How To Expose Files in a Shared Folder for Remote Access with SharePoint

I just completed a Proof-of-Concept setup to allow the users to remotely access files that sit on a network share, using SharePoint and IIS 6.

I have a shared folder in \SHARE2007Shared and I wanted it to be accessible from http://share2007 (the SharePoint portal site).

The outline of the setup is like this:

  • Add a new File Share Content Source to SharePoint (MOSS) search settings, pointed at \SHARE2007Shared

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  • Run a full crawl and check that it indexes the files correctly, searching for a file. Notice that the URL of the file is pointing at the file share directly.

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  • Open the IIS console and add a new virtual directory within the SharePoint portal site, pointing it at \SHARE2007Shared. Give it any name that suits you. (I chose “uncshares”). I use a fixed identity to access the file share, because SharePoint crawler will perform the security checking for the current user and I avoid identity delegation to the file share.

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  • Add a new Server Name Mapping in search settings, replacing file://share2007/shared references to http://share2007/uncshares
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  • Run a full crawl, again
  • Search for a file from SharePoint portal. You should notice that the displayed URL is pointing to the IIS virtual directory, not to the file share directly.

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6 thoughts on “How To Expose Files in a Shared Folder for Remote Access with SharePoint”

  1. Hi,
    Search works fine. However, I cannot open the shared file, have 404 error. I use MOSS 2007 and IIS7. Any ideas?
    Thanks

    Reply

  2. Please check that the Network Directory Security Credentials account that you’ve specified has rights to open the file (Windows Security permission tab).

    Reply

  3. Edin,
    Thanks.
    It took quite a time to cycle amount of data sitting on a different machine. Today everything works fine.
    Serge

    Reply

  5. Remote access has definitely made life easier. There is a system that I know of – RHUB http://www.rhubcom.com – which combines web conferencing, Remote Assistance, remote access, and webinar, in a single appliance. This is of great value as you get to meet all your collaboration needs with a single appliance without having to subscribe to a separate account with online hosted solutions for each feature. Further, there would be no monthly charges, which is highly cost-saving.

    Reply

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