Overview
A file share in Cloudraw is a Windows file server (or a NAS that speaks SMB) that you publish through a Cloudraw connector. People who are allowed to reach it see its shares in Cloudraw Connect. They can open a share in File Explorer or map it as a network drive, as if they were in the office.
- In Cloudraw you publish the server once, and list the shares on it.
- Cloudraw carries file sharing traffic (TCP port 445) to that one server only, through the connector. Nothing is opened on your firewall.
- The file server's own share and folder permissions still decide who can read or change which files. People use their normal Windows account.
You need
- A Cloudraw connector that can reach the file server on TCP port 445.
- The Owner, Security admin or Connector operator role in the Cloudraw admin console.
- Cloudraw Connect on your people's computers. File shares do not open in the browser portal yet.
Only port 445 is carried. The older NetBIOS port 139 is not. Modern Windows does not need it.
Step 1. Publish the file server
- Start a new applicationIn the Cloudraw admin console go to Applications→New application and choose Windows file share (SMB).
- Name itFor example Office files. This is what people see in Cloudraw Connect.
- Enter the file serverType the server name or IP address the way your people already know it, for example
fs01.acme.local. Give only the server, not a\\server\sharepath. - Choose the connectorPick the connector that can reach this server. You can add more connectors later so access keeps working if one fails.
- Add the sharesSee step 2. You need at least one share.
- SaveThe file server is now published, but nobody can reach it yet. That comes in step 3.
Use the same server name your people use today, such as fs01.acme.local. Then paths like \\fs01.acme.local\Finance keep working, and Windows can sign people in to the share with their domain account. The connector must be able to resolve that name.
Each file server is published once. To give access to another share on the same server, add it to that server's share list. Do not publish the server a second time.
Step 2. List the shares
List each share people should see. You can list up to 20 shares per file server.
| Field | What to enter | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Share | The share name on the server, for example Finance. Not the full path. It cannot contain \ / : * ? " < > |. | Yes |
| Sub-folder | A folder inside the share to open directly, for example Invoices\2026. Leave empty to open the top of the share. | No |
| Drive letter | The letter Cloudraw Connect suggests when someone maps the share, D to Z. Each letter can be used once per server. | No |
| Access | Read and write, or read-only. | No (default read and write) |
| Label | A friendly name people see instead of the share name, up to 60 characters. | No |
Cloudraw shows the full path of each share, for example \\fs01.acme.local\Finance\Invoices\2026.
Today people reach the file server directly, and the file server's own permissions decide what each person can do. The Access setting tells Cloudraw Connect how to present the share. It does not override the server. To make a share truly read-only, set read-only permissions on the server itself.
The console also lets you create share protection profiles (allowed file types, upload checks, folder limits) and attach one to a file server. These are saved but not applied yet. The console shows them as not enforced. They will apply when the Cloudraw share gateway is available.
Step 3. Give people access
Like every app in Cloudraw, a new file server can be reached by no one until you add an access rule.
- Add an access ruleIn Access rules, add a rule that allows a group, for example Finance, to reach the file server.
- Check the share permissionsMake sure the same people have permission on the share and its folders on the server.
- TestOn a test computer, open Cloudraw Connect as a person in that group. The file server and its shares appear in the list.
What people see in Cloudraw Connect
Each share appears as its own item. From the item's menu people can:
- Open the share in File Explorer.
- Map as network drive, with the drive letter you suggested.
- Disconnect a mapped drive, or copy the path.
Drives that Cloudraw Connect maps are removed again when it disconnects or the person signs out. On a Mac, the share opens in Finder.
If you use access requests, people can also ask for a file server for a limited time. It then appears with its expiry time.
Computers that are not in your Windows domain will ask for a user name and password when they open the share. People type their domain account, for example ACME\jane. Cloudraw never sees or stores this password.
Troubleshooting
| Message or symptom | Cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Console: "give only the server name (e.g. fs01.acme.local), not a \\server\share path" | You typed a path in the server field. Type only the server name, and put the share name in the share list. |
| Console: "This file server is already published; add the share to its shares list instead." | The server is already published. Open it and add the share to its list. |
| Console: "… is not a valid share name" or "… is listed twice" | Remove the characters \ / : * ? " < > |, or remove the duplicate row. |
| Console: "drive letter … must be D–Z" or "is used twice" | Pick a letter from D to Z that no other share on this server uses. |
| Console: "a file server is always reached on port 445" | You cannot change the port for a file server. Change the server or its shares instead. |
| The share does not appear in Cloudraw Connect | No access rule gives this person the file server, or their device does not meet the rule's conditions. Check Access rules. |
| Windows: "The network path was not found" | The connector cannot reach the server on port 445, cannot resolve the server name, or is offline. Check the connector's status, and test port 445 from the connector computer. |
| Windows: "Access is denied" or asks for a password again and again | The person's Windows account has no permission on the share or folder. Fix the permissions on the file server. |
| Portal: the file share tile says it opens in Cloudraw Connect only | File shares do not open in the browser yet. Use Cloudraw Connect. |