OSS Web-based File Management? 320
breadiu asks: "I work for a department at a university, and we'd love to offer students some type of web-accessible file storage, but, like most educational institutions, money is tight. There are some great closed source solutions out there like Xythos' Digital Locker Suite, but those cost.
I've had trouble finding a really well put together open source solution. I've taken a look at Slide and even Zope, but neither really match up to Xythos' offerings.
What have others done to provide centralized file storage/management? Is there anything OSS that offers WebDAV, Apache support, BSD/Linux support and Active Directory-LDAP authentication with support for Windows and Mac clients?"
Not so hard (Score:5, Informative)
2. Here's precisely how to do what you're looking for on a standard *nix machine: http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Apache-WebDAV-LDAP-HOWT
First Google result, even.
MFile (Score:5, Informative)
http://mfile.umich.edu/ [umich.edu]
Knowledge Tree (Score:2, Informative)
Openfiler is what you want. (Score:5, Informative)
WebRFM or the HORDE (Score:3, Informative)
The HORDE Gollem is a promising project also. http://www.horde.org/gollem/ [horde.org]
Re:Knowledge Tree (Score:5, Informative)
KnowledgeTree(TM) Version 2.0.0
General Features
* Fully web-based.
* Powerful document version control
* Support for common file formats (MS Word, MS Excel, PDF, TXT, HTML)
* Subscription agents with push technology for notification of changes to documents or document directories
* Archiving according to expiry date, expiry time period or utilisation for enhanced speed
* Publish documents to websites
* Document-specific discussion forums
* Full-text search of common file formats (MS Word, MS Excel, PDF, TXT, HTML)
* Search in user-defined metadata fields
* Access information according to folder structure, category or document type
* Personalised dashboard to view subscriptions, pending documents, checked-out documents and quick links
* Virtual binders for documents based on certain criteria
* Configurable metadata displayed when document browsing
* Bulk uploads allow multiple files to be uploaded to a folder.
* Supports translation of most of the user interface.
Workflow Features
* Improved management control of documents with ability to create a set process for document creation and publishing
* Flexible document approval routing at the folder level
* Delegate the creation of new documents within a document approval cycle
Security Features
* Access rights for document protection on a per group, role or organisational unit basis
* SSL for encrypted and secure connections
* Authentication integration with common LDAP servers (OpenLDAP, Sun ONE Directory Server and Active Directory)
* Audit trails of user interaction with system including document changes
Zope/Plone (Score:5, Informative)
OWL Intranet (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Not so hard (Score:4, Informative)
Internet Explorer is even simpler as it provides a "pretty" Explorer interface to the files.
Multiple protocols (Score:3, Informative)
1. Install samba(for Windows), netatalk(for Mac), and ssh servers.
2. On Windows machines, have them use standard Windows file sharing(\\server.schoolname.edu\shareddir). If your institution has locked down the smb port(445), have them download and run OpenSSH, which includes a graphical directory browsing window.
3. On Macs, use the standard AFP protocol.
4. On Linux, using scp would probably be best. You could set up an nfs server, and allow access to the world. I don't recommend this, and you should use some type of authentication.
Otherwise, and I recommend, get a Mac running OS X. It has easy to configure, and use, smb, ssh, and AFP servers. It's a lot more stable than running the servers on a Linux box. If you have the money, I would recommend springing for an Unlimited Client copy of OS X Server. But a standard OS X box would be fine.
Re:SharePoint (Score:3, Informative)
SCP (Score:4, Informative)
In konqueror, type scp:// or fish://.
In Windows, use the free WinSCP program
In MacOsX - you have ssh/scp.
Other advantage: if you give them a linux box to access, then it's easy to control private vs group vs public.
try Apache + Subversion (Score:4, Informative)
Works very well here for documentation storage. 300+ users.
Re:How about Subversion? (Score:3, Informative)
Subversion will also give you the option of using regular files or a SQL DB for storage and you'll have versioning for 'free'.
Re:Knowledge Tree (Score:3, Informative)
Depends upon the projected load... (Score:3, Informative)
Just something to consider; it will undoubtedly improve in the future, but for now a FOSS solution would likely suffice and not have this limitation.
