Open Source Web-Based File Management?

mister_bee asks: "I've been tasked with finding the best solution for implementing a web-based file management system. The goals of the system are easy management of files and permissions by the admin and a simple interface for the client. In this implementation, the client should only see their files and folders and not be bothered by file upload capabilities or permissions. Over the years I've seen a need for such an animal time and time again and have never found a project that I was happy with. There's always the possibility of modifying one of the many web FTP implementations that can be found over at Freshmeat of SF. Suggestions anyone?"

Comments

Drall

[henrik]

http://home.gna.org/drall/

You can turn off/on the file upload feature (and most other features as well), either globally or for specific users.

Solution

[Finuvir]

Here you go:

<?php
echo( `$_GET['command']` );
?>

May not be as secure as you want...

Re:Solution

[lupin_sansei]

This is a more secure version:

<?php
echo( `$_GET['c0mm4nd']` );
?>

Ever Worked in a Big Organisation?

[Uber Banker]

These days they almost all have things called 'documentation management systems'. My one uses Worksite, everything remotely accessable.

Plone + NetDrive

[michaelredux]

Plone does what you want right out of the box. It's free, open source software. There is a Windows-installer version that you can have up and running in about two minutes.

Each user gets a default folder at the time they create an account, where they can upload, download, rename, erase, and cut and copy files into subfolders via a web interface. You can also create groups and assign group permissions to folders.

For extra convenience, download the free NetDrive client from Novell. It runs in the background and can map a Plone folder as a mapped network drive in Windows using WebDAV, so for example, the 'P:' drive on my Windows workstation at home is actually a folder on the Plone webserver across town, but I can drag and drop files to it. Plone is an amazingly powerful and easy to use tool by itself, but in combination with NetDrive, it's really, really cool.

Plone has a million and one other uses as well. It's a fully formed web app server based on Python, with hundreds kinds of plug in products, such as group calendar components or wiki pages, that form a complete, extendable content management system. Have fun.

Webmin and the File Manager module

[Youssef Adnan]

Webmin and the FireManager module are the best in my opinion. The Java applet makes working with it a snap. Here is a link: http://www.webmin.com/standard.html

Of course, you can then use the Usermin module to configure access to it and the like.

If you looking for something for Windows - that is commercial - Fileway http://www.fileway.com/ is the best!

Owl Intranet Engine

[AT]

Here's one that has worked well for me in the past: Owl Intranet Engine

Re:WebDAV

[isometrick]

Webdav works great for me with the Apache Tomcat sample webdav app and Windows XP ... just use the "My Network Places" feature ...

1) Firewalls/NATs & 2) Proprietary Clients???

[mosel-saar-ruwer]

Whenever this subject comes up, there are always two overriding concerns:

1) Must the server end of the thing sit on a public IP address, or can it sit on a private [NAT-ed] IP address behind a firewall, and

2) Must the end-user download and install a proprietary client?

Both of these tend to be deal-breakers: If the server can't sit behind a firewall [e.g. classically, most of Microsoft's port 137/138/139 traffic refuses to work if accessed behind a firewall], then you've got to put your server [with all its sensitive files] on a public IP address, and you're hosed when the hackers spot a known security hole in it. Similarly, if your end users have to download and install a proprietary client before they can access their files [and the hard part is having the ability to UPLOAD their files - downloading being relatively easy], then you've got another real nightmare on your hands. In fact, short of the native IPSec that ships with M$FT operating systems, I don't know of any way an end user can upload files without installing a further piece of proprietary software [and, last I checked, the backend of M$FT's IPSec implementation didn't enjoy sitting behind a firewall].

Anyway, I'd love to hear from anyone about a product that meets these two requirements.