The Novell iFolder client works in combination with the iFolder server to create a single virtual work folder that you can access from any computer.
The key features of your iFolder account include the following:
The Novell iFolder client supports the synchronization of files in your local iFolder directory with the iFolder server and with other workstations. If you choose, the iFolder client can also encrypt your files for transmission and storage on the iFolder server. It also provides an interface for you to manage your iFolder account.
An iFolder client session begins automatically each time your start your computer. The session runs in the background as you work with files in your local iFolder directory, tracking and logging any changes you make. When you log in to the iFolder server, the iFolder client synchronizes your files transparently as scheduled, or on demand, according to your specified preferences.
When you move to a different location and a different workstation, and log in to the iFolder server, the iFolder client automatically updates your local iFolder directory to reflect the work you did elsewhere—with no floppies or manual file transfers required.
For more information, see Section 2.12, Managing Your iFolder Account.
Your local iFolder directory is your virtual work folder. This is where you will move any files that you want to synchronize among multiple workstations and the iFolder server, using the iFolder client.
You determine the location of the local iFolder directory on your hard drive. Within the directory, you can set up any subdirectory structure that suits your personal or corporate work habits. Although the actual path to the local directory might be different on each of your workstations, the subdirectory structure remains the same for all your workstations.
For more information, see Section 2.13, Accessing iFolder Files on Your Workstation.
Your iFolder server user account provides the network-based storage for the files in your iFolder directory. The iFolder server backs up your local files and enables you to synchronize files among your many workstations. Your files are always protected on the network and are easily recovered if your local data is lost.
After your iFolder administrator enables your user ID for iFolder services, you must use the iFolder client or the iFolder Java applet, which are available on your iFolder Web site, to initialize and configure your iFolder accounts. For information, see Section 2.1, Initializing Your iFolder Account.
The iFolder server supports Internet and network access to your iFolder data on the server without using the iFolder client. You can use a Web browser from any computer or Novell NetDrive from a Windows computer to access your files.
Web Access. If you are away from your workstations or you want to access multiple iFolder accounts concurrently, you can access your files on the iFolder server using a Web browser instead of the iFolder client. You navigate to your iFolder Web site, then use the iFolder Java applet to manually download the files you want to work with. You must manually upload the files when you are done. You must also manually delete the local copy of the files before logging out of the borrowed workstation.
Novell iFolder 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 are bundled with Novell NetStorage™ and Novell Virtual Office. If available, you can use these interfaces to access your iFolder data using a Web browser. Virtual Office uses NetStorage to access your files. NetStorage requires manual download and upload of the files.
For more information, see Section 3.1, Accessing iFolder Files Using a Web Browser.
Novell NetDrive Access. If you sometimes work in an environment where you must share a Windows workstation with others, such as a university, iFolder provides an alternative to the iFolder client and Web access options: Novell NetDrive. With NetDrive, you can map the iFolder server as a network drive using a standard Internet or network connection. Then you access and work with your files as with any network drive. NetDrive transparently downloads and uploads files to a temporary directory on your workstation, similar to any mapped network drive. When you log out of NetDrive, it completes any outstanding uploads and deletes the files in the temporary directory. For more information, see Section 3.2, Accessing iFolder Files Using Novell NetDrive.
The Novell iFolder conflict bin is a safety feature that helps prevent inadvertent deletion of your files during synchronization. The bin is an area of storage in your iFolder directory allotted to a file-restore capability. Each workstation has its own conflict bin to store its files that encounter problems.
The iFolder Conflict Bin Viewer is a browser interface that lets you review files in the conflict bin. You can either manually delete files or restore them to the main portion of your iFolder directory from the bin.
For more information, see Viewing Files in the Conflict Bin.
During synchronization using the iFolder client, iFolder downloads and uploads your personal files instantly. You must log in to the iFolder server to begin synchronization and log out to stop it. You can opt to log in when the client session begins or wait to log in later, depending on the synchronization needs in your personal work environment.
The iFolder client allows you to set preferences to make the synchronization process as transparent to your daily operations as you want it to be.
For example, you might set auto-synchronization to occur at fixed intervals while you are logged in. Alternatively, you might turn off auto-synchronization so that you manually control when synchronization occurs. Either way, the iFolder client session tracks and logs changes so that it is ready to synchronize files when you ask—as scheduled or on demand.
For more information, see Section 2.6, Understanding File Synchronization.
Novell iFolder provides optional 128-bit Blowfish encryption to ensure the security of your files during synchronization. If you enable this option, you specify the encryption passphrase that iFolder uses to create the encryption keys for encrypting and decrypting your files.
With encryption, iFolder provides secure transport across public and private IP connections and secure storage on the iFolder server. Your sensitive documents remain private as they travel and reside anywhere other than your local workstations.
For more information about file encryption, see Section 2.8, Using File Encryption.