File Storage and Sharing

SAS files stored in the Rutgers Active Directory (RAD) storage system can be accessed from off campus via a simple process. The general process is similar for both Windows and Mac users (connect to VPN, then access files). These instructions assume Windows.

Install the VPN client and connect to the Rutgers VPN.
Go to a command line (e.g., press WindowsKey+R, type cmd and press Enter). Then enter this command:
net use * \\rad.rutgers.edu\dfs\sas /u:rad\yourNetID /p:no
Alternatively, you can use the Map Network Drive function in Windows Explorer and specify "Connect using different credentials." * If you use this method, be sure to enter your username as RAD\Netid and not just your Netid.

Enter your Netid password when prompted and take note of the drive letter that gets connected. *
* Note: if you are already logged into a computer that was joined to the RAD domain you may not need to specify credentials.
Use Windows Explorer to browse to the drive letter in question and find the folder / file you're looking for.
When you are finished accessing your files, you can right-click the drive letter and choose to Disconnect it. Or issue a command like this from the command line:
net use <drive_letter>: /delete
Disconnect from the VPN.

Where are my files?

In Rad, all SAS shared files are stored under \\rad.rutgers.edu\dfs\Sas. Most top-level folders in this location correspond with "W:" drives for different departments. Inside your department's W: folder, you'll find the regular directory structure you're used to seeing. There are some other folders at this top level as well, most notably RutgersSAS (for cross-department sharing) and Webpages (where some individuals' web content is stored). If you can't find what you're looking for, please submit a SUBMIT REQUEST and we'll be glad to assist you.

Home directories are stored in a different location than shared files. Each department has its own path. These follow the pattern of \\rad.rutgers.edu\dfs\SASDeptHome -- e.g., \\rad.rutgers.edu\dfs\SasStatisticsHome (no username is to be appended). Hint: Dept will match the W: folder name in \\rad.rutgers.edu\dfs\Sas. To connect a drive letter to your Home folder, you can use the same techniques specified above, altering the path as necessary.

Network drive space is a resource provided for the sole purpose of storing current work-related data. All employees are responsible for managing their own space, which includes deleting non-essential or old files to keep space utilization at a minimum. Personal files, such as music, photos or video clips are not to be stored on network drives.

Many of these inappropriate file types can be identified by such extensions as: mp3, avi, exe, dll, jpg, mpg, wav, wmv, gif, bmp and sys. There are more, but these are the most common. While these are deemed inappropriate for personal storage, they are considered acceptable if they are used for department-related work such as the design of web pages, presentations and documentation.

Disk space in your home directory (H:\ drive) is to be used to store your work-related information (word processing documents, Excel spreadsheets or presentations) that is personal in nature, such as performance appraisals. In addition, many users also have an L:\ drive, used to store html and graphic files for use in publishing a web page. Only web-related materials should be stored here. Note that the amount of space you have on your H: \ drive is shared with the L:\ drive. For the vast majority of users, 100MB is sufficient, but upon receipt of a request, the drive space will be reviewed for compliance with the data storage policy and additional space may be allocated based upon need and availability of resources.

Users should, on a regular basis, review the contents of their drives and delete any files that are unnecessary or do not comply with the policy. Another misuse of your personal storage space is using it as a backup for your personal computer. An external hard drive should be used for this purpose.

The workgroup drive (W:\ drive) is departmental space for sharing work-related files with multiple users or space for individuals to store their work-related documents. We encourage departmental administrators to use this space to store data even if they are the only ones with access. If you need to have a directory created on the W: drive, submit a confidential REQUEST and provide the name of the directory you would like created, the list of users who should have access to that directory, and the type of access they should have (read or read\write). Documents that are being worked on by several individuals should be stored in the W: drive rather than being emailed back and forth. Not only is this method more efficient, it helps to save resources on the mail server. The W: drive can be accessed as follows:

On Campus: Your IT support staff will configure your system to access the W: drive. If you need assistance with this, please submit a helpdesk request.
Off Campus: Please refer to the documentation for Accessing files from off campus.

The system administrators periodically run scripts to identify files on the server that appear to fall outside of our usage guidelines. Any users flagged by that software will be contacted by system administrators to make a final determination regarding the appropriateness of the data being stored.

Working Remotely Type: General

PDF Version of this document

This document outlines steps to share files and folders on OneDrive. Keep in mind that when you share folders with Edit permissions, people you share with can add the shared folders to their own OneDrive, and any updates they make sync with the shared folder, so everyone with access to the folder is up to date.

