Features Seafile
Figure 2: Enter a location for the Seafile libraries and content files.
files. Users can edit each other’s documents, which are shared within Groups, through libraries. Seafile online editing does not feature real-time editing, but it does offer a neat editing experience with support for discussion.
The Super Admin The admin account for the Seafile server can manage users and groups on the server from the admin panel. Access this account by clicking on the wrench icon next to the admin icon on top. The admin can see all users, groups, and Libraries. However even the admin cannot access the libraries, files, or discussions created by other users and groups. The admin might not be able to see the content of any library, but it does
have the power to delete any library, group, member, or shared item.
synced. You should always work inside the Library to ensure proper syncing.
Integrate Seafile with the desktop
Client Side Encryption
To integrate Seafile with your local machine and take advantages of the clientside encryption, download the client for your OS. The Seafile client is available for Linux, Android, Mac OS X, iOS, and Windows. When the client is run for the for the first time, it asks for the location where the libraries, and their content, will be stored on your system (Figure 2). The client will then ask for the server URL and login details (email and password). Because the SSL certificate was self-generated, it will show a warning; just accept the certificate and proceed. You will then see the client window. The client window shows all the libraries created by you or shared with you. Seafile won’t sync the Libraries automatically (at least on the desktop client). You can choose which libraries you want to sync with this machine (nifty feature if you don’t want to sync personal libraries on the work PC). To sync a library, right-click on the cloud icon and choose Sync this library (Figure 3). Seafile will to let you choose the location where the library and its content will reside on the local machine. Whenever you sync a library with a local machine, Seafile saves the library inside a folder which, by default, is called Seafile. Be aware that the content inside the library is synced with the server. If you create any folder or save any file outside the library, it will not be
To create a client-side encryption library, first create a folder on your local machine. Then, drag and drop that folder in the designated area on the desktop client. Seafile will open a window where you can change the path of the folder, give it a new name, and add a description (which is mandatory). Below this you will see the encrypted option – select it and provide the password (Figure 4). This folder will become your client-side encryption Library. You can sync it with other machines through the desktop clients or access it via a web browser, but every time you access the library, you will have to provide the password.
Back to Future: Version One of the best features of Seafile is version control. Every time a file is saved and synced with the server, Seafile creates a new version of it. You can access the file history from a web browser. Hover the mouse over the filename to see the drop-down, contextual menu. The last option on this menu is history. You can also access the history of any file by opening it in the browser and then clicking on the history icon.
Conclusion Seafile might appear a bit complex when compared with Dropbox or ownCloud, but once you understand how libraries work, Seafile becomes extremely easy to use. The library model, when combined with groups, creates a very powerful, flexible, and scalable tool for enterprise customers. n n n
Info [1] Seafile homepage: http://www.seafile.com/en/home/ [2] Seafile security features: http://manual.seafile.com/security/ security_features.html [3] Seafile Editions: http://www.seafile. com/en/product/private_server/ [4] MariaDB repository: https:// downloads.mariadb.org/mariadb/ repositories/#mirror=mirrorpw Figure 3: Configuring Seafile’s file sync options.
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Figure 4: Configuring client-side encryption.
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[5] Seafile server and client download: http://www.seafile.com/en/ download/
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