their files. Includes allow/deny access from personal devices or specific networks as well as rich Mobile Application Management Intune policies for iOS and Android.
- Compliance—Offers quick links to the Office 365 Security and Compliance Center for key scenarios like auditing, data loss prevention, retention and eDiscovery.
- Notification—Ability to turn on/off various notifications for your tenant.”
In all, this is a significant update for OneDrive for Business. It addresses issues customers have been complaining about for a while, while also simplifying the whole experience. You can find more information about all of these changes on the Office blog.
Last Updated on January 26, 2017 4:50 am CET
