I have quite a few DNN installs under my care. I am finding that backing up a complete install in preparation for upgrading DNN to be ever-more difficult on the sites that I do not have direct access to the server because of the sheer volume of the files. I must FTP all the files in the installation from the shared server to my own computer in order to back them up. And then uploading them back up to the shared server takes much longer. The problem is, my clients are storing hundreds of PDF's, image galleries and sometimes video galleries that take up a lot of space inside their portal folders. I would like a strategy and configuration where all those files they upload are stored in folders that are outside the DNN directory structure. What suggestions might anyone have for doing this?

I am trying to avoid additional hosting or file storage fees from a 3rd party service, if possible. 

The resources that are easy at hand would be sub folders in the hosting environment, or a separate website hosting account in a shared hosting environment, or possibly free dropbox accounts that I request each client create for themselves. I'm sure some of you have great ideas that I have not considered. What are your ideas to store these user files somewhere outside the DNN directory structure? Thanks in advance. Mark Buelsing