File Data. Access files from Windows Network Share

Issue

How to access files from Windows Network Share using MI File Data source?

Resolution

As MI runs on a Linux server, the Windows Network Share cannot be accessed by the direct Network Path, like \\Windows PC Name\Folder Name 

There are two ways on how to reach the Shared Folder on Windows machine from MI:

  • To mount Shared Folder contents on the Linux machine where MI can reach it (the easiest way is to mount directly on the MI app server). 
  • To install the Remote Data Collector (prior to 6.1.0) / Remote Data Processor on the Windows machine where the Shared Folder is located and use it for File Data Data Source. 

Along with the above you need to update the config file csv.conf that is located in  /opt/mi/datacollector/plugins directory on MI server (create one if not exists) so the File Data plugin can access the Shared Folder. If using RDC, you need to edit the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Metric Insights\Insightd\plugins\csv.conf  on RDC server as well. For RDP the path for the file to edit is C:\Program Files (x86)\Metric Insights\Data Processor\plugins\csv.conf

  • If you use mount to access the Shared Folder, the csv.conf file should look like this:

Replace /mnt/share with the path where the data was mounted - //Network/Path to Folder where the contents were mounted or /Path to Folder where the contents were mounted if mounted directly on the MI app server. 

Set the Root location in MI File Data profile the same as for access_dirs parameter in csv.conf:

For Username and Password use the ones to access the Shared Folder (despite the changed path). 

  • If RDC is used, set the access_dirs parameter in csv.conf  and Root location in MI File Data profile as Windows local link directly to the Folder you want to get the data from (e. g. C:\Users\User1\Folder). As per Username and Password, again use the ones to access the Shared Folder.

For more details see the following MI Help Doc articles: