Storage and Accessing your files

FILE STORES

Home Directory

Your MSD IT network username entitles you to network file stores. Each personal account comes with a home directory which is usually accessed as drive H: on a managed Windows computer. (Please see the user guide for Apple computers - SSO restricted.) Home directories are only ever accessible by their owners & are never shared.

Shared Files Stores

Shared data is usually made available to departments or research groups via various Windows drive letters. In most cases a department will have a drive Z: for all research data, and research groups will have their own directory or folder within that drive. There may be additional drive letters for administration and other research groups, typically in other departments.

Please see the section on Servers & Data Storage for information about other storage services.

Accessing Network Storage with Apple macOS

Please see this user guide for Apple computers (SSO restricted) for details about accessing your network storage. Please note, if you are not connected to an MSD IT network, you must set up an MSDIT VPN connection first. 

The list of server addresses used to access files-stores requires an SSO login.

NetStorage

Remote web-based access to MSD IT network drives from any machine, anywhere in the world

NetStorage allows MSD IT users simple web-based access to their Novell network drives from anywhere in the world, via a web browser and internet connection. No configuration, no special set-up!

NetStorage is compatible with most operating systems including Windows, Apple Mac OS X  & Linux

Please note that you must use either the MSD IT VPN or central University VPN service, or be on a University network to access Netstorage.

Point your web browser at https://netstorage.medsci.ox.ac.uk/ and login using your MSD IT Novell account credentials.

When connected, you are able to download, modify and then upload again any files stored in your network storage space.

FILR

Introducing FILR

FILR is a 'sync and share' service functionally similar to Dropbox, Google Drive and other similar 'cloud' services.  Our FILR service, however, has the benefit of all files being stored and managed on MSD IT Services' own servers and not in some arbitrary location in the 'Cloud' - possibly in another country.  This may be useful to satisfy personal or regulatory requirements.  FILR is available both as a web service and a client server application for the Windows and Macintosh platforms (downloadable from the FILR web interface).  In addition there is FILR client software for the major mobile platforms; iOS, Android and Blackberry - all obtainable from the relevant appstores for those platforms.

Universal Access

Filr users will receive an intital 10Gb filespace quota which can be accessed via a web browser, a Windows or Macintosh desktop and IOS, Android or Blackberry mobile devices.

The FILR web interface is available using an MSD IT Services login from anywhere in the world.  The Windows and Macintosh FILR software is downloadble from the web interface after logging in at https://filr.imsu.ox.ac.uk

FILR can also be accessed using mobile apps available for iOS, Android and Blackberry. These are obtainable from the appstores on each mobile platform - by searching for FILR.

Synchronisation
 

Like our earlier iFolder solution, files in the users' FILR home folder can optionally be synchronised to copies in the FILR folder on a Windows or Macintosh desktop for offline access.  Unlike iFolder though, synchronisation can be selectively performed at the file level - so just those files required offline can be set to synchronise.

Sharing

Files and folders in the users' FILR home folder can be shared with other MSD IT Services FILR users or other people both within and outside the University. 

It is the FILR user's responsibility to determine whether files should be shared in this way with other users, taking into account departmental policies and other data security requirements.  Public file sharing is not possible and files must be specifically shared with other users or people external to the organisation who must then register and login to FILR to gain access to just those files shared with them.  Time limits can, and should, be set on shares and shared files and folders can be revoked by the sharer at any time.

Register to use FILR

You must register to use our FILR service. Please visit our FILR registration page and make sure you read and acknowledge the terms and conditions of the service, so that we can provision you with your FILR filestore.  There is currently no charge for using this service, but it is only available to members of the Medical Sciences Division.

remote desktop access

Please follow this remote desk top connection guide to configure your desktop & remote computers for Remote Desktop Access.