One of my favorite Windows Live applications is Live Mesh. There hasn't been much exposure for this application because it's still in beta. For those of you who don't know what Live Mesh is, I'll give a short introduction before I get into the overview.Live Mesh is a program that allows you to sync an unlimited amount of data to an unlimited amount of computers. Live Mesh will automatically sync any new content inside your folders to everyone in your cloud. The beauty of Live Mesh is that you can also access your files online if you don't have access to one of your cloud computers using your Live Desktop. Windows Live Mesh is currently only available for Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X v10.5 or higher.
Getting started:
Before you even get started with Live Mesh, Microsoft Silverlight must be installed in order to for you to even download or view your Live Mesh homepage. After you have Silverlight installed, head over to the Windows Live Mesh homepage, sign in with your Windows Live ID, and click "Add Device". Then select your OS and install the Live Mesh application. You'll need to do this for all of your machines you want to synchronize your files to.
After you have Live Mesh installed on your machines, you'll need to sign into the client with your Windows Live ID. You then need to name your device, which is the tricky part. By default, Live Mesh will name your device as your default PC name, but for many that won't cut it especially if you're on a work computer. After you've successfully named your device, you're ready to start synchronizing files.
Syncing your files:
The biggest misconception with Live Mesh is the fact that many people believe you only have 5GB of storage. While this is indeed true, that limit is only applied to your Live Desktop (There is a trick to getting around that limit, which we'll explain in a few). To start syncing your files, you're going to need to add a folder by hovering over the Live Mesh systray icon and going to the folders tab and clicking "Manage Folders". Next simply right click in the window, and click "Live Mesh Options -> Create Live Mesh Folder".
Before you just add your folder, you need to take a look at the synchronization options. If you're not going to need your select files stored in your Live Desktop, which is your online storage, then make sure to select "Never synchronize with this device", especially if you've moving more than 5GB of data. You can then either copy and paste files into your folder, or drag and drop.
If you just want to synchronize existing folders with your cloud, simply right click on the folder of your choice and click "Add folder to Live Mesh". Your folder will remain in place, and your cloud will receive the folder and all of the files within.
Your files will then start synchronizing to all of your devices in your cloud. Be aware though, the synchronization process is very complex. Live Mesh will only synchronize if you have enough system resources and your Internet usage is at a minimum.
Note: Your synchronized folders will appear on your desktop automatically. When Live Mesh is not active, your folders will use the standard folder icon, but when you are signed into Live Mesh they will use a fancy dark blue icon.
Using your Live Desktop:
This is the trickiest part of the Live Mesh platform, but if you just pay attention to the settings you will be fine. The main focus of your Live Desktop is to provide you with offline access to your files, which to be honest is what Windows Live SkyDrive is for. None-the-less as I mentioned earlier, your Live Desktop only has 5GB of storage. To access your Live Desktop, simply login to the Live Mesh website.
Click "Add New Folder", and upload your files. Do note that by default the folders in your Live Desktop will not synchronize with your cloud but will add a folder on your desktop. When you click on the folder, it will bring up the synchronization opens. However, as mentioned earlier if you do not want to synchronize your files in your Live Desktop, you can simply delete the shortcut created on your desktops. Annoying I know, and hopefully this will be fixed in the future.
As you notice in the above screenshot, when you open your Live Desktop you're going to see two different color folders. The dark blue folder are files that you have actually synchronized to your Live Desktop, and the light blue folders are files that you have not synchronized to your Live Desktop. Why did Microsoft force all of your folders to show in your Live Desktop even if you have not synchronized them there? No one will ever know, but hopefully that will be addressed in the next release.
Overview:
Overall the Live Mesh platform is an excellent way to tie your cloud together. There are many other features that are not featured above, such as the ability to invite members to your Live Mesh folders, renaming your folders via the web, alerts when members edit, add, or delete files from your folders, and so much more. The only thing that I hope Microsoft will address in future versions is the Live Desktop and it's misconception. While I like being able to access my files when I am not online, I do not like the fact that the folders I create in my Live Desktop are added to my cloud's desktop.
If you're looking for a client to synchronize your plethora of files across your cloud, Live Mesh is the perfect solution. Live Mesh has come a long way since the initial beta, and with Wave 4 just around the corner we're going to see some huge improvement as well as some cool new features. Wouldn't it be great to use this on your mobile devices? ;)
I'm really looking forward to blending applications in with Live Mesh, I can see a TON of useful features for it.
Alos, Mesh provides remote desktop functionality to any connected devices if they install that component. It's handy being able to click on a device in your mesh and remote control it.
Except that Windows Live Sync does not do RDP
Last edited by jesseinsf on 28 Feb 2009 - 20:28
Source: http://blog.hznet.nl/2009/02/07/microsoft-sync-vs-live-mesh
Also waiting for storage upgrade. My Live Mesh is already reached its limit, which is 5GB and now either I have to create a new account or live with this only account.
That way the data can be synced but doesn't have to store space on the Live Desktop.
That way the data can be synced but doesn't have to store space on the Live Desktop.
I should have emphasized another point in the editorial. Live Mesh shouldn't be used for mass storage, you can but that isn't the aim or goal of using Live Mesh. If you're synchronizing your data to your cloud, why have it uploaded to your Live Desktop? Your Live Desktop is for online access to your files, which is the entire point of SkyDrive.
That way the data can be synced but doesn't have to store space on the Live Desktop.
