Enterprise file sync and share using Citrix ShareFile and IBM Storwize V7000 Unified system A technical report Sandeep Zende IBM Systems ISV Enablement January 2016
Table of contents Abstract... 1 Scope... 1 Introduction... 1 Prerequisites... 2 IBM Storwize V7000 Unified... 2 Citrix ShareFile (Enterprise Edition)... 3 Architecture... 4 Citrix components... 4 Control plane... 4 ShareFile StorageZones... 4 Customer-managed StorageZones... 5 StorageZones Controllers... 5 StorageZone Connectors... 5 IBM components... 5 IBM Storwize V7000 Unified... 5 Citrix ShareFile configuration... 6 IBM Storwize V7000 Unified... 6 Citrix ShareFile web console... 7 File synchronization... 14 Citrix ShareFile StorageZone Connector... 27 Summary... 33 Appendix A: Test environment... 34 Appendix B: Resources... 35 About the author... 35 Trademarks and special notices... 36
Abstract This white paper discusses the enterprise file sync and sharing service with on-premises storage using Citrix ShareFile and IBM Storwize V7000 Unified systems. The paper provides step-bystep instructions to configure Citrix ShareFile to use the storage space provided by IBM Storwize V7000 Unified system and also describes file synchronization. Scope This technical report: Discusses the solution architecture, configuration, and the solution validation of Citrix ShareFile and IBM Storwize V7000 Unified system. This technical report does not: Discuss the installation and basic configuration of IBM Storwize V7000 Unified system and Citrix ShareFile. Replace any already available document that is related to IBM Storwize V7000 Unified system and Citrix ShareFile. Introduction Every organization needs a secure way to store, share, and sync data to any device, and from anywhere for their mobile workforce. More and more employees are mobile, and secure access to business data is a must. Businesses must keep up with these new requirements. A mobile workforce means higher productivity, but it can also mean higher risks, the risk of lost or stolen data, risk of IP loss and even violation of regulatory rules and data sovereignty. Business data is at risk or can be lost when employees use personal online file sharing accounts, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, icloud, SugarSync and Box because there are no enterprise security features in place when these services are used. IT no longer has control of what data is being accessed, stored, or shared. Enterprises need to be able to runs reports and data audits to track and log user activity to meet corporate data policies and compliance requirements. To protect and gain control over data, organizations are turning to enterprise file synchronization and sharing services with robust security features combined with flexible storage options. Citrix ShareFile, a secure data sync and sharing service with flexible storage options allows IT to mobilize all enterprise data. ShareFile enables mobile productivity with read/write access to data, workflows and collaboration, allows users to securely share files with anyone, and sync files across all of their devices. With ShareFile, IT gains the flexibility to store data in the most optimal locations to meet compliance and data sovereignty requirements and provide mobile access to network shares, SharePoint, OneDrive for Business and any Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system. ShareFile delivers an intuitive experience for users, while providing IT with the security and control. A broad range of storage options from Citrix ShareFile enables businesses to specify the location for storing their data. Data can be stored in the cloud, on-premises, and even a hybrid option that uses a mix of both. The IBM Storwize V7000 Unified system provides the perfect on-premises storage solution for 1
Citrix ShareFile. IBM Storwize V7000 Unified has been optimized with Citrix ShareFile to address specific use cases and sizing guidelines. Built with IBM Spectrum Virtualize software, IBM Storwize V7000 Unified provides the latest storage technologies for unlocking the business value of stored data, including virtualization and IBM Real-time Compression. Citrix ShareFile and IBM Storwize V7000 Unified together can provide market-leading enterprise file sync and sharing, secure IT oversight of business data with flexible and extremely scalable and efficient storage. Customers can benefit from a fully validated, tested, and proven solution when they turn to ShareFile and IBM. The two products together, protect valuable data while delivering simplified data management. IBM and Citrix ShareFile can support reliable and efficient scalability on a budget. Prerequisites To successfully implement an enterprise file sync and share solution, the reader needs to have familiarity with several technologies in addition to the following prerequisites. Technology skills prerequisites IBM Storwize V7000 Unified management