Box

These are some preliminary notes on using Box for file storage as we explore whether/how to integrate it into Lab workflows.

Why use Box?

• Filesharing with multiple people.

• Persistent storage. Files owned by one of the Department's Special Purpose Accounts (e.g. spa-phonologylab) will not be deleted when an individual user separates from the campus.

Comparison with Google Drive and other campus options.

Berkeley's general description of Box.

Access

All of these access methods appear to aggregate your personal Box files with any other Box folders that have been shared with you.

Web browser

You can log in to Box with a web browser using your Calnet credentials.

• Follow the 'Box' link from bconnected.berkeley.edu.

• Go directly to box.berkeley.edu.

So far this access method appears to be inconvenient for folders with many files. Perhaps there are easy ways to search/filter by filename?

Box Sync

You can keep a folder on your local hard-drive in sync with a folder on Box.

1) download the Box Sync application for your computer. (I found the link to the app under my user name after logging in to box.berkeley.edu.)

2) start Box Sync and let it create a sync folder for you.

3) Enable sync on the folder you want to have synced between Box and your computer.

• this is done in the web interface to your box folders.
• find "enable sync" under the "other options" button next to the folder you want to sync.

FTP

For faster bulk uploading and downloading you can use ftp. Uploads via the web interface are painfully slow when you have many files.

The ftp method does not use Calnet authentication, and you must follow the instructions on setting an external password for Box in order to use ftp. Use your full username@berkeley.edu email address as your username when logging in. Connect to host ftps://ftp.box.com.

Notes:

• File timestamps (creation/modification times) are not preserved when transferred by most ftp clients.

• The status messages received ('TLS connection established') when connecting on port 21 (regular ftp, which is not normally encrypted) seem to indicate that an encrypted session has been established. This is possibly enforced automatically for all @berkeley.edu accounts.

WebDAV

Possible way to mount Box as a drive via WebDav. Probably requires third-party tools.

spa-phonologylab

The phonologylab SPA is a useful container for Lab-related documents and data, especially for files that should stick around longer than the individual(s) who created them.

Campus suggestions for using a SPA with Box.

Guidelines for phonologylab Box:

• Do not create files in the root; folders only.

• Course-related materials should go in a course-specific folder under /courses. The first example is /courses/ling208-f2015. Additional course folders should follow the same naming template.

• Course folders should be assigned one or more co-owners.