I should have emphasized another point in the editorial. Live Mesh shouldn't be used for mass storage, you can but that isn't the aim or goal of using Live Mesh. If you're synchronizing your data to your cloud, why have it uploaded to your Live Desktop? Your Live Desktop is for online access to your files, which is the entire point of SkyDrive.
Offline access to Synchronized/Updated files. SkyDrive won't do that. And if you don't need live desktop, live sync is pretty much Live Mesh without Live Desktop with different working structure.
Last edited by Sam Symons Live on 01 Mar 2009 - 00:31
Too bad.
They will probably expand it again in March.
Check the live mesh mobile forums for help.
I been setting it up for DR for family and Friends for there data and Photos. The new features are very nice.
It is not annoying at all since you forgot or dont know how to turn it off. All the folder in live desktop will show up in your desktop immediately by default after u install Live Mesh on your system. If you dont want it there then hover over the mesh icon in system tray and select "view recent folder activities", click on each folder and change the setting. If you select never syns any particular folder with this system the folder on the desktop will dissappear immediately. If you decided not to have the syns folder on your desktop you could also follow the above direction and browse to any particular folder of your choosing in the setting stage.
I dont have this problem at all, how did u even have a light color blue folder on your live desktop????
I dont have this problem at all, how did u even have a light color blue folder on your live desktop????
Your correct that the folders from your Live Desktop appear by default on your desktop, and as I mentioned in the article that is very confusing. The purpose of your Live Desktop is to provide online access to your files in case you do not or can not have Live Mesh installed on select machines you use.
If I opt out to NOT synchronize folders on select machines I do not want the shortcuts created automatically.
In regards to the folder colors, as I explained in the article. When you're browing through your Live Desktop, if you opt out to NOT synchronize your files to your cloud your folders will be light blue. If you synchronize your folders in your Live Desktop to your cloud, they will appear dark blue.
Cloud service is a term refer to online storage service that allow you to store stuff like documents, pictures and others "legal" stuff to their server. It's like you rent a locker at the airport. When people refer to "cloud" or "my cloud" it mean they talking about their online storage. Microsoft Skydrive is one such "free" service but it doesn't have sync like Mesh. By being able to syns your stuff mean any changes on any particular files will automatically be updated up on the "cloud" so your stuff will always be the "recent" one.
For example, I have my desktop IE Favorite folder sync to Mesh so if I delete a few old links and add a couple new one or reorganize it into subfolder. All these changes will automatically be updated onto the cloud(Mesh). Then I add my laptop to Mesh and sync the "Live Desktop Favorite folder" to my favorite folder(on the laptop). After all that if you open up your IE on your laptop and go to favorite you will see the same links as of your desktop.
Live Desktop is refer to the actual folder on the cloud service on Mesh.
Sorry if this is still confusing because my english is limited but in laymens terms it is simply mean after all that trouble your data (favorite folder) is now on 3 places, your desktop, your laptop, and your cloud (Mesh) and it will continously updating any changes as long as you logon.
I understood it completely.
EDIT: Damn can't use it at work, they blocked it....oh well, still be useful at home
Last edited by Xerxes on 01 Mar 2009 - 21:58
Like every time you sync a new document, it automatically keeps backups of your old files before the change?
Dropbox has this feature and it is why I use it, not only for syncing over multiple computers but also for the revisions feature.
https://www.getdropbox.com
It's so plain and simple and does the job without any pestering.
Got the office, home and laptop syncing a works folder so all three continuously have the same folder with the same work in it, no matter where i do the work it's available to all. If i forget something that's not synced then it's straight on to a remote collection to retrieve it pow, job done
It's free!
Forever
Any idea when the size of the storage will be increased? I know some lucky people who attended a conference got boosted up to 30GB. 5GB just isn't enough for all my music files and I need them in the cloud in case anything happens to my laptop and external hard drive
Any idea when the size of the storage will be increased? I know some lucky people who attended a conference got boosted up to 30GB. 5GB just isn't enough for all my music files and I need them in the cloud in case anything happens to my laptop and external hard drive
As far as I know, they have no plans on upping the storage because it would defeat the purpose of SkyDrive
For example, I have a folder I use for development which I am synchronizing to another computer but I don't want it to synchronize my complied files because they tend to be very large and consume a great deal of bandwidth.
Anyone know?
It make so much sense to push them all towards one unified service, and it's bound to be well liked by users everywhere if Microsoft plays the cards right. Just another one of Microsoft's better innovations.
If you guys have missed our coverage, you will be glad to know that Live Mesh and Office Live recently merged into the Windows Live platform. Wave 4 will be the start of a simplified version of Windows Live. As much as I can say at this point.
Does Live Fresh has revisions support?
Like every time you sync a new document, it automatically keeps backups of your old files before the change?
Dropbox has this feature and it is why I use it, not only for syncing over multiple computers but also for the revisions feature.
https://www.getdropbox.com
Sorry, it does not support multiple versions. It will just notify you of change such as "Jimmy B. updated file Meeting Confirmation E-Mail.msg 11:00 AM"
In addition, it does not keep track of renames, it will only show "updated file xxxx" with the new name, it won't mention that it was renamed from ABCD.xls to XXXX.xls. I found that odd...
If they increase the storage from 5GB to 25GB (once they merge it with SkyDrive) it might be possible to keep copies of all edited files' original or previous versions.
PS: Dropbox only gives you 2GB space, and with all the edits/revisions, I think you would run out of space pretty quickly if you were keeping track of big xls reports or autocad drawings, etc..
Another top product from Microsoft!
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