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Storage specialist WD, formerly known as Western Digital, and Baidu, China’s largest search engine, have partnered to integrate Baidu Yun public cloud storage services with WD’s personal cloud and external storage platforms to offer Chinese consumers a hybrid digital storage solution.
The collaboration between WD and Baidu will enable Chinese customers to manage their Baidu Yun account and transfer files between their My Cloud or My Cloud EX4 device and Baidu Yun using WD’s My Cloud mobile apps for iOS and Android operating systems.
The Baidu Yun service, a public cloud storage service provider with more than 100 million users, allows consumers and businesses to store content on Baidu Yun for access and sharing from a computer or mobile device.
“The growth of Baidu and its public cloud storage and services in China has been spectacular; it’s a pleasure to collaborate with them,” Jim Welsh, executive vice president of branded products and worldwide sales at WD. “The integration of Baidu Yun with our personal cloud and external storage platforms gives our mutual customers the best of all worlds–the ability to keep content safe at home, while backing up and sharing with friends on Baidu Yun.”
Baidu and WD customers will also be able to back up their local content to Baidu Yun, as well as back up their Baidu Yun account to their local storage using WD SmartWare Pro software.
“Baidu aims to provide the best way for people to access their valuable content, regardless of their location,” Hou Zhenyu, chief architect of Baidu Yun, said in a statement. “WD is a leader in high-capacity local storage, and integrating our public cloud storage service with WD’s platform gives our customers a compelling hybrid cloud storage solution–the best of both public cloud storage and personal cloud storage.”
WD’s My Cloud personal cloud drives, available in China in capacities of 2TB, 3TB and 4TB, enable consumers to organize, centralize and secure the digital content from their computers and mobile devices and access those files from any device wherever they are.
In November, the company expanded its My Cloud family of personal cloud solutions with My Cloud EX4, a high-performance four-bay network attached storage (NAS) solution.
The EX4 is currently available at select U.S. retailers and online through WD’s Website, with a suggested retail price of $379.99 for the drive-less My Cloud EX4, $799.99 for 8TB, $949.99 for 12TB and $1,149.99 for 16TB. All appliances come with a two-year limited warranty.