Citrix ShareFile enterprise file sync and sharing service Implementation prerequisites IBM Storwize V7000 Unified configured and operational Citrix ShareFile StorageZones Controller installed on-premises IBM Storwize V7000 Unified The IBM Storwize V7000 Unified disk system is one of the most powerful and easy-to-use innovative disk systems in the storage marketplace. The powerful storage system combines hardware and software components to provide a single point of control to support improved storage efficiency. By enabling virtualization, consolidation, and tiering in your organization, the IBM Storwize V7000 Unified disk system helps to improve application availability and resource utilization. The system offers easy-to-use, efficient, and cost-effective management capabilities for new and existing storage resources in your IT infrastructure. Storwize V7000 Unified is a virtual storage system that offers greater efficiency and flexibility through builtin solid-state drive (SSD) optimization and thin-provisioning technologies. The advanced functions of the Storwize V7000 Unified system also enable rapid deployment without additional resources and nondisruptive migration of data from existing storage, simplifying implementation and minimizing disruption to users. By using the IBM Storwize V7000 Unified disk system, you can virtualize and reuse existing disk systems, supporting a greater potential of return on investment (ROI). The IBM Storwize V7000 Unified disk system consolidates block and file workloads into a single storage system for simplicity of management and reduced cost. 2
Citrix ShareFile (Enterprise Edition) ShareFile is a secure enterprise file sync and sharing service that meets the mobility and collaboration needs of users and the data security requirements of the enterprise. Give users true enterprise class data services across all corporate and personal mobile devices, while giving IT all the control it needs. Users can access, sync, and securely share files from any device with people both inside and outside the organization for easy collaboration and enhanced productivity. Offline access keeps productivity up even when on-the-go. ShareFile can be fully integrated with existing security infrastructure and policies. Integrate ShareFile with existing data loss prevention (DLP) systems to restrict data sharing on files that violate company policies. Integration with Microsoft Windows Explorer, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office 365, and Mac OS Finder makes it simple and intuitive for users to share, open, and edit documents within the context of their existing workflow. Only Citrix offers an enterprise file sync and sharing solution and a stand-alone service, integrated with a comprehensive enterprise mobility management or mobile workspace suite and is optimized for virtual desktop environments. ShareFile is a cloud-based file sharing service that enables users to easily and securely exchange documents. ShareFile enables users to send large documents by email, securely handle document transfers to third parties, and access a collaboration space from desktops or mobile devices. ShareFile provides users with a variety of ways to work, including a web-based interface, mobile clients, desktop tools, and integration with Microsoft Outlook. Unlike unsecure consumer-style apps and other lightweight tools, ShareFile is designed for business, providing a robust, mobile-optimized feature set to support the way people work today. IT can store enterprise data in the most optimal locations in the cloud, on-premises, or a hybrid of both and connect seamlessly to existing data sources such as Common Internet File System (CIFS) shares, Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Office 365 (SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business) or any other ECM system with the StorageZone Connectors SDK. ShareFile seamlessly integrates with workflow tools such as Microsoft Outlook and provides a rich user experience on any device to enhance productivity. Organizations have the flexibility to choose the location for storing their data. It can be on-premises, in the cloud, or a combination of both to meet their specific requirements for data sovereignty, compliance, performance and costs. StorageZones enable optimal user performance by allowing IT to store data in close proximity to the user. With customer-managed StorageZones, IT can store data in the organization s datacenter or in Microsoft Azure or Amazon S3 datacenters. ShareFile Enterprise Edition is offered as a stand-alone service, as part of an enterprise mobility management solution with XenMobile, and as part of a software-defined workspace with the Workspace Suite. Integration with XenMobile helps to deliver a rich user experience with Citrix-developed apps, including WorxMail for secure mobile email, calendar and contact access; and WorxWeb for secure browsing. Integration with Workspace Suite delivers secure access to mobile and virtual apps, desktops, and file sync and sharing services from any device, over any network to empower mobile workers with the freedom and flexibility to choose how they work. 3
