WebShare UB+ User manual

2 An introduction to HELIOS WebShare

HELIOS WebShare is a high-performance server, which enables fast and secure real time file access via any web browser. Authorized users, wherever they are, can easily use the file server without exposing it to the Internet.

Remote collaboration

Remote collaboration becomes a reality with the fully automated two-way access to the server data. File browsing and management allow authorized users to manage files and folders remotely, similar to the local Windows Explorer or Mac Finder. Optional HELIOS ImageServer and PDF HandShake provide remote document previews, and offer Internet clients a live content verification/proof of QuarkXPress, InDesign and PDF documents as well as all major image formats. Remote OPI allows web clients to download OPI low-resolution images from the server and to upload completed documents for later printing with high-resolution images. With the PrintPreview option, remote print job proofing is easy as well.

Security

Security is provided by a two-tier server application, comprised of the WebShare WebObjects Server and the WebShare File Server. The WebShare WebObjects Server handles the web user interface on a separate server to ensure that the main WebShare File Server is not available on the Internet. The server file system security is enforced according to each user's credentials. Sharepoint based security allows further restrictions per user, e.g. browse, preview, download, upload and file management. Additional SSL encryption is supported.

Highest performance

Due to zipstream (unzipstream) on-the-fly compression (uncompression), HELIOS WebShare provides very fast performance, optimizing use of the Internet bandwidth.

Note: HELIOS WebShare runs on top of the foundation provided by HELIOS Base. Please read the Base manual for installation instructions and other important details.

2.1 New WebShare features

For new features in the WebShare software see the HELIOS new features page.

For HELIOS Base, the foundation used by all HELIOS UB+ products, see the Base product web page.

2.2 Integration with other HELIOS products

WebShare is part of an integrated product suite that enables the enhancement of WebShare capabilities by adding additional HELIOS products.

Files on the WebShare File Server are stored in the HELIOS resource format as used by EtherShare and PCShare. This preserves special file properties, such as Mac resource forks or Windows file streams. If the WebShare sharepoint is the same as, or overlaps, an EtherShare or PCShare volume, then custom Mac icons are preserved as well.

If the WebShare File Server is installed on a Windows platform, and the defined sharepoint is in an NTFS partition, the files will be saved to disk in the SFM (Services for Macintosh) compatible format.

In case the WebShare File Server is running on Mac OS X - without EtherShare or PCShare being installed - and the defined sharepoint is in an HFS partition, the files will be saved to disk in the native Mac OS format. In that case, file management (duplicate, copy/paste, rename) on Mac OS X utilizes the native OS commands ("cp", "mv"), which may not preserve the resource fork of Mac files. Custom Mac icons are always preserved on Mac OS X.

HELIOS Base (included with all HELIOS products) includes the "dt tools" for file management. These utilities properly handle Mac resource forks and Windows file streams during file management, to preserve file type and creator information, file streams, etc. In addition, WebShare sharepoints that are the same as or overlap EtherShare and PCShare volumes will use the "dt tools" to update the desktop database for the HELIOS volume, providing support for Mac custom icons, and full compatibility for WebShare users and EtherShare/PCShare users.

EtherShare and PCShare are fully compatible with WebShare and add advanced file and print servers for Mac and Windows clients, respectively.

HELIOS ImageServer, for server-based OPI, image conversion, workflow automation, and color management, extends the capabilities of WebShare by adding remote previews of image files and InDesign and QuarkXPress documents. WebShare together with ImageServer enables remote workflow support via hot folders and custom actions.

HELIOS PDF HandShake and ImageServer enable remote PDF-native OPI, and the remote preflighting and viewing of PDF files via WebShare.

HELIOS PrintPreview generates proofs for local and remote proofing of separations and color matched composite previews, which can be remotely viewed or transferred via WebShare.