Penn State’s information technology department has partnered with computer-networking consortium Internet2 to introduce Box, a cloud-based file storage system available for free for Penn State students and faculty.

Similar to popular file storage websites like DropBox and Google Drive, Box provides a massive commercial data center for personal use, providing high-quality support, enterprise-level management, and security, as well as 24/7 up-time through round-the-clock monitoring. Essentially, it lifts files from your cluttered hard drive and puts them down on a secure server.

While other websites charge a subscription for increased storage, sign-up is free with a Penn State email account and provides up to 50(!!!) GB of online storage. Word documents, PDFs, powerpoints, pictures, and video can all be stored on Box, including most audio files. For a complete list of supported file extensions, click here.

Files can be shared via email with fellow students and colleagues with a few clicks of the mouse, while papers, projects, and presentations can be accessed by team members for more effective collaboration. In fact, collaborators can add comments, assign tasks, and message other peers within the tool itself – so you can Box while you Box.

A mobile app for iOS, Android, Windows, and Blackberry can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play, allowing you to access files on the go. The app includes passcodes and an auto-logout system to prevent data theft in the event your mobile device is lost or stolen.

Along with being a helpful collaboration tool, Box can also be used to backup important files and documents — meaning this never happens to you.

About the Author

CJ Doon

CJ is a senior journalism major from Long Island and Onward State's Sports Editor. He is a third-generation Penn Stater, and his grandfather wrestled for the university back in the 1930s under coach Charlie “Doc” Speidel. Besides writing, one of his favorite activities is making sea puns. You can follow him on Twitter @CJDoon, and send your best puns to cj@onwardstate.com, just for the halibut.

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