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File Access From Off-Campus

Network File Storage


To access your files on the VLS network when you are not on campus, you can use NetStorage, a secure, web-based file access tool. This tool will give you access to your J:\ drive and any other network drives you have permission to access. Go to NetStorage and log in to access your files.


How to Use NetStorage

Managing Folders

To create new folders or copy, delete, rename, move, or download existing files or folders, click the Down-arrow next to the file or folder. Local files and folders are not accessible using NetStorage.

Clicking the Folder View button displays folders in another column and lets you expand and contract folders. The Text View displays only the files and folders in the current directory and does not allow you to expand or contract folders.

Clicking the Name, Size, or Modified headings lets you sort directory and file listings in ascending or descending order by name, size, or date.


The File Menu

New Folder:
In the left frame, select the folder where you want the new folder to appear and then click New Folder. Type the new folder name, then click OK.

Delete:
In the right frame, select the folder or file you want to delete, and then click Delete, OK.

Rename:
In the right frame, select the folder or file you want to rename, click Rename, and then rename the folder or file.

Upload:
Click File, Upload and enter the name of the folder or file that you want to upload, then click OK. You can also browse to and select the file or folder to upload. You can upload multiple files or folders by clicking the plus (+) button and entering or selecting additional files or folders.

Download and Lock:
Select the file you want to download and edit, then click Download and Lock. This locks the file so that another person cannot make changes to it while you have it open. You must save the file locally. When you are finished making changes, upload the file back to the server to the same location it was downloaded from.

This option cannot be used with Novell iFolder.

Download:
Select the files or folders you want to download, then click Download. This does not lock files. Another person can make changes to files on the server that were downloaded. If you select multiple files or one or more folders, they will be compressed into a .zip file prior to downloading. You have the option to name the .zip file or accept the default filename assigned by NetStorage.

Mail:
Select the file you want to mail, then click Mail.

Purge:
In the left frame, select the folder where you want to purge files and then click View, Show Deleted Files. Select the file you want to purge, then click File, Purge.

This option cannot be used with Novell iFolder.

Undelete:
In the left frame, select the folder where you want to restore files and then click View, Show Deleted Files. Select the file you want to restore, then click File, Undelete.

Archive:
If you are accessing files on a NetWare server, you can view or manipulate archived versions of files.

Select the file you want to see previous versions of, then click File, Archive.

To restore a previous version of the file:
  1. Navigate through the Archive dialog boxes to find the file you want to see previous versions of. For information about navigating through the Archive dialog boxes, see the Novell Archive and Version Services User Guide.
  2. Review the timestamps of the file versions, then select the version of the file that you want to restore.
  3. In the Restore to field, type the path and filename where you want to restore the version, or browse to that location, type a filename, then click OK.
  4. Click Restore.
WARNING: The restored version overwrites any file by that name in the Restore to location.

This option cannot be used with Novell iFolder.

Properties:
Select the folder or file, then click Properties. You can set file attributes and NetWare file rights.

This option cannot be used with Novell iFolder.


Edit Menu

Copy:
Select the folder or file you want to copy, then click Copy.

Move:
Select the folder or file you want to move, then click Move.

Paste:
Select the folder where you want to paste the file you copied, then click Paste.

Select All:
To select all the files and folders in the window, click Select All.

Invert Selection:
Invert Selection deselects any files or folders currently selected and selects all unselected files and folders not currently selected.


View Menu

Refresh:
In the left frame, select the folder you want to refresh and then click Refresh.

Show Deleted Files:
In the left frame, select the folder that the deleted files are in and then click Show Deleted Files.


Help Menu

Clicking Help displays this help file. For additional information on Novell NetStorage, see see Novell's documentation Web site.


How It Works - The Technical Details

The NetStorage Web page displays the network files and folders currently accessible to you. For NetWare® servers, NetStorage reads the user’s login script to determine drive mappings, reads eDirectory User object properties to determine the path to the user’s home directory, reads the user’s Novell® iFolder® account, then displays a list of files and folders based on the mapped drives, home directories, and iFolder account. Storage Location objects are required for accessing files and directories on Linux servers and can also be used on NetWare servers. If Storage Location objects have been created and the user has rights to view these objects, the directories associated with these objects are also displayed.