Create and Manage Dropboxes

Administering the Aspera^®Faspex™ Dropbox feature

The Aspera Faspex Dropbox feature offers the following capabilities:

Allows file submission for various projects and business processes, with the ability to specify different required metadata for each.
Allows outside users to drop packages in file submission areas without having full access to the Aspera Faspex Server.

To set up an Aspera Faspex Dropbox, select Workgroups from the Aspera Faspex menu.

Then go to Create New > Dropbox.

Enter the following information within the Create New Dropbox screen:

Dropbox Details

Option	Description
Name	The dropbox's name.
Description	The dropbox's description.
Metadata profile	Select a metadata profile from the drop-down list or indicate none. Recall that metadata is additional information that a user can send with a file package. An Administrator can designate which metadata profile each dropbox's "Submit Package" page will use, based on metadata profiles that have been configured via Server > Metadata. Every dropbox that you create can have a unique metadata profile. For help on setting up your metadata profiles for dropboxes and normal package submissions, please view the topic Metadata
Save metadata to file	If enabled, a package's metadata is saved to its root directory (in the file `aspera-metadata.xml`). If SaveMetadataInPackage is also set to "true" in the configuration file faspex.yml, `aspera-metadata.xml` is instead inserted inside packages, and will be visible when the package contents are viewed in Aspera Faspex. For details about faspex.yml options, see Advanced Config Options.
(DEPENDS ON SECURITY CONFIGURATION) Require encryption-at-rest (EAR)	The following fields will appear if you have enabled the "Allow dropboxes to have their own encryption settings" checkbox within Server > Configuration > Security. Please see Security for details. Use server default Always: Always use EAR. When enabled, users will be required on upload to enter a password to encrypt the files on the server. Subsequently, recipients will be required to enter the password to decrypt protected files as they are being downloaded. Note that if a user elects to keep downloaded files encrypted, then they do not need to enter a password until they attempt to decrypt the files locally. This feature is not fully enforced unless the Aspera Faspex Server Administrator also updates the aspera.conf configuration file (which is not automatically modified by Aspera Faspex). The Administrator may update aspera.conf manually, as well as using the Aspera Enterprise Server™ GUI. For additional information, please refer to Note on Encryption at Rest. Never: Do not use EAR Optional: User may choose at send time whether to encrypt or not
Allow submission via public URL	Important: This field and radio buttons will not appear if (1) Public URLs are disabled server-wide or (2) changing Public URLs have been disabled for individual dropboxes. A Public URL can be used by external senders to submit packages to both registered Aspera Faspex users and dropboxes. The benefit of using a Public URL is in the time-savings, such that external senders no longer need to be individually invited to submit a package (although that functionality still exists). When a Public URL is enabled and posted to a an email, instant message, website, etc., the following workflow occurs: The external sender clicks the Public URL for the dropbox. The sender is directed to page where he or she is asked to enter and submit an email address. A private link is automatically emailed to the sender. The sender clicks the private link and is automatically redirected to the dropbox package submission page. Once the package is submitted through the private link, the dropbox receives it. Thus, when the field Allow submission via public URL is enabled (for example. set to `Allow`), the Public URL feature is turned on for this dropbox. If set to `Deny`, then the feature is turned off for this dropbox. Note that changing the dropbox setting overrides the system default (set under Security).

Dropbox Inbox Destination

Option	Description
Server Default	The UI label for Server Default displays the node and directory for the current default file storage that is serving as the inbox. (For a fresh installation, the default inbox node is localhost and file storage is local).
Custom	Opens a listing of file storage locations you can choose from to serve as a workgroup-specific inbox. Note: The location of a dropbox inbox can only be set by an Faspex administrator. It cannot be set by a dropbox administrator. Note: When a custom inbox is used, incoming packages will wind up in two locations: the custom location, and the server default location. When packages are deleted from the default location by means of the UI, they are not automatically removed from the custom location. Note: Packages are never deleted from a custom dropbox inbox if it is different from the default inbox. Settings for automatic deletion of packages after downloads or at expiration do not apply. Note: Even if symlinking is enabled for a storage location, packages sent to a dropbox with a custom inbox will not be symlinks. The default inbox location will contain symlinks, but custom inboxes will contain actual files.

Option

Description

Server Default

The UI label for Server Default displays the node and directory for the current default file storage that is serving as the inbox. (For a fresh installation, the default inbox node is localhost and file storage is local).

Custom

Opens a listing of file storage locations you can choose from to serve as a workgroup-specific inbox.

Note: The location of a dropbox inbox can only be set by an Faspex administrator. It cannot be set by a dropbox administrator.

Note: When a custom inbox is used, incoming packages will wind up in two locations: the custom location, and the server default location. When packages are deleted from the default location by means of the UI, they are not automatically removed from the custom location.

Note: Packages are never deleted from a custom dropbox inbox if it is different from the default inbox. Settings for automatic deletion of packages after downloads or at expiration do not apply.

Note: Even if symlinking is enabled for a storage location, packages sent to a dropbox with a custom inbox will not be symlinks. The default inbox location will contain symlinks, but custom inboxes will contain actual files.

Relay

Specify whether to enable relay file transfer. When relay is enabled. a table opens where you can select relay nodes. For each server, you can enable an override of files and define a list of users to notify on the start, error, and completion of a transfer.

If the node becomes unavailable, the corresponding check box and input field of the file storage become unavailable. The override notification settings are only effective if the forward checkbox is selected for the corresponding storage.

The list for notifying users accepts username and email address, but not workgroup or dropbox names.

When the files are being relayed to the destinations, the dropbox package screen shows a status of Relaying. When the file relay operation fails, the package shows a status of Relay failed. Aspera Faspex retries the relay three times automatically. Administrators or dropbox administrators on the dropbox package listing can also click the retry icon to retry the transfer. You can also click on the Relay failed link to get more details of the relay status.

Member Management

Option	Description
Dropbox admins can...	Add/remove existing users as members Invite outside submitters Create/edit/delete new registered users as members Add/remove directory service groups as members
Standard users can...	Invite outside submitters

Warning:

When outside submitters are invited to access a dropbox, they are not prevented from sharing the upload link with others. Aspera records the IP address used to submit packages; however, Aspera Faspex Server cannot verify that the person who is using the link is actually the intended invitee. If this is a concern to your organization, then you can identify one of two security options when sending an invitation to an outside submitter: the submission link expires after one successful upload COMPLETION or the submission link expires on a specific date. Note that for the case of expiration after the completion of a successful upload, it is possible for an outside submitter to initiate parallel uploads using a single link; thereby submitting multiple packages. Please refer to the topic Add Users to Dropboxes and Workgroups for additional details on setting up outside submitter security options.

When finished, click the Create button to continue. Your new dropbox will be listed on the Workgroups page, along with any other dropboxes or workgroups that you have created. By clicking the corresponding down arrow button, you can view the dropbox's packages, or edit and delete the dropbox, itself. You may also click the number of members link on the right side of the table to add Aspera Faspex users to the dropbox. For additional details on adding members, please go to the topic Add Users to Dropboxes and Workgroups.

Note:

After inviting an outside submitter, you can view the upload access URL, as well as resend the invitation. To do so, select the Workgroups tab in the Aspera Faspex menu, then click the down arrow button next to the corresponding dropbox. Select Edit Dropbox from the list. Then, on the Editing Dropbox page, scroll down to the see access URL and resend invitation links in the invited user's row.

Outside submitter links