How to Share a Folder

Sign in to OneDrive: Log into Office 365 Microsoft account with your Rutgers department email address and NetID password at https://connect.rutgers.edu/.
Launch OneDrive application from the 9 dotted square icon: located in the upper left corner.
Select the File/Folder: Navigate to the file or folder you wish to share or select by selecting “My files” located on the left column. Click the circle in the top right corner of the file or folder to select it.
Click the Share icon once you hover over the file or folder.
Choose Sharing Options: You can share the folder with specific people by entering their email addresses or generating a shareable link. Note: You can optionally type a custom email message in the “Add a message” dialog box.
Select the Settings icon to open the Link Settings.
Select an option for who you want to give access to with the Link Settings:
- Anyone gives access to anyone who receives this link, whether they receive it directly from you or forwarded from someone else. This may include people outside of your organization.
- People in Rutgers University with the link will give anyone in your organization who has the link access to the file, whether they receive it directly from you or forwarded from someone else.
- Only People with existing access can be used by people who already have access to the document or folder. It does not change any permissions. Use this if you just want to send a link to somebody who already has access.
- People you choose gives access only to the people you specify, although other people may already have access. If people forward the sharing invitation, only people who already have access to the item will be able to use the link.
Under More settings, you can set any of the following options:
- Can View – recipients can only view the file(s) and can’t make changes.
- Can Edit – recipients can make changes to the file(s).
- Can Review – recipients can suggest changes but can’t make them themselves.
- Can’t download – recipients can view the file(s) but can’t download it to their devices.
When sharing folders in OneDrive, it's crucial to understand the different permission levels and their implications. "Can edit" permissions not only allow recipients to modify the contents of the folder, but also to share the folder with others. This can lead to unintended access if not managed carefully.
Once you have set all your link settings and permissions, select Apply to share the file or folder.

OneDrive Folder Sharing Best Practices

Best Practices for Sharing Folders

Use a Dedicated Sharing Folder: Create a specific folder named "SHARE" where you copy folders that you intend to share. This helps keep shared content organized and separate from your private files.
Carefully Assign Permissions: Always double-check the permissions you assign. Use "can view" for read-only access and "can edit" for collaborative access.
Set Expiration Dates: Limit the exposure time of shared folders by setting expiration dates. This ensures that access is temporary and reduces the risk of long-term unintended sharing.

Additional Best Practices

Share Folders, Not Individual Files: For easier self-auditing, share entire folders instead of individual files. This makes it simpler to manage and review permissions.
Include Recipient Names in Folder Names: Adding the name of the person to the folder you are sharing can help keep track of who you have given access to.

Additional Resources

OneDrive video tutorials - Microsoft Support

Working Remotely Type: Windows/Mac/Linux

Activation

Before using Box you will need to activate the service on your NetID.

Go to https://netid.rutgers.edu and select Service Activation on the left of the site.
Log in with NetID and password.
You will see the following screen:
Select the Box Cloud Storage Option
- NOTE: You don’t have to activate the service again if you have [You already have this account.] listed next to the Box option.
Click the “Activate Services” button

Prerequisites:

macOS 10.12 or higher

Installation Steps

Go to https://box.rutgers.edu/downloads/
Click on the operating system type (in your case Mac) and save the file and install the software.
Download the Box Drive installer here
Navigate to where you saved the file. Double-click it to run the Installer
When prompted, select Install for all users of this computer and click Continue
DO NOT change the location. Click Install.
An installation completed successfully window will open once completed.
Click Close to close the installer.
After the installation completes Box Drive will launch.
Enter your email address.
Click Next
Enter your NetID and password
Click Login

A Box folder will be created in Finder Window

using box macs 3

Saving or Moving data to Box

You can create folders just like you do on your own computer and copy\move documents into those folders.
- If you are running low on hard drive space this is a good place to move your data to free up hard drive space on your local computer
The box folder works the same as any other folder on your computer. You can save a document directly to the box folder, drag and drop or cut and paste.
The cloud on the folder indicates it’s in the cloud

using box macs 4

If you Control + click on a box folder and click on Make Available Offline, this will download the data onto your computer

using box macs 5

Logging into Box from any location:

Go to https://box.rutgers.edu/.
Click on login
Log in with your net id and net id password