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Tech Tip: What is a netDisk anyway?

Cathy McVey, IT Services

Have you noticed the netDisk link just below muConnect on your myMiami page? Have you wondered what it was? Well, netDisk is a way to access a secure storage space that exists just for you. "MyFiles" is your place on the Miami University servers. It is one gigabyte of free, private, secure and frequently backed up space ready to hold your files so you can access them from anywhere, using any computer with Internet access.

If you click on the netDisk link on your myMiami page, you are taken to the netDisk tool which lets you access your MyFiles personal space on Miami's servers. You can use the netDisk navigation bar to create directories or upload files. If you have a Miami Notebook, your myMiami directory is mapped as your M: drive. If your computer isn't a Miami Notebook, but you'd like access your server space without using the netDisk tool, you can use IT Help online to map your MyFiles directory.

On the bright side, the files that you back up on your netDisk are probably safer than your laptop or flash drive because:

  1. You can't lose the server like you can a flash drive,
  2. You can't drop it or spill your bottle of water on it, and
  3. Your files are backed up regularly.

You can't save a file directly to the server using netDisk, but you can upload any file you have saved on your computer or flash drive. If you are linked to your MyFiles directory by a mapped drive, you can use it like a hard drive and save files directly to your space on the server as long as you have Internet access. If you are off campus you will need to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access the drive. VPN software can be downloaded from the Miami software download page at no charge.

You can also use your MyFiles space as a hosting space for your own personal Web site. Use netDisk to create a directory called public.www, and click on "share." Then whatever you put in the folder (like HTML files) will be viewable if someone knows your address. You can get more information on setting up your Web site from IT Help.

So now you know what netDisk is, and a little about MyFiles. For more information on connecting to MyFiles, check out the MyFiles page on IT Help.


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