Syncing cloud storage

Dataroom owners with the Cloud storage role can connect a dataroom to a folder in OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive or Dropbox. AITEZA takes the folder’s files over into the dataroom and keeps it up to date: new files are added, changed files get a new version and deleted files are removed. This way you can start with your existing file storage instead of uploading files one by one.

The sync uses your own account at the cloud service. You connect your accounts once under Settings > Cloud storage and can then use them for any dataroom you own. Which services are available is set by your organization admins (see Organization Cloud Storage).

The Cloud storage tab then shows the connected folder, the time of the last sync, the number of files and any errors. The folder is synced regularly (every 30 minutes by default); Sync now starts a sync right away. While a sync runs, the tab shows how many files of the folder have been taken over, e.g. “350 of 2,000 files taken over”. Large folders are taken over in stages so processing stays fast for everyone; the first complete sync can therefore take a while.

The dataroom mirrors the chosen folder. If you choose another folder or account, or switch off include subfolders, AITEZA first asks Switch folder? and only changes the folder once you confirm.

Pause stops the sync without disconnecting: a running sync ends after the file it is taking over, and no changes are taken over until you choose Resume. Files taken over so far stay.

Disconnect ends the sync for this dataroom. A running sync is paused first. With Remove synced files and subdatarooms, the synced files and the subdatarooms the sync created are deleted, including their contents. Without this option, everything stays in the dataroom as ordinary files and datarooms. Your account stays connected in your settings and can still be used for other datarooms.

Skipping Outdated Files#

Folders often contain old versions, copies and temporary files that do not belong in the dataroom. After you choose a folder, AITEZA therefore first reads only the list of files and their metadata (names, folders, modification date and a content hash). Nothing is downloaded, and this preview does not count against the hourly limit. It shows how many files the folder holds and how many are skipped, e.g. “The folder holds 800 files. 120 are skipped.”

The suggestions are grouped by reason, and you can switch each reason on or off:

• Temporary and empty files: e.g. ~$Offer.docx, Thumbs.db or files without content.
• Archive folders: files in folders named like Archiv/Archive, alt/old, Backup, Papierkorb/Trash or veraltet/outdated.
• Named as outdated: words such as alt/old, veraltet/outdated, Entwurf/draft, Backup or obsolete in the file name, or the extensions .bak and .old.
• Duplicates: same content as another file, which is taken over. A copy outside an archive folder is preferred.
• Older versions: same name in the same folder except for a version marker such as _v2/_v5, rev 3, (1), final or Kopie/copy. The most recently changed one is taken over.
• Not changed for a long time: unchanged for more than three years. This reason is off in the built-in default, because contracts or standards are often old.

Show files lists the files of a reason. Untick a file to take it over anyway. The rules stay with the sync: files that appear in the folder later follow them too.

A new sync starts with your organization’s default for these reasons (see Skip Outdated Files). Unless the organization admins have chosen otherwise, all reasons except Not changed for a long time are on. When the default applies, the preview says “Your organization’s default. If you change anything, this dataroom gets its own rules.” As soon as you switch a reason on or off or untick a single file, the dataroom gets its own rules and the preview says “Own rules for this dataroom.” Own rules no longer follow later changes of the default. Use the organization’s default switches back to it.

For an existing sync, the row Skip in the Cloud storage tab shows the active reasons, or “Organization default” when the default applies, and how many files the last run skipped. Syncs set up before this feature skip nothing: they have their own, empty rules until an owner changes the rules or chooses Use the organization’s default. Any owner of the dataroom can review and change the rules, also when another person connected the folder.

Hourly Limit#

Platform operations can limit how many files your organization takes over from cloud storage per hour, across all its datarooms. Each file counts for one hour from the moment it was taken over. Organization admins see the limit under Organization Cloud Storage.

When the limit is reached, the tab says “Your organization’s hourly limit is reached. Syncing continues at …” with the time. Until then, syncs take over no further files but still remove files that were deleted in the cloud. They continue by themselves as soon as the limit allows again. Files taken over so far stay. Pause, Resume and Sync now still work; Sync now waits for the limit as well.

Whose Account Is Used#

The sync runs through the account of the person who chose the folder and on their behalf. It only sees what this person may see in the cloud service.

• Any other owner of the dataroom can use Change folder and choose a folder from their own account. The dataroom then syncs through their account.
• If the account used is disconnected, by its owner or because the organization admins removed the service, the tab says so and asks you to choose an account and folder again. The files stay in the dataroom.
• If the sign-in of the account has expired, the person who owns it sees Sign in again. Other owners see which person has to reconnect, or they choose a folder from their own account.
• If the person loses edit rights on the dataroom, the dataroom is detached from their account.
• If the person loses the Cloud storage role or the organization no longer has the cloud storage add-on, syncs fail until this is resolved.