Setting up Web file explorer (like google drive) for business

[Dieselboy]

I want to move away from our users placing files in google drive. Their arguement is that it's very easy to share files between users especially when they're working full time from their homes or are traveling.
I'm wondering if using a web front end (basically access files, through SSL and through the browser without VPN easily) exists? I think there's an "explorer" for the Microsoft Terminal Services web RDP thing but that isn't that easy to use and it relies on the user running Microsoft OS.

I'll see if there's something out there along the lines for a Linux OS, but I've not looked yet. Would need to support RADIUS or LDAP along with security groups for the file access roles.

[edit, changed thread title | considering moving to technical area if it starts getting techy]

[deanwebb]

1. Create the internal solution OR select an authorized cloud vendor
2. Block everything else when they're going through your proxy server
3. Install a local proxy that will also block stuff OR pray that they never use their PCs while not connected via VPN.

[Otanx]

Sharepoint, or similar content management application like Alfresco.

-Otanx

[AnthonyC]

There is actually a business version of Google Drive; haven't look or need to use LDAP/RADIUS but apparently LDAP is supported.

[Dieselboy]

Cheers
I've been thinking and I'm going to look and try and find what is basically, a web front end for SMB network shares. I think it would be nice to provide SSL/HTTP access to existing network shares (like home drives) so that the people who work away from the office don't need to VPN in first, then map a drive. I'm not looking for an app. to go along with this at the moment.

We do have Google Apps. for business but it still has challenges. I've linked it in with Active Directory for authentication though.

Sharepoint is no good as it's for Microsoft -> unless this is all different now, in which case I could look at it. We wouldn't have any Microsoft servers if there were sufficient alternatives We're mostly Red Hat since we're a Red Hat partner and most people have Apple Macs and work away.

In my experience (limited experience) with sharepoint in the past and the RDP Terminal Services is that they're clunky and take time to learn for new users. In contrast, the google drive web application feels fluid and everyone can use it without training. I'm working away in Sri Lanka again next week but will try and set something up to test / play.

[Dieselboy]

"owncloud" looks good, feels like google drive web application.

I tested it online here (click the testrive play button): https://susestudio.com/a/TadMax/owncloud-in-a-box

So a little bit of searching later and I found this doc:
https://doc.owncloud.org/server/8.2/admin_manual/configuration_files/external_storage/smb.html

So I think I can set up:
- owncloud server on RHEL, AD integrated, SSL only
- SMB back end to a network file share hosted on Windows Server (like users home drive, negates the need for SSL VPN client for file share access)

Wonder if it will work fine with a web proxy in the DMZ. 

[Dieselboy]

Okay so after a while of faffing around with repositories and PHP5.5 modules I've got this up and running today but on php5.4.
I've linked it in to Active Directory and have added the extras on to link in CIFS/SMB shares.

So now, when a user (who's never seen this before) logs in, they get access to their network drives through the web. Authentication for the network drives is based on the logged in user, so I can but did not need to map drives with a top level admin, on the config.

I'm replicating my Group Policy into this as the GPO has user groups in there to provide network drives for different groups of users.

One issue I've found is that the users home folders has a %username% reference, so I need to find a way if it's possible to replicate this into OwnCloud else each user would need to map their home drive manually. Or worst case I can drop a PDF into everyones area with a name "how to access your home drive" with a couple of steps on how to add it.

I've built this on RHEL7 and used the repositories from red hat to get a LAMP server up and running.
Then needed to install a cache (something about file locking) so installed APCu and redis as per the doc.
Had some issues with selinux but got it running with selinux and firewall enabled (our admins keep disabling these when they build servers ut I'm working on putting a stop to that).
the LDAP integration was a piece of cake.

All I need to do now is append in the document what I did today then;

- set up a web proxy so we can access this from the Internet
- enable SSL / config the certs
- finish configuring the network drives per AD group

The "enterprise" version has a php module provided by OwnCloud which allows you to configure owncloud to pull the scripts etc from AD when the user logs in so that their folders are mapped automatically and as per AD plus a load of other features. It's nice but this is all free. The only thing not free is the RHEL I guess but you could swap that for CentOS.

Once this is done and QA'd by everyone I'll probably work on building a new system with the latest php etc. Apparently php5.4 has some security issues.