Remote Server Mount connects a folder on Files.com to a Remote Server in real time. Site Administrators and Workspace Administrators can configure Remote Server Mounts. Workspace Administrators can only configure mounts on folders within their Workspace.

The Remote Server can be a third party cloud, another Files.com account, an on-premise server running the Files.com On-Premise Agent, or any server accessible via FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, S3 protocol, or another supported protocol.

The mounted folder becomes a window onto the files stored in your remote server or cloud, in real time.

Remote Server Mount is also a way to use Files.com's apps, API, and workflows without using our storage services.

Once you configure a Mount, any operation you perform on or inside that folder acts directly on the remote in real time. Dropping a file into the folder, deleting a file, creating a subfolder, or any other file or folder operation your Files.com user has permissions for passes through to the remote in real time.

Customers on our Enterprise plan can also configure High Availability for Mounts, which automatically routes traffic via alternative connections.

Common use cases include accessing files on a counterparty's cloud without provisioning individual user access, reducing storage costs by using on-premise or bulk storage, and enabling applications to access third-party clouds via Files.com API, FTP, SFTP, or Files.com Apps.

The supported remote server types are listed under Cloud Storage and Content Sharing Integrations.

Checksums and Hashes

Checksums and hashes are not available for files stored on a Remote Server Mount. Calculating these values would require transferring the entire file from the remote server to Files.com servers first, which would incur large data transfer costs. If your business processes require checksums to validate file integrity, you can configure a Sync instead.

Object Metadata

System metadata for files and folders contained within a Remote Server is not stored on Files.com.

When you view file and folder information, you see only the information the Remote Server makes available.

For example, a file stored on Files.com presents information such as creation time, modification time, creator, and geographic storage location. A Remote Server may present some, all, or none of this information.

Size and modification time are returned by many Remote Server types, but not by every type.

Concurrent Access

Race conditions occur when multiple users or processes interact with the same files or folders at the same time through a Remote Mount. Because these operations may happen simultaneously or at overlapping times, it is not possible to predict which one will run first or finish first. This can result in missing files, failed transfers, or partial operations.

Race conditions can also occur when Syncs or Automations target the same source or destination location being used by a Remote Mount.

Files in a Remote Mount may also be in use by another user or process directly on the remote system. Modifying files through a Remote Mount while they are in use on the remote server can cause file corruption or data loss.

To avoid race conditions, avoid setting up a Remote Mount to a "working directory" where files are likely to be in use by remote processes.