Using CTERA Edge Filer Services

CTERA Edge Filer services include cloud backup, remote monitoring, cloud drive caching and synchronization, and reporting.

For details about cloud back up, for backing up local files to the cloud, see Cloud Backup and Restore.

Connecting to a CTERA Portal

You connect the CTERA Edge Filer to the CTERA Portal using an administrator account. During the initial setup of the CTERA Edge Filer, described in the CTERA Edge Filer Setup GuideInitial Gateway Setup, you connect the CTERA Edge Filer to the CTERA Portal. This section describes the general procedure of how to connect to a CTERA Portal.

Note: If access using CAC, Common Access Card, has been enabled for the CTERA Portal, the CTERA Edge Filer connects to the CTERA Portal using an activation code instead of the user and password credentials. For details, contact CTERA support.

To connect the CTERA Edge Filer to a CTERA Portal:

1. In the CONFIGURATION tab, select Services > Cloud Services in the navigation pane.
   The Cloud Services page is displayed.
   
2. Click Connect to Services.
   The Account Details screen is displayed.
   
3. Enter the address of the CTERA Portal, and then click Next.
   The Sign In screen is displayed.
   
   Note: If single sign-on has been set up to the portal, the following screen is displayed.
   
   In this case, click Sign In and then Allow when prompted, and then the Select License screen is displayed. For CTERA Edge Filers except the HC100, Select the license and click Next and then click Finish. For the HC100, click Finish. For all other edge files, continue.
4. Enter the CTERA Portal designated user username and password to access the CTERA Portal.
   Note: The designated user is the owner of the cloud folders and data to manage the CTERA Edge Filer connection to the CTERA Portal for all users and not just the current user. This designated user has CTERA Portal read/write administrator permissions.
5. Click Next.
   The Select License screen is displayed.
   You are prompted to select the license from those available on the CTERA Portal.
   
6. Select the license and click Next.
   The CTERA Edge Filer connects to the CTERA Portal and is added to the CTERA Portal account.
   A success screen is displayed.
7. Click Finish.
   The CTERA Portal page is displayed, showing that the CTERA Edge Filer is connected to the CTERA Portal and displays OK next to the services to which you are subscribed.
   

Viewing the Connection to a CTERA Portal Status

The Cloud Services page displays the following information about the CTERA Edge Filer's connection to a CTERA Portal account.

After connecting to a CTERA Portal the CTERA Edge Filer status panel shows the following:

• The status of the connection to the CTERA Portal can be one of the following:
  Resolving the portal address – The CTERA Edge Filer is resolving the CTERA Portal address.
  Connected to portalName – The CTERA Edge Filer is connected to the CTERA Portal named portalName, and the connection is currently in use.
  Connecting – The CTERA Edge Filer is connecting to the CTERA Portal.
  Disconnected – The CTERA Edge Filer is disconnected from the CTERA Portal. You can reconnect as described in Reconnecting and Disconnecting to a CTERA Portal.
  Authenticating – The CTERA Edge Filer is authenticating to the CTERA Portal.
  Connection Failed – The connection to the CTERA Portal failed.

• The amount of time that the CTERA Edge Filer has been connected to the CTERA Portal.

• The IP address of the CTERA Portal.

Reconnecting and Disconnecting to a CTERA Portal

If the connection to the CTERA Portal is lost due to a connectivity failure, the CTERA Edge Filer automatically reconnects when it detects that the CTERA Portal is available. To force the CTERA Edge Filer to immediately try to reconnect, click Reconnect. The connection status displays whether the reconnection attempt is successful or not.

To disconnect from a CTERA Portal:

1. In the CONFIGURATION tab, select Cloud Services > Status in the navigation pane.
   The CTERA Portal page is displayed.
   
2. Click Sign out and Yes when the confirmation message is displayed.

Accessing the CTERA Portal From the CTERA Edge Filer

To access the CTERA Portal account:

1. In the CONFIGURATION tab, select Cloud Services > Status in the navigation pane.
   The CTERA Portal page is displayed.
2. Click Access My Portal Account.

The CTERA Portal sign in page is displayed in a new window, and you can sign in and access the account. For details about using the CTERA Portal account, refer to the CTERA Portal documentation.