WebDAV (Outbound to a Remote)
In addition to accepting inbound connections over the WebDAV protocol, Files.com can connect outbound to a remote server that speaks WebDAV, using a Remote Server Mount or a Sync. When a remote server supports more than one protocol, use SFTP or FTP over WebDAV. Reserve outbound WebDAV for partners that offer no other connection method.
A Remote Server Mount connects a folder on Files.com to the remote WebDAV server in real time. Any operation you perform in that folder passes through to the remote as it happens.
A Sync copies files to or from the remote WebDAV server. A sync can push files from your Files.com site to the remote server, or pull files from the remote server to your Files.com site.
Add a Remote Server Using the WebDAV Protocol
Add a new Remote Server to your site, and select WebDAV as the remote server type.
You must provide an Internal name for this connection. If you're managing multiple remote servers, make the name clear enough to easily identify this particular connection.
The Hostname and Port are required to create the remote server because they define how Files.com connects to the remote server. The Username and Password provide the credentials to log into the server. You can also select a saved credential from the Remote Server Credential Manager.
Once your Remote Server is added, you can integrate it with Files.com as either a Remote Server Mount or Sync.
Hostname and Port
Specify the Hostname as a fully-qualified domain name. Do not include a protocol prefix or a path. The domain must be resolvable publicly so the Files.com platform can locate the server.
In most cases, use the default port value of 443 for HTTPS. Only use an alternate port if you know the remote server requires it. The other commonly used remote port, 80, typically means that the server does not support SSL, and in that case you select http:// rather than https:// under protocol.
IP Addresses Used For Connection
If you have a Custom Domain installed on your site, Files.com has provisioned two dedicated IP addresses for your site and uses them by default for outbound connections to the remote server. Provide these two IP addresses to your counterparties and ask them to whitelist them in any applicable firewall.
If you do not have a Custom Domain installed on your site, you do not have Dedicated IP Addresses provisioned for your site, and Files.com uses its entire pool of IP addresses for outbound connections to the remote server. If your counterparties maintain an IP Address whitelist, they need to whitelist all of the IPs on this list.
Customers often ask for Dedicated IP addresses as a way to avoid having to ask their counterparty to whitelist a huge list of IP addresses.
Files.com offers that for Remote Server connection purposes through a side path, which is adding a Custom Domain to your site. Having a custom domain provides a justification for the dedicated IP address.
Files.com automatically provisions a pair of dedicated IP addresses for every site that has a custom domain enabled. This is because FTP, unlike HTTP, requires that every custom domain be hosted on a dedicated IP address in order to have a custom SSL Certificate that matches the domain.
If you have users who restrict outbound access via a firewall, they only need to whitelist your two dedicated IP addresses, rather than the entire published list of IP addresses (see above).
Dedicated IPs, once provisioned, are used for both inbound connections to your site via your custom domain and outbound connections from Files.com to certain applicable Remote Servers that are used for Sync and Remote Server Mount.
By default, Files.com uses your dedicated IP addresses for outbound connections to FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, and S3 Compatible remote servers. You can disable the use of your dedicated IP in these circumstances if you need to. (You might do that if your counterparty has already whitelisted the main Files.com IP range, for example.)
Protocol and SSL
Files.com uses SSL security for outbound WebDAV connections wherever possible. You can disable SSL on this connection by selecting http:// under protocol. This option is insecure.
By default, Files.com verifies that the remote SSL Certificate matches the hostname used for the connection and that the remote SSL Certificate is signed by a trusted Certificate authority. You can relax this requirement by telling Files.com to allow non-matching certificates. This option is insecure.
Maximum Number of Connections
Unlike FTP and SFTP remote servers, Files.com does not allow configuring a maximum number of connections to WebDAV. This is because most remote WebDAV services support parallel requests via HTTP.
Once your Remote Server is added, integrate it with Files.com as either a Remote Server Mount or Sync.
Add Remote Server Mount
Remote Server Mounts are created by mounting them onto an empty folder in Files.com. We recommend against using the Root of your site as the mount folder, although the Root is supported if you need it.
Add Sync
After creating the Remote Server, you can use it to perform Syncs between your server and Files.com.
Automations
Folders that have been configured with Remote Server Mount to the WebDAV server can also be used with automations, allowing you to include the WebDAV server's folders as source locations or destinations for your automations.