Architecture This section discusses the architecture and its components of the solution. Figure 1 is a high-level graphical representation of the connectivity and flow between the different components of the enterprise file sync and share solution. Figure 1: Citrix ShareFile and IBM Storwize V7000 Unified configuration Citrix components The different components of Citrix ShareFile involved in the solution are discussed in this section. Control plane The control plane performs functions such as user authentication, access control, reporting, and brokering. The control plane is hosted in Citrix datacenters and are managed by Citrix as a service. In the example shown in Figure 1, ibm.sharefile.com is the domain created by Citrix to deliver the control plane for this specific solution. ShareFile StorageZones ShareFile StorageZones allow IT administrators to specify the location to store their corporate data. Administrators can choose Citrix-managed secure cloud storage options and customer-managed 4
StorageZones to use their storage infrastructure whether on-premises or in cloud-based object storage. Customer-managed StorageZones With customer-managed StorageZones, IT can place data in the organization s own datacenter to help meet unique data sovereignty and compliance requirements. StorageZones Controllers The main component in a customer-managed StorageZone is the StorageZones Controller server. The StorageZones Controller software is a web service installed on a Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012R2 server and is used to enable StorageZone Connectors and handle all the HTTPS operations from users and the control subsystem. In essence, it is a web-based front end to the StorageZone storage repository. Citrix recommends using a dedicated server or virtual machine for the StorageZones Controller server due to the high demands placed on these servers during peak usage. StorageZone Connectors With the StorageZone Connectors feature, mobile users can connect from ios or Android phones or tablets to ShareFile data, existing CIFS network shares, SharePoint document libraries, OneDrive for Business, ECM systems, and other data repositories. Further, the mobile editing capabilities in the ShareFile application helps mobile users achieve high productivity while on the go. IBM components In this section, the role of IBM Storwize V7000 Unified in the solution is discussed. IBM Storwize V7000 Unified To implement customer-managed StorageZone, IT can place data in the customer-managed datacenter or a customer-managed account in Microsoft Azure or Amazon S3. For deployments where customers choose to deploy a StorageZone on-premises, IBM Storwize V7000 Unified provides a great option for file storage. In the example shown in Figure 1, a CIFS share citrixshare is created using the IBM General Parallel File System (IBM GPFS ) file system (/ibm/citrix) on IBM Storwize V7000 Unified. This share is used as a storage space for customer-managed StorageZone in Citrix ShareFile. Citrix ShareFile, using its network share connectors, also allows to use the existing CIFS shares to be accessed by ShareFile clients and this is where IBM Storwize V7000 Unified differentiates itself by also allowing the same share to be accessed by other protocols such as Network File System (NFS), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and so on. In Figure 1, /ibm/citrix-sf-conn, the GPFS file system, shared using CIFS protocol is configured by ShareFile connector and accessed by the ShareFile clients. 5
Citrix ShareFile configuration Following are the key requirements to be completed for setting up customer-managed StorageZones. Install Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 or Windows Server 2012R2. Use a publicly resolvable Internet host name (not an IP address). Enable the web server (Internet Information Services) role. Enable the ASP.NET and basic authentication IIS role services. Install ASP.NET 4.5. Enable Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for communications with ShareFile. If you are not using DMZ proxy servers, install a public SSL certificate on the IIS service. Use an SSL certificate from a commercially trusted certificate authority. ShareFile does not support self-signed or unsigned certificates Use a CIFS share for private data storage. If you plan to store ShareFile files in a Windows Azure or Amazon S3 storage container, the CIFS share is used for temporary files (encryption keys, queued files) and as a temporary storage cache. For step-by-step details, refer to: http://support.citrixonline.com/en_us/sharefile/documents The following sections explain the postinstallation configuration of Citrix ShareFile. IBM Storwize V7000 Unified As shown in Figure 2, a file system (/ibm/citrix) is created in IBM Storwize V7000 Unified as seen in the IBM Storwize V7000 Unified GUI. Figure 2: IBM Storwize V7000 Unified File System The citrixshare share is created using the file system /ibm/citrix as shown in Figure 3. 6