Re:priorities (Score:5, Informative)
This is a forum for discussing technical issues. If you want to talk about current issues, or popular news items go to
K5 [kuro5hin.org] or
Fark [fark.com]
Re:MFile (Score:3, Informative)
Novell iFolder is GPL (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.ifolder.com/ [ifolder.com]
SSL Explorer (Score:2, Informative)
SSL Explorer [3sp.com] is exactly what you are looking for and they have just released a new updated verion 0.1.12 with include RADIUS. Hosted on SourceForge.net [sourceforge.net]
It has WebDAV, VNC, Citrix, Rdesktop (Linux), Windows RDP Client, Web Forwarding, SSL Tunnelling and alot more.
You can set the password with RADIUS, Active Directory or a in-buit DB. All been encrypted under SSL with the ability for multiple SSL Cert's
I have been using to for a while now in the big company and it works a dream, plus getting better with each update.All Web base with optional VPN (Java) Client, with some screen keyboard for security from keyloggers and usability e.g. Palm/PocketPC/SmartPhone, Public Kiosk, etc. All you need is a Web Browser and away you go......
yet another dupe (Score:5, Informative)
That said, I would suggest doing some searches on various other sites whose opinion you value. Chances are it has been asked there before as well.
Re:FTP != WebDAV (Score:3, Informative)
You can kinda edit files on an FTP server through some hackery, but it has a slew of problems. Essentially the entire file is downloaded to a temp file, then the temp file is edited, then the entire thing is uploaded on save.
WebDAV is a networked filesystem like SMB/AFP/NFS. The editing app doesn't have to have any special support, as the file is opened/edited/saved just as if it is a local file using standard file open/read/seek/write APIs. Only the range of data that the app needs to view/edit have to be down/uploaded as the app does reads/writes (just like any networked file system.) The remote WebDAV server also supports true file locking so that someone else can't open/edit the file while it is in use (as well as other meta data like MIME type etc.)
With FTP someone could download a file, start editing, and meanwhile someone else could download/edit/upload, then the first user uploads changes and overwrites the first edits.
So yeah, in both FTP and remote filesystems data is 'uploaded and downloaded'. But the difference in protocols makes a big difference in how it all works to the end user.
Anytime/Anywhere drive (Score:5, Informative)
1) We're a small software company, and we're *VERY* mobile. I joke that my office is my laptop, but it's not much of a joke. we can (and do) work almost anywhere we have power + 'net connection.
2) We need to have a common file store primarily for backups, but also so that we can share files and documents easily.
3) WebDAV is close. Windows support for WebDAV falls short of actually mounting the drive. (EG: with a drive letter) This creates lots of little headaches copying files, some programs won't open files directly from a DAV folder, etc...
4) I found a utility put out by Novell, a free download, called "NetDrive" that lets you mount a WebDAV share as a drive on the local system. Google for NetDrive [google.com]
5) This, combined with Apache/WebDAV/Mod_SSL makes an easy, reliable, secure, mountable drive that mounts anywhere an HTTPS connection is allowed. (which almost *ALL* firewalls allow)
I'm not using LDAP authentication. There are only 5 of us, and we don't hire/fire all that often.
Re:Not so hard (Score:4, Informative)
.LRN (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Web based file management (Score:2, Informative)
I just translated it from French to English.
This is provided as is with no support, source should be enough.
It is based on Apache 2 (2.0.53), mod_perl. It uses several perl modules (check source) and memcached.
Re:Not so hard (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Anytime/Anywhere drive (Score:2, Informative)
I havent used it, but appears you can do the same using gmail instead, GMAILFS http://www.viksoe.dk/code/gmail.htm [viksoe.dk]
or the open source version:
http://pgd.sourceforge.net/ [sourceforge.net]
BioCoRE (Score:1, Informative)
This is actually an entire collaborative environment, allowing for group segregation, file sharing, etc., and is great for classroom use. If you take the simple tour (http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/Research/biocore/tour/ [uiuc.edu]) you can see what I'm talking about.