File Server Gateway

Introduction

File Server Gateway is a server implementing the standard Gateway API for storage access. Use it to turn file servers into cloud storage providers.

Private Storage
Control the entire stack. Leverage current storage investments for end-to-end control and maximum flexibility.

No Data Migration
Cloud-enable existing data without migration. Seamlessly connect cloud-based access to data without moving anything.

Backward Compatible
Work with existing IT applications. Connect the cloud to IT infrastructure instead of replacing the IT infrastructure with the cloud all at once.

Features

• Gateway API 1.0
• Access Key
• Access Permissions
• Access Logging

Configure Access

Configure the file server gateway by editing the config.json file. Specify a path in the file server you want to make available and a password key to protect access to the storage. You can specify whether or not the storage will be read-only or not for someone accessing the storage using that password. You can configure as many authorization access points as you'd like. See the example JSON file entry below.

Example: config.json with Windows paths

{
    "auth.access": {
        "A991CB2D990AAC": {
            "path": "C:\\Fileserver\\Engineering",
            "readOnly": false
        },
        "C09AA1FC1BB244": {
            "path": "C:\\Fileserver\\Finance",
            "readOnly": true
        }
    }
}

Example: config.json with Linux paths

{
    "auth.access": {
        "A991CB2D990AAC": {
            "path": "/Fileserver/Engineering",
            "readOnly": false
        }
    }
}

Start File Server Gateway

File Server Gateway runs as a daemon process and listens for requests from Explorer and other valid Gateway clients. File Server Gateway is included with the toolkit. Start the file server gateway by running the startfile script.

user@ubuntu-64:~/toolkit$ ./startfile.sh
Starting File Gateway

Started on port 27505
user@ubuntu-64:~/toolkit$

C:\toolkit\> startfile.bat
Starting File Gateway

Started on port 27505
C:\toolkit\>

mbp:toolkit user$ ./startfile.sh
Starting File Gateway

Started on port 27505
mbp:toolkit user$

Access File Server

Now go back to the machine where you want to browse the file server storage. Use explore from the toolkit to authorize your file server storage similar to how you connected your cloud storage before.

$ ./explore
explorer> fs authorize engineering http://fileserver.mycorp.com:26505 A991CB2D990AAC
Confirmed. /fs/engineering authorized.

explorer> ls /fs/engineering
Designs          projectX.pptx          Requirements

Total: 3

📘

Network Considerations

Note that if your file server and the machine that you're running Explorer Toolkit on may need to be on the same network for you to access your storage. If you want to access your files while you are on an external network, you may need to configure the fileserver to have a static public IP address with a DNS record (optional). The port that the file gateway is running on (27505 by default) needs to be accessible.

There are other unsupported alternatives which may work, such as using Dynamic DNS if you don't have a static public IP address, and then configuring your router with port forwarding. Proceed at your discretion if you are interested in getting all of that to work reliably.