1.0 NetStorage Overview

NetStorage for Open Enterprise Server provides secure Internet-based access to files and folders on Linux and NetWare servers on your network by using either a browser or Microsoft Web Folders (Microsoft’s implementation of WebDAV). NetStorage authentication relies on the power of NetIQ eDirectory to provide secure access, so Internet-based access is as secure as accessing files from within the network.

OES NetStorage includes the following benefits:

  • Lets users securely copy, move, rename, delete, read, and write files between any Internet-enabled machine and Linux or NetWare servers on your network.

  • Eliminates the need to use a virtual private network (VPN) client to access files.

  • Eliminates the need to e-mail or copy data from one machine to another.

  • Supports Internet standards such as HTTP, HTTPS, HTML, XML, and WebDAV.

  • Supports the use of drive mappings that users are accustomed to when they log in through the Client for Open Enterprise Server (see Section 1.2, What Users See When They Access NetStorage).

  • Supports Storage Location objects used to display a specified name for a network directory in the NetStorage directory access list displayed through Microsoft Web Folders or a Web browser (see Storage Location).

With NetStorage installed on one OES server, users can potentially have access to any Linux or NetWare 5 or later server anywhere on your geographically dispersed network.