Figure 3: Shares Click Actions Edit to verify the share details as shown in Figure 4. Figure 4: Share details Citrix ShareFile web console 1. Verify the details of the administrator account and the features enabled for the account by logging in to ibm.sharefile.com. Click the administrator in the users list (Manage Users) and verify the features available to the administrator. Confirm that this user can create connectors. 7
Figure 5: Admin account 2. On the Citrix StorageZones Controller, open the Citrix ShareFile configuration page by clicking the shortcut in the Windows application, as shown in Figure 6. 8
Figure 6: Citrix ShareFile StorageZones Controller configuration shortcut 9
3. Log in with the ShareFile administrator account and sub domain, ibm.sharefile.com. Figure 7: Citrix ShareFile StorageZones Controller login 4. Enter the required StorageZone setup details, as shown in Figure 8. Figure 8: StorageZone setup 10
5. Select the Enable StorageZones for ShareFile Data check box. The storage repository should be Local network share and enter the network share information. Figure 9: Network share configuration 6. Enable the StorageZone Connectors by selecting the check boxes and enter the passphrase and click Register. 11
Figure 10: StorageZone Connectors 7. The message indicating that StorageZone has been configured successfully is displayed, as shown in Figure 11. 12
Figure 11: StorageZone information 8. Click the Monitoring tab to further verify the configuration. All the rows show a green tick mark except one which is the configuration related to Microsoft Azure object storage. It shows a yellow icon because in this example, the public cloud Microsoft Azure is not used. 13
Figure 12: StorageZones Controller status File synchronization This section describes file upload and synchronization using Citrix ShareFile. 1. After Citrix ShareFile StorageZones Controller is successfully configured, log in to ibm.sharefile.com and verify the configuration. 14
Figure 13: Files and Folders 2. Click the Admin tab and then click Storage Zones in the left pane. You can see the zone IIC_LAB_Zone created on StorageZones Controller. 15
Figure 14: Storage Zones 3. Click IIC_LAB_Zone to verify the zone details, as shown in Figure 15. 16
Figure 15: Zone details 4. You need to create a shared folder that can be shared with the other users. Click the Home tab, and then click Shared Folders. Then clickcreate Folder, as shown in Figure 16. 17
Figure 16: Shared Folders 5. Enter a name for the folder and select the zone in which you want to create this folder. Figure 17: Create folder 6. As shown in Figure 18, a folder, named ShareFileTest, is created. Click Upload Files to upload a file. 18
Figure 18: Folder created 7. Either browse or drag a file select it. Figure 19: Browse or drag a file 8. Click Upload to upload the file, as shown in Figure 20. 19
Figure 20: Upload a file You can monitor the progress of the upload can be monitored. Figure 21: Upload status When successfully uploaded, you can find the file listed in the ShareFileTest folder. 20
Figure 22: List folder 9. Verify the synchronization from Citrix ShareFile for mobile. After logging in, click Shared Folders and then click the ShareFileTest folder, as shown in Figure 23. Figure 23: Shared folder 10. Click the ShareFileTest folder to verify that the Image1.jpg file is synchronized. Click the file to see the details. 21
Figure 24: ShareFileTest content 11. Click the image icon to open or read the image. Figure 25: File details The file will be downloaded and opened on the mobile device. 22
Figure 26: Read file 12. ShareFile also provides an in-built editor to create a file which can be saved and synchronized. Click the plus (+) icon as shown in Figure 27 to see the options available to create files. Figure 27: Additional functions 23
13. There are multiple options as shown in Figure 28. Click Create File. Figure 28: Options 14. Click Document to create a text document. Figure 29: Create file 24
15. Enter the required data in the document as shown in Figure 30. Figure 30: Edit document 16. Save the file. Figure 31: Save document 17. Click Upload to upload the file. 25
Figure 32: Enter the name for the document The file, demo1.docx, appears in the uploaded files list. Figure 33: Files list 26
