There is no best way. Here are some details…
| Works with DTTG | Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Yes | • Fast, private, generally reliable • Direct machine-to-machine syncing with no intermediary |
• Requires devices to be on and our app(s) to be running • Only works on LANs permitting Bonjour or non-standard port traffic. Does not work over VPNs. • Firewalls must allow exceptions for DEVONthink traffic |
| Local Sync Store | No | • Very fast and private • Can be located on an external drive or a shared resource, like an NAS • Doesn’t require other Macs to be on. They can sync when they’re on and running DEVONthink. |
• Only for Mac-to-Mac syncing • Requires access to the volume or machine where the sync store is locaterd. |
| Dropbox | Yes | • Generally reliable • Direct sync with Dropbox servers |
• Any cloud service can have slow/unresponsive servers, limit maximum connections, and throttle bandwidth. • Questions of privacy, but can be offset using an encryption key. |
| iCloud | Yes | • Generally reliable • Easiest to set up |
• This is a two-stage sync: syncing locally first then iCloud does its own syncing. • iCloud can stall (which is beyond our control or detection). • See Dropbox Cons. |
| WebDAV | Yes | • No inherent advantage, but may make other cloud services available to syncing • May be hosted locally, even with some NAS products. |
• The reliability of a local setup may vary. • Local servers / NAS devices may require more technical expertise to set up. • If using a public cloud service, see Dropbox Cons. |