Version 2.11 of iSMECloud File Manager for iPad and iPhone now in App Store

The latest version of the iSMEStorage Cloud File Manager for iPhone / iPad is now in the App Store. There are a host of new features including a re-designed workflow for easier Cloud Files (and local flies) interactions, a new PDF component that supports large PDF files, and support for OpenStack and Google Sites Clouds.

The below presentation showcases the Cloud File Manager for the iPad:

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Further news on iSMEStorage 2.0 for iPhone and iPad

We’ve just released the new version of iSMEStorage to the App Store. We put so much effort into it that is has become a major release version rather than the 1.67 version we had previously intended.

The release includes the following features:

Enhanced Security: The App can now be assigned a PIN over and above the normal login (for security of local files)

Better local file sharing: Added ability to email local files as file attachments

Sync from any Cloud: It is now possible to sync any cloud directory (from any of the clouds we support) to your phone. You can do this with as many directories as you wish and can set the sync directory from within the App.

The first App to offer cut and paste between clouds: We’ve added cut and paste of files between cloud directories and even between different storage clouds used the concept of File and Folder Actions! You can also now use the Cloud Clipboard to store multiple files that you wish to cut and paste in this manner.

Fully fledged FTP Server: You can now turn iSMEStorage into an FTP Server and batch upload as many files locally as you wish.

Fully Fledged Local File Manager: We’ve beefed up the local file operations so you can now cut and paste files between directories locally and also added the ability to create and use folders as categories for the Memos and Voice Memos sections of the App.

Enhanced Text Editor: We’ve beefed up the text editor so it is now full screen and has a word search as many of you requested. We also added the ability to edit any local text file as you wanted and enabled .html .css .xml and any other type of text format file to be edited.

Google Maps integration: The GEO location of where a file was uploaded and where a file is stored is now integrated with a Google Maps view.

Enhanced Cloud Support: Added support for DropBox, Zimbra Briefcase and Files Anywhere (Web Advanced Plan required)

Email to Cloud Support: Added FileBox menu option so that you can easily get to file attachments that you have mailed to your Cloud

Mark Folders as Favourites: Added support for marking folders as favourites from directly within the App.

Web Viewer fixed: Amended Web Viewer so that state is kept when browsing in menu.

Organisation Ready: Added icon for Organisation Folders and Organisation Support for our business users



Apple normally approves within a week so we are hoping that the App will be released around the 20/21st October unless we have to do any amendments as required by Apple.

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Linux Multi Cloud Sync Update: Sync SkyDrive, S3 Google Docs and other Clouds to the Linux desktop

Those users who use the full version of our Windows tools will be familiar with our Sync Tools in which you can Sync your desktop data with that in the clouds. We are now almost ready to release the same functionality for Linux to compliment the ongoing beta of our Linux Virtual Drive.

This functionality means thatYou can work locally with files on your Linux desktop and be secure in the knowledge that they will be sync’d back to the Cloud and available, whatever that cloud is.

For companies whose user-base is heterogeneous, from an OS standpoint, it means that the Linux user is not the poor relation, he has the same Cloud tools and functionality as his Windows counterpart.

The Linux Sync tools will work with Google Docs, Microsoft SkyDrive, Mezeo personal cloud storage, Microsoft Live Mesh, Apple MobileMe, Amazon S3, RackSpace Cloud Files, Box.net, WebDav, FTP Clouds, GMail (GDrive), Email Clouds, and also, soon DropBox.

You can expect to see the Linux Sync tools on our Labs page sometime next week.

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Tying the Cloud to the Desktop: Cloud Management and Sync for Google Docs, Amazon S3 + other clouds

One of the things we get asked about a lot is Sync, especially for the WIndows platform, and especially for Google Docs and Amazon S3. Our Sync tools, Cloud Dashboard, Virtual Drive, shell integration etc, work above any cloud that is mapped to the SMEStorage platform. If you have a multi-cloud account and have 10 clouds mapped to our gateway then you will see 10 cloud directories from each of the different storage providers.

You can set your primary cloud for any sync directly from the Cloud Dashboard tools and and any files you nominate for sync will be sync’d with the underlying cloud. We prepared a small video that you can see below that will show you further details on how this works.

As more and more SMB’s and Organisations move to cloud they want a way to work with their files which is intuitive to the way they worked in the past. They also want ways to keep certain files in sync. For example doc files with Google Docs, maybe video or music files with Amazon S3 etc. This is the aim of our cloud desktop tools. To enable the user to have a more natural user experience and tie the desktop to the cloud environment, but in a more intuitive way, whilst at the same time layering on business features that are useful and productive to the user.

