File Server Enablement allows you to map a folder structure on a file server to a Team Share or a user account in the cloud. In addition to local paths, you can specify a network share, a UNC path, or a NAS device as a source for File Server Enablement. This feature replaces the need for mapped drives (network drives), so that end users no longer need to be on-site or require the use of a VPN connection to access files and folders. 

When File Server Enablement is enabled for an organization, end users can access, read, and update content through the web or through their preferred device. By providing anytime, anywhere access to business assets, File Server Enablement can increase employee and organizational productivity.

You can configure File Server Enablement in many different ways, depending on the needs of the organization:

1. Full Migration You can map a folder structure to the cloud and then unlink this connection after the data has finished syncing. When you do this, you provide users with anytime-access to their cloud content without requiring an on-site or VPN connection.
2. Hybrid Approach When you configure File Server Enablement, you can choose to maintain the connection between the original file server and the cloud, allowing access to the file server for on-site employees, and providing remote access for employees who travel or work outside of the office. When files are updated in one location, these changes will be reflected in the other location.
3. File-Level Backup As an added benefit, File Server Enablement can provide a file-level backup of your file server. By automatically syncing the file server to the cloud, you never have to worry about lost data.
4. Initial Seeding If you need to migrate data from a server or NAS device, you can temporarily configure File Server Enablement as a way to move data from a local source into the cloud. 

Best Practice: We recommend that you create an alert so that you are notified when a File Server Enablement machine is unreachable. This alert allows you to proactively monitor the state of a file server that is syncing to the cloud, ensuring that synced content is always available in its mapped location. For more information, please reference the Managing the Anchor Activity Log and Creating Alerts Knowledgebase article.

Best Practice: If you need to reorganize organizations and suborganizations after File Server Enablement is mapped to a Team Share, please contact Support for help. File Server Enablement mappings might break when moving the location of a Team Share. 

Best Practice: When registering the desktop client to a user account on a server, it is recommended that you create a service account. A service account should not be subscribed to the Team Share to which you want to map, should be set to use fixed space quota of .01GB, and should be configured using a predetermined naming system (such as First Name: File Server; Last Name: LDAP).

To set up File Server Enablement:

1. Log in to the server that you want to cloud-enable, and download and install the desktop client. For instructions on downloading and installing the desktop client, please reference the End User Guide.
   • On the server, ensure that the SYSTEM user has full permissions to the folder and all of its subfolders and files. 
   • Alternatively, if agent_service.exe*32 is being run by a user name other than SYSTEM, ensure that this user has full permissions.
2. When the desktop client finishes the installation process, you will be asked to register the desktop client to a user account. As a best practice, we recommend creating a service account when registering a server, as described above. 
3. Open a web browser and navigate to the administrative web portal. Log in to the administrative web portal.
4. In the administrative web portal, click the Machines tab. The Machines page displays, showing a list of all machines in the selected organization. 
5. Find the File Server Enablement machine, and click the Enable Mapping link to set up File Server Enablement. A message will display, indicating that the machine has been enabled as a file server. Additionally, a new Map Folders link will display, allowing you to map the machine to a Team Share or a user account.
6. Click the Map Folders link. The File Server Enablement screen displays.
7. In the Server Enablement screen, click to expand the machine name, and then select the folder or folders that you want to map.Note: When selecting a parent folder, the mapping will include all of the parent's subfolders.
   • Alternatively, to use a UNC path as a source for File Server Enablement, click to expand and highlight a machine name, and then click the Map Network Drive button. A Map Network Drive pop-up window displays.
   • In the Map Network Drive pop-up window, enter information about the network drive.
     • In the Network Path field, enter the UNC path.
     • In the Username field, enter the username of the user with access to the UNC path (not the username of the service account). IMPORTANT: If you encounter problems when entering credentials into the Username field, please try various formats. For example, you might be able to authenticate using one of the following formats:
       • Username,
       • Machine name\username, or
       • Domain\username (if the UNC path is located on a domain server).
     • In the Password field, enter the password of the user with access to the UNC path.
     • Click the Submit button when you are finished.
8. After you select the items you want to map, use the Map Folders Below section of the screen to map the selected folder to a user or Team Share. 
9. Click the Submit button when you are finished. All files and folders on the file server will be synced to the mapped user account or Team Share. Any changes to these files or folders will show up in both locations.

You can also disable mapping between the file server and the Team Share or user account. When you do this, the already-mapped files and folders will remain in both locations, but will no longer remain linked. You might decide to disable mapping if you simply want to migrate or copy data to a Team Share or a user account.

To disable mapping:

1. In the Machines tab, find the already-mapped File Server Enablement machine and click the Map Filers link.The File Server Enablement screen displays.
2. Click the Delete button to remove the mapping. The files will remain in both locations, but will no longer be linked.