Yes, SkyDrive Pro and SkyDrive are?confusing…thank you, Microsoft.?
I’m not sure who is responsible for creating such exasperatingly confusing names, SKU’s and products within Microsoft. Please don’t get me started on the many different flavors of Office 365.?I sure wish they woud stop it. Until they do, I’ll try to shed a little light on the differences between SkyDrive Pro and SkyDrive.
Here is the most clear Microsoft article I have been able to find:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn167720.aspx
SkyDrive Pro – Requires SharePoint Online or SharePoint Server 2003.?A personal file storage and synchronization service for business use. You store, access, and synchronize your files in SharePoint Online or SharePoint Server 2013 with your workstation or laptop.
SkyDrive -?A personal file storage service linked with your Microsoft (Live) account. This is similar to Box, DropBox, iCloud, and related storage services. SkyDrive has no relationship to SharePoint Online/SharePoint Server 2013. If you install Office 2013 and then open Windows Explorer, you will see a?SkyDrive?folder in the Favorites section. This folder synchronizes with your?personal file storage, not your SkyDrive Pro storage. You can download and install the SkyDrive synchronization application to synchronize your SkyDrive (personal file storage) with the?SkyDrive?folder in Windows Explorer, without installing Office 2013.
And yes, it is possible to have BOTH on your laptop or desktop and both can sync files (to different areas).
The following table provides more information about the differences and how synchronization works.
| SkyDrive Pro Synchronization (using the Windows Sync client) | SkyDrive Pro document library | SkyDrive | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How do I access it? | To use SkyDrive Pro Synchronization, the user must have:
In SharePoint Server 2013, a user clicks the Sync button in a document library to start the synchronization of files between the document library and the client workstation. On the client workstation, when the SkyDrive Pro Windows Sync client runs, it is available from the notification area. The SkyDrive Pro Windows Sync client creates shortcuts in Windows Explorer in Favorites. |
On a user’s My Site in SharePoint Server 2013, or on a My Site in SharePoint Online | Go to the SkyDrive logon page. |
| Who uses this product? | Business users | Business users | Consumers or individuals |
| Is this a document library? | No, but the SkyDrive Pro Windows Sync client performs synchronization with document libraries. | Yes | Yes |
| Is this installed with Office 2013? | Yes, the SkyDrive Pro Windows Sync client is installed.You may also download the stand-alone SkyDrive Pro Windows Sync client, which can be used with earlier versions of Office (Office 2010, Office 2007, and so on). | No, this is a document library on a user’s My Site in SharePoint Server 2013. | Yes, the Microsoft SkyDrive client is installed, a shortcut named SkyDrive is created in Favorites in Windows Explorer, and an open and save location is created in the Backstage view in Office 2013. |
| Which folder used in Windows Explorer under Favorites? | SkyDrive Pro Windows Sync client synchronizes files in the following Windows folders:
|
SkyDrive Pro folder | SkyDrive folder |
Hope this helps.
This just in, found a PowerPoint deck on SkyDrive Pro and sharing it below.