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Guide to creating a multi-OS shared Linux Cloud Drive with SAMBA using The File Fabric

The File Fabric provides a Linux cloud drive that can be mounted on a file system and then used as a normal drive. Samba allows file and print sharing between computers running Windows and computers running Unix. Samba sets up network shares for chosen Unix directories (including all contained subdirectories). These appear to Microsoft Windows users as normal Windows folders accessible via the network.

A File Fabric Cloud Drive can be set up as a shared drive on a Linux file server allowing you to share it amongst many users on your network. This is useful if you want to share cloud resources from a single user account across many users.

Here is a step by step guide to configuring Samba and the File Fabric Linux drive. First, make sure you have installed Samba. Samba is included with most of the Linux distributions. For this we are using CentOS 5.5.

1. Make a backup of your /etc/samba/smb.conf file and then edit the smb.conf file (Make sure the workgroup is the same as the workgroup windows machines belong to.). It should have the following:

[global]
workgroup = WORKGROUP
encrypt passwords = yes
[smedrive]
comment = smedrive mount
path = /export/sme
read only = no

For further information on Samba configuration file please see http://www.samba.org/samba/docs/using_samba/ch06.html

2. The File Fabric Linux drive uses the open-source Fuse code and the out-of-the-box settings do not allow sharing in this manner. Therefore we need to  create a file /etc/fuse.conf with the following one line content and after we do that the machine needs to be rebooted for it to take effect.

user_allow_other

For further information on Fuse please see http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/fuse/index.php?title=Fuse.conf

3. Create the directory where we will mount the drive:
# mkdir -p /export/sme
# chmod 1777 /export/sme

4. Add linux and samba users:
# groupadd smeuser
# useradd -m -n -ppassword -gsmeuser smeuser
# smbpasswd -a smeuser

New SMB password:
Retype new SMB password:
Added user smeuser.
#
5. In the File Fabric Client select File →Advanced and check share your drive check box. Mount the the File Fabric Linux drive make sure the mount folder is /export/sme. By default the File Fabric drive mounts with the “allow_other” option enabled.

6. Start the samba services

# service smb start

Starting SMB services:                                     [  OK  ]

Starting NMB services:                                     [  OK  ]

#

7. Test the samba services.

8. If everything has gone correctly so far you can now mount the shared drive in windows and from the Finder in Mac OSX (using ‘Connect to Server->Go’) and any platform that supports SMB protocol

For windows make sure the workgroup is the same as defined in smb.conf file and you can ping the Linux machine.

9) Open a command prompt and run the command

net use t: file://localhost/smb/::172.16.195.161:smedrive /user:smeuser password

10. Open explorer you will see the drive appear in explorer

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iSMEStorage Cloud Storage Virtualisation App for iPad is in the App Store !

iSMEStorage 1.40 update has been approved by Apple and brings with it support for the iPad and IOS 4.

iSMEStorage for iPad enables you to seamlessly access multiple cloud storage services using only the iPad. Files are displayed in a Virtual Cloud File System (VCFS) and can be managed using directly using the iPad. Visually each Cloud Provided in the file system is now distinguishable by the relevant cloud logo.

Cloud Storage Services supported include Google Docs, Amazon S3, MobileMe,  SkyDrive, Live Mesh, Mezeo, Rackspace Cloud Files, Box.net, Gmail (GDrive), Email-as-a-Cloud, FTP Clouds, and also any cloud accessible via WebDav.

Files from all Clouds can be opened within SMEStorage and saved locally or can be opened in any other application that has support for document sharing. This means you can office docs from any cloud in Documents-to-Go or QuickOffice for example.

The Application has many business and collaboration features and you can check out a video of the iPad application below.

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View your Docs from S3, RackSpace, Azure + more via Google Viewer with SME on iPad, iPhone, Android

Google has rolled out support for Google Viewer on iPhone, iPad and Android devices. This is great news for File Fabric users as the web version of the File Fabric is integrated with Google Viewer (and additionally Microsoft Office and Zoho Office  viewers) which means you can now easily view PDFs, .ppt, .doc and .docx files within the browser without downloading the file to the device.

The File Fabric’s Global Cloud File System (GCFS) works directly from the web on these devices, and is integrated with Google Viewer. This means that using Google Viewer to view supported files will work for all the Storage Clouds the File Fabric supports  which include Amazon S3, RackSpace, OneDrive, Box, Google Drive, Azure, plus any of the other 60+ compatible clouds that the File Fabric supports.

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iPad version of iSMEStorage submitted to Apple

We’ve submitted the iPad version of iSMEStorage to the Apple App Store. We don’t want to say too much about this until its approved but you can it really does add something to the iPad as you can have up to 10 storage clouds in the palm of your hand. As soon as its approved we will publish a fully featured post, but in the meantime there are some images below to whet your appetite !

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