Remote hard disks: File management at a distance

With recent educational technology advances, an expanding number of administrators, educators, and students are relying on computers to create materials. As file size and the quantity of files increase, difficulties arise in the storing, organizing, transferring and sharing of files. Efficient management of files in a single, powerful, reliable, and central hard disk becomes necessary.

This article describes the process of using a free version of WS FTP to access a remote hard disk in a file server. This method allows users to store files cost-effectively on a remote hard disk. Users can retrieve, share, modify, organize, and resave files to the remote hard disk from almost anywhere at any time.

Knowing how to use a remote hard disk as a central storage location for file management significantly enhances use of the computers for administrators, K-12 and higher education classroom teachers, tech coordinators and students.

With the increasing importance of educational technology in recent years, an expanding number of educators are relying on computers to create instructional materials. A demonstration of technology application is the creation of multimedia files by K-12 teachers and college professors for instructional purposes. These files are often dispersed among different machines in different locations. As file size and the quantity of files increase, difficulties arise in the process of storing, organizing, transferring and sharing files. Floppy disks are inadequate for storage and transport because they simply do not contain enough storage space. Although some educators know how to use SuperDisks, Zip disks, or CD-ROMs, not all classroom labs are equipped with these drives. Efficient management of files in a single, powerful, reliable, and central hard disk becomes necessary.

Many schools' technology labs are connected to the Internet, which connects computers and people together to share information and resources (Deal, 1999). Some educators, like the author, are fortunate to have grant money to set up their own servers. A file server stores data shared by the individual computer and handles all requests for network services (Grauer & Barber, 1994). Educators can distribute server accounts to their students free of charge. Teacher and student alike can then manage files in the server. A useful program for file management is WS_FTP, which allows the user to transfer files between a local hard disk and a remote file server.

Consequently, the author set up a file server for use as a remote hard disk using WS_FTP.

An immediate application of the remote hard disk was when the author visited Asia this past summer. The author could instantly retrieve her files from the remote hard disk for teaching, research, and project development in Asia. After revision, the files were instantly uploaded to the folders in the remote hard disk. This method provides a flexible teaching, research, and service opportunity for educators to manipulate files around the world.

Furthermore, the author teaches a graduate teacher-education technology course away from the main campus of her university. She created many files, most of which are multimedia presentations, in preparation for teaching this class. Students were surprised that the professor arrived in class empty-handed. Since all the files were already on a remote hard disk, the author didn't need to carry around a notebook containing all the files and the peripheral equipment that would otherwise be necessary.

From the instructor's demonstrations, the students saw the convenience of this method and requested to learn this skill. Maddux, Cummings, and Torres-Rivera (1999) suggested that the Internet and the World Wide Web have provided rich opportunities to improve instruction in higher education and that faculty therefore need to integrate technology into their instruction. After the instructor taught the technology to all classes, few complained about file management problems. The author has used this method to conduct class instruction and most class activities. Students are using this method to store their files, build electronic portfolios for classes, upload files for project presentations, post files for sharing, save HTML files for Web page publishing, organize files for their workshop teaching, and so on. Using this remote hard disk has become a regular class activity because there are always files to be read, saved and resaved, shared, transferred, and organized.

Using WS_FIP to Access a Remote Hard Disk

WS_FTP is described in this article because it is available for free use to educators and students, and widely used by Windows users. The license agreement for using WS_FTP LE (Limited Edition) free of charge can be found at http://www.ipswitch.com/support/LE_lice nse agreement.html. Other free FTP shareware is readily available (e.g., http://www.ftpvoyager.com/; http://www.knoware.com/ftpnd.html). Similar procedures may be used with Fetch 3.0.3 in the Macintosh platform. Fetch (a popular FIT program for Mac users) can be downloaded from http://www.dartmouth.edu/pages/softdev/fetch.html.

In order to use WS FTP to access a remote hard disk in a file server, the following steps are appropriate:

1. Acquire a User ID and a Password for a server

2. Have the user's computer connected to the Internet

3. Have WS-FTP available in the user's computer

4. Establish the connection between the user's computer and the server

5. Create folders and modify folders/files in the server

6. Transfer folders/files between the local system and remote site

Step 1: Acquire a User ID and a Password for a server.

The availability of a free server account is becoming common in many schools. For some technology programs in the United States, students are automatically assigned an account when they register for the program. If students do not have an account yet, they can acquire a free server account from Web sites such as http://www.idrive.com; http://www.freeback.com/; or http://www.juston.com/. A list of other free server accounts can be found at http://www.geocities.com/Silicon Valley/Vista/8015/harddisk.html.

Step 2: Have the user's computer connected to the Internet (via modem or LAN.)

Step 3: Have WS_FTP available in the user's computer.

Before installing WS_FTP, make sure the machine has no such program yet. Students can use Start I Find I Files or Folders to find whether the machine has WS_FTP installed. If there is any application program named ws_ftp95.exe, ws_ftple.exe, wsftp32.exe, or any shortcut file named WS_FTP95, WS_FTP95 LE in the machine, then it can be used. Otherwise, the process to download and install a free version of WS_FTP program is:

1. Launch a Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator)

2. Visit http://www.ipswitch.com /cgi/download_eval.pl.

3. Fill out Contact Information and click the button next to WS FTP LE 5.08 under Product (Figure 1). Click Next.

4. Under Download, click the second 95/98/NT/2000 from the top (Figure 2), then follow the prompt instructions all the way through. In the process, students can save the program to disk in the C: drive (either in root or another directory). After an application file named ws ftple.exe (691 KB) is downloaded into the drive/folder of choice, students need to open this file. They then will be asked to install WS FTP LE. After the message "Installation successfully! Happy FTP'ing!" appears, an application file named WS_FTP95.exe (418 KB) will appear in the drive/folder of choice. This is the file that opens the WS_FTP LE program. Usually, the program will be installed as "C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\Program Files\ WS_FTP\WS_FTP95.exe" by default.