The same file can be seen from the ShareFile web client. Figure 34: Files list on the ShareFile web console Citrix ShareFile StorageZone Connector Citrix ShareFile StorageZone Connectors help to access the files in the existing CIFS shares, SharePoint libraries, OneDrive for Business, ECM systems, and other data repositories. In the example shown in this section, you can find the steps to configure network share connector in Citrix ShareFile which can allow users to access files in the CIFS share from Citrix ShareFile Windows Desktop App and Citrix ShareFile for Mobile. 1. On IBM Storwize V7000 Unified, a share named citrix-sf-conn-share is created and appropriate permissions are given. Click the share name to verify the details. Figure 35: List shares 2. Verify the share details. Figure 36: CIFS share 27
3. From the web console of Citrix ShareFile, create a connector for network share. Figure 37: Create a connector 4. Select and enter the required details as shown in Figure 38. Figure 38: Connector details 5. The users listed in the following figure have default access to the connector. If required, click Add People to Connector to add more users. 28
Figure 39: Connector users A connector with the name CIFS connector, is created as shown in Figure 40. Figure 40: List connectors The same CIFS connector can be seen from Citrix ShareFile Desktop app, as shown in Figure 41. Figure 41: List connectors from Citrix ShareFile Desktop App 29
6. To access the CIFS connector, click the name of the connector and enter the domain user name and password, as shown in Figure 42. Figure 42: Login window for connector Once successfully logged in, you will see the files in the network share. The *.quota files are the default system files that are created as part of GPFS file system. Figure 43: Open connector 7. Browse for the file you want to upload to the network share and click Upload at the bottom of the desktop app, as shown in Figure 44. 30
Figure 44: Upload a file to connector The progress of file upload can be monitored as shown in Figure 45. Figure 45: Upload progress 8. Notice that the file is successfully uploaded, as shown in Figure 46. 31
Figure 46: Successful upload The same file can be accessed directly by mapping onto a Windows system, as shown in Figure 47. Figure 47: List files in Windows Explorer The same share can be accessed by Citrix ShareFile for mobile and any other supported Citrix ShareFile clients. 32
Summary To embrace workforce mobility and users demands for instant access to data, Citrix ShareFile Enterprise Edition helps IT organizations retain control while improving collaboration and productivity. Citrix has provided the power to deliver a rich and powerful follow-me desktop and app experience. Now, ShareFile completes the mobility story with a rich, enterprise-ready, follow-me data solution. Built with IBM Spectrum Virtualize software, IBM Storwize V7000 Unified and Storwize V7000 provide the latest storage technologies for unlocking the business value of stored data, including virtualization and Real-time Compression. In addition, the systems include a powerful hardware platform that can support the massive volumes of data created by today s demanding cloud, analytics, and traditional applications. They are designed to deliver outstanding efficiency, ease of use and dependability for organizations of all sizes. Together, IBM and Citrix ShareFile can help to protect business data by providing secure IT oversight, and flexible, scalable, and efficient storage options. Citrix ShareFile and IBM Storwize V7000 Unified together provides a very reliable enterprise-level file sync and share solution enhancing the productivity of employees and providing a secure environment for collaboration. 33
Appendix A: Test environment The following information provides details about the test environment used for testing the solution. Sr. No Description Version 1 IBM Storwize V7000 Unified 1.4.1 2 Citrix StorageZones Controller 3.2 Table 1: Test environment 34
Appendix B: Resources The following websites provide useful references to supplement the information contained in this paper: IBM Systems on PartnerWorld ibm.com/partnerworld/systems IBM Redbooks ibm.com/redbooks IBM Publications Center www.elink.ibmlink.ibm.com/public/applications/publications/cgibin/pbi.cgi?cty=us Citrix websites citrix.com https://www.citrix.com/products/sharefile/overview.html https://www.citrix.com/content/dam/citrix/en_us/documents/productssolutions/citrix-sharefile-enterprise-a-technical-overview.pdf https://www.citrix.com/content/dam/citrix/en_us/documents/productssolutions/citrix-sharefile-enterprise-edition.pdf IBM Storwize V7000 Unified welcome page ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/st5q4u/landing/v7000_unified_welcome.htm About the author Sandeep Zende is an ISV Solutions Engineer in IBM Systems. Sandeep has around 12 years of experience in storage technologies and has expertise on block-level data migration and disaster recovery solutions. Currently, he is working on enabling cloud solutions for IBM storage. You can reach Sandeep Zende at sandeep.zende@in.ibm.com. 35
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