Private File Sharing

Setup a private file sharing server.

Maintain data ownership; enforce data privacy and prevent data leakage!

Enable mobile access and secure file sharing to on-premise file servers with Active Directory and NTFS permission integration.

Businesses prefer private file sharing services

Standardized IT environments are familiar in large corporations, and one of the standards is the Windows file server and Active Directory environment. It is a private file sharing platform with centralized network shares for on-premise employees to share and collaborate in the local area network.

When mobile workforces are outside of corporate firewalls, VPN solutions are part of the internal file sharing Windows server platform's standards to extend to home-offices and other remote locations. However, VPNs have many shortcomings, and public file-sharing services such as Dropbox and OneDrive are finding their way into corporations.

Businesses prefer private file sharing services

Challenges of Public File Sharing Services

Without providing a private file sharing service to employees, they may select public cloud file-sharing services on their own. For example, consumer-grade file sharing solutions like Dropbox may provide productivity and cost benefits but fail to provide comfortable answers to questions like, "Where, exactly, is my data? Who has access to it? What will they do with it?" And these concerns don't just involve cyber-threats and hackers but competitors, foreign nationals, and even governments.

Besides the data ownership issue, IT administrators must also consider the following challenges and implied directives:

Challenges of Public File Sharing Services

Challenges IT Administrators face Regarding File Sharing Services

Migration Pressure

Avoid being forced to the cloud as users combine tools like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Email.

Large File Transfer

Sharing large folders over the Internet as email attachments can be cumbersome, problematic, and slow.

Data Sprawl

Avoid the headaches of data sets split between local file servers and online file-sharing sites such as Dropbox.

Migration Costs

Avoid the cost of manual replication of data content and re-creation of NTFS permissions.

Version Control

Avoid data fragmentation that creates multiple versions of files that are difficult to track.

Security Threats

Eliminate threats from de-centralized security and the invasion of personal file sharing accounts.

You Need a Private File Sharing Service

Accessing shared drives at work is usually based on Windows file server network share and Active Directory, which are ubiquitous enterprise infrastructure components. But when we become road warriors and work-from-home employees, wouldn't it be convenient to have shared work drives naturally converted to private online shared folders, governed by the same security principles and the exact identity providers at work.

If Windows file servers can be converted directly to cloud file-sharing services with permissions, why adopt public file sharing service when you are outside of the company network? Wouldn't it be easier to add modern cloud file-sharing capabilities to Windows file servers and modernize the file servers we are using every day?

Private File Sharing Server

You can add secure remote access and file sharing, disaster prevention, and recovery, to file servers on-premises. The file servers continue to host files and folders for wide corporate sharing, while the mobile workforce adds necessary web-based private file sharing capabilities without a VPN.

Remote Access

Bridges file servers and private cloud for secure remote access without the need to use a VPN.

Disaster Recovery

Leverages internal file servers as a central cloud file repository with version control, file change history, and audit tracing to provide business continuity.

Mobile Sharing

Use private file servers and the Internet combined to secure mobile file sharing from a web browser or a mobile application.

Cloud Migration

Sets up a hybrid deployment between local file servers and private cloud storage accounts that can back each other up.

How Does it work?

Install Private File Sharing Server

1. Install Private File Sharing Server

The private file sharing server on the front end has a web server component based on the Windows IIS server. On the back end, it can connect to internal IT infrastructures such as Active Directory and file server network shares.

Configure File Server Shares

2. Configure File Server Shares

Once the private file sharing server is installed. It can be configured to connect to Active Directory service over LDAPS and connect to file server network shares over SMB/CIFS protocols. Microsoft DFS shares are supported as well.

Use Remote Agents

3. Use Remote Agents

Remote agents include web browser interface, Windows client agent, Mac client agent, iOS and Android applications. The Windows agent can map a local drive to the private file shares. The web browser and mobile application show consistent views.

Cloud File Sharing with Permissions

The solution will combine the security strengths of local Windows file servers and the mobility strengths from cloud file sharing solutions to provide the best of both worlds. It enhances mobile workforce productivity with security and control of local file servers combined with cloud file sharing efficiency and productivity gains over the Internet.

Cloud File Sharing with Permissions

Drive Mapping

Remotely access file shares from a drive letter without the need for a VPN. Cloud replication is optional!

Mobile Access

Use Outlook integration to share a large folder or files as web links via email.

File Locking

It provides full support for file locking without a VPN's need, with a familiar file server locking experience.

Web Editing

It integrates with Office 365 for web-based co-editing and co-authoring.

Cloud File Server Feature Highlights

Active Directory

Preserve NTFS permissions and Active Directory identities when connecting file servers over the Internet.

Endpoint Security

Web-based secure data room allows view-only access to shared folders with download disabled.

Web Sharing

Files and folders can be accessed and shared from web browser file managers without any client agent installation.

Offline Folders

Mark frequently used files and folders as favorites for offline access.

Benefits

Privacy

The private file sharing service extends the current internal Windows file server's reach to remote locations via HTTPS and web protocols. It is privacy by default.

Seamless

The internal Windows file server is the data repository for the newly added private file sharing service. For employees, the files at work are the same files available remotely on mobile devices.

Ownership

The same corporation owns the internal Windows file server and existing IT infrastructure, including the new private file sharing server. The business continues to hold the files and folders on the file server.

Compliance

Since files never leave the current on-premise file server, it is much easier to pass compliance auditing. The new private file sharing service is the only component that needs additional work.

Permission Control

The same NTFS permissions that were in place to protect the internal Windows file server files will be the same permission control in place to protect the private file sharing service.

Ready to boost mobile productivity with the private file sharing service and enable remote workforce today?