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Tired of using cloud services that do not offer the familiarity and functionality of a traditional file server?
Do you and your colleagues change files frequently, causing the cloud services you use to sync files until they are out of sync?
Are the applications you use better suited for file services with backward compatibility, such as drive mapping, file locking, and permission controls?
Employees use data and applications differently in their daily work. Some limit their work to office applications like Word and Excel. Others need to use business applications like AutoCAD and InDesign. Some work with small files like status reports, while others work with large Photoshop files. Some update their files very infrequently, while others update them more often. Some update their files alone, while others work on files as a team. Regardless of the differences, what everyone has in common is that they want to work from home and remote locations. That's why companies have adopted Google Drive, Dropbox or SharePoint and OneDrive to make it easier to work on the go. With SharePoint included as a bundled service in Microsoft 365, it is slowly becoming the de facto standard for file server migration.
But has the transition been smooth for you as a user of the cloud services your company has adopted, or have you struggled with it? When we surveyed our MSP partners, we found that their customer base is split, as some are happy with file server migration and others are not, and some possible factors are related to each camp of users.
| Happy With SharePoint | Struggle with SharePoint |
|---|---|
| Most of the files that are edited on a daily basis are Office documents such as Word and Excel | Most of the files you deal with on a daily basis are not Office, but AutoCAD or Adobe files. |
| Generally, if the files are not Office files, they are small. | Using applications like 3D Rendering and Creative with large files. |
| Working alone with the files | Work in a shared team environment |
| Does not need to change files often | Change files frequently and suffer more in a team environment |
As the survey shows, there is a group of users who have no problem migrating file servers to SharePoint and adopting file sync-and-share solutions, and for whom file server compatibility is disruptive but not essential. However, there is also a second group of users whose business processes are better suited to cloud services with backward file server compatibility.
File server mobilization focuses on file server compatibility with user behavior and applications used by users. At the same time, it makes it easier for remote users to access files and folders from remote and mobile devices without the need for a VPN or RDP. Technically, file server mobilization is a software component or service that includes remote access capabilities and interacts directly with existing file servers while preserving drive mapping, file locking, permission control, user identity for users, and external references (XREF) for application compatibility.
File server migration is commonly seen as an easy and cost-effective way to meet the modern workforce's growing need for mobile productivity and security. But moving file server data to a cloud service that is not 100% file server compatible often leaves much to be desired in the following areas:
| File Server Migration | File Server Mobilization |
|---|---|
| File server migration typically does not focus on application compatibility. As a result, it may affect user's daily habit regarding how files are accessed. | File server mobilization focuses on backward compatibility such as drive mapping, file locking and permission controls. |
| Providers provide a sync folder to access files and folders, for example, from a "Dropbox" folder. | Providers provide drive letters that match those of the local network without requiring a VPN. |
| Customers rely on the provider's Data Life Cycle Management for data backup and retention. | Customers leverage existing file server lifecycle management without disruption. |
| After file server migration, the file server is decommissioned. | After adding mobilization capabilities to the file server, the file server remains active. |
| File server migration focuses on moving data to the cloud to reduce local management overhead. | File Server Mobilization focuses on keeping the data for data ownership, privacy, compliance and compatibility reasons. |
SharePoint, Dropbox, Google Drive and similar services are all based on file server migration. And that's exactly why so many of their customers have problems in these areas. To solve these problems, file server migration needs to be replaced with file server mobilization - an approach that fully addresses mobile productivity and security BUT while ensuring 100% compatibility with file server use cases.
As part of the survey of our MSP partners, one of the questions is: What feature is most lacking in the current incumbent cloud file service? Access to files and folders via a drive letter is the most requested feature. When we looked more closely at the reasons for the request for a drive letter, it was broken down into the following six sections, all of which revolve around compatibility with file servers.
Mapped drives provide users with a familiar file system interface that makes it easier for them to work with files and folders. This can help minimize the learning curve and improve user adoption, especially for those unaccustomed to using web-based interfaces like SharePoint.
Some organizations rely on legacy applications or workflows designed to work with file servers and mapped drives. In such cases, it can be challenging to migrate these applications or processes to others without significant development effort.
Accessing files on a mapped drive or file server can be faster than working with SharePoint, especially for large files or when network connections are slow or unreliable. This can be critical for organizations that need to access large files in real time, such as design or engineering firms.
Some organizations have strict data protection policies or regulatory requirements that mandate the use of on-site file servers instead of cloud-based solutions such as SharePoint. Mapped drives can help organizations maintain control over their data while providing easy access to end users.
Organizations that have already made significant investments in on-premises infrastructure may prefer to leverage their existing file servers and storage solutions rather than adopt a new platform like SharePoint.
Mapped drives and file servers can provide granular access control and permissions that may be more appropriate for certain organizations than SharePoint's permissions model.
The ultimate solution for drive mapping and file server compatibility. With our platform, you can easily manage and access your files centrally. Our unique features include native support for file locking, drive mapping, and NTFS permissions, so your users can seamlessly access their familiar P, Q, R, and S drives with their existing usernames, passwords, and permissions. Do not settle for less. Choose CentreStack if you want a truly unparalleled cloud file server experience.
On demand access to files and folders via a drive letter.
Integrate traditional file server security and Active Directory setup.
Automatically lock files that are being updated in a shared team environment.
The file server mobilization interface can be self-hosted to maintain privacy.
We love the ability to assign drive letters to PCs. And file locking just works automatically as files are opened.
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