Step 4: Establish the connection between the user's computer and the server.

1. Double click WS FTP95.exe to launch the program.

2. In the WS_FIT Session Properties dialog box (Figure 3), change the default and enter the name of the server students will use in both Profile Name and Host Name/Address. Select Automatic detect as Host Type. Enter User ID and Password. Check off both buttons of Anonymous and Save Pwd if students are using a public access machine (Figure 4). Click OK. Now students are in the server (Figure 5).

After students login to the server, WS_FIT displays two windows. The lefthand window shows the folders and/or files in the Local System students are using. The right-hand window shows the folders and/or files in the Remote Site. Right now it's empty and ready for creation of folders (Figure 5).

Step 5: Create folders and modify folders/files in the server.

There are several commands that appear in both sides of WS_FTP windows. They are ChgDir, MkDir, View, Exec, Rename, Delete, Refresh, and DirInfo (Figure 6). The commands function the same in both windows. The commands located on the right work for the Remote Site. The commands located on the left work for the Local System.

If a folder is selected, ChgDir takes users to the next lower directory level. The green up arrow located inside the window takes users to the next upper level folder. If a file is selected, ChgDir takes users to whatever directory level they select.

MkDir allows students to create a folder. After clicking MkDir, a dialog box will appear. Enter the name of the new folder (figure 6). By double-clicking this new folder, consecutive sub-folders can be created by repeating the same procedure.

Some of the commands work only if a file is selected. For example, View opens a selected file in a text view. Exec attempts to open a selected file in its native format. Rename allows users to rename the selected folder or file. Delete permits users to delete the selected file. One cannot directly delete a folder containing files or sub-folders. To delete a folder in this case, the files) or sub-folders) must be deleted before the folder is deleted.

After changes have been made, Refresh allows the windows on either side to be refreshed. DirInfo displays more detailed information about the selected folder or file.

To prevent confusion, organization of folders) or files) in a consistent fashion in both Local System and Remote Site windows is recommended (Figure 7).

Step 6: Transfer folders/files between the local system and remote site.

Between the two WS_FTP windows are two arrows (Figure 7). The leftward arrow downloads a selected folder or a file from the remote server to the selected folder in the local drives. Conversely, the rightward arrow uploads a selected folder or a file. Downloading or uploading a folder/file copies the original folder/file.

Access to a remote file server, which may be treated by the student's computer as a remote hard disk, has now been established.

Advantages

The files located in such a fashion can be accessed anywhere in the world as long as there is an Internet connection. The remote hard disk is like a central distribution center. It can always contain the latest updated files. By organizing all files in a central location, interaction between instructor and students can be facilitated and enhanced. The instructor puts all class files in a common area, which students can then fetch. Similarly, students can post any file in a common folder for classmates and instructor to share.

In addition, tremendous storage space is often available on a server's hard disk. Limitations on file transfer based on storage capacity are largely eliminated. With a remote hard disk, there is no need to carry around a floppy disk, SuperDisk, ZIP disk, CD-ROM, DVD, or an external hard disk that contains the file(s). Since there is no need to purchase the drives that accommodate these disks (or the blank media), this method is very cost effective. There is also no concern about the files) being damaged or lost in the physical transportation process.

Moreover, downloading or uploading a folder or file merely makes a second copy. It does not move the original between machines. Therefore, a remote hard disk is a good way to back up files. Files can be backed up regularly at a specific time every day by setting it up in the server.

Discussion and Conclusion

The use of a remote hard disk is not without its limitations. Launching WS_FIT could take a little while. However, users can create a desktop icon or a shortcut keystroke to launch this program. Depending on the Internet connection's speed, transferring a huge file can be slow. However, multitasking (simultaneously running multiple applications and navigating between them) allows users to work on other programs while transferring a huge file.

Napster has recently brought the issue of file sharing at a distance into public consciousness due to legal and copyright concerns about file ownership. A remote hard disk as described in this article stores files on a central server with permission. Only those with valid logins can access the information. Therefore, the file sharing method described in this paper eliminates most legal or copyright concerns.

Using WS_FTP and a server as tools in creating a remote hard disk offers educators many advantages for the storing, transferring, organizing, and sharing of files. While there are many new techniques for file management in this digital age, educators need to adopt the most appropriate techniques for enhancing their teaching and learning. This method is one of the alternatives that can help educators make their lives easier.

References

Deal, W. F., III. (1999). TechNet: Connectivity in the Technology Lab. The Technology Teacher, 58(6), 25 - 32.

Grauer, R. T., & Barber, M. (1994). Exploring Windows (p. xiii). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Maddux, C. D., Cummings, R., & Torres-Rivera, E. (1999). Facilitating the Integration Technology into Higher-Education Instruction. Educational Technology, 39(3), 43 - 47.

Resources

The WS_FTP program is available from Ipswitch, Inc., 81 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421 or 781.676.5700 or http://www.ipswitch.com/company/index. html. WS_FTP products' detailed prices are available at http://www.ipswitch.com /index.html

Dr. Lih-Ching Chen Wang

Cleveland State University

1438 Rhodes Tower

1860 E. 22nd Street

Cleveland, OH 44114

Copyright Project Innovation Fall 2001
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