Work has moved from local file servers to cloud

[rangor gubbins]

Our IT dept has recently started transitioning our data storage from local file servers, which we used to access via vpn if we were not on-site, to MS sharepoint and one drive.
They claim it will be cheaper and easier to manage. However, what about security. I can see it could be cheaper and easier to manage by outsourcing most of the file storage work to MS, but now we don't need a vpn and can log in to access our data from any machine isn't that a large security risk?
Previously, we could only access data off-site using a work supplied and controlled laptop, and logging in to the vpn.

 

[rangor gubbins]

Thanks for your comments.
There is MFA, but currently it's only for logging into our laptops. However if I log into MS from another computer (e.g. my own) I don't need MFA.
I don't know what in tune or autopilot or ZNTA is, but I don't think we have it.

 

[rangor gubbins]

Yeah, you're right, it's not my problem, and I won't worry about it any more. I was just wondering if they are doing the right thing. The process has caused significant disruption to my and many other's work for best part of a week, and I'd be even more annoyed if the change is a bad idea.

 

[rangor gubbins]

I have seen the aftermath of a successfully hacked business and it wasn’t pretty. Fully three years after the hack they were still having IT issues because they were so paralysed with fear over it happening again.

I have no issue with anyone complaining if they think the IT policies are duff. It’s actually being a good corporate citizen.

I'll mention it to one of the IT team that I know fairly well, then leave him to raise it within the department.

 

[rangor gubbins]

I wish we'd move on from file server over VPN. Trying to load CAD files and reports in the size of hundreds of megabytes when the connection is 3-5MB/s is painful and a waste of time.

I found out that the pdf viewer we use has a loading bar for searching, it takes that long.

I am on this forum at 10:07 because I am waiting for a file to open.

I know what that's like! That's what it was like for me.
Now I just have wait for ages while One Drive crashes /fails to sync / syncs hundreds of thousands of files. I don't know what's happening with MS One drive but since we moved everything over to it and share point we've had non stop syncing and access issues.

 

[rangor gubbins]

My wife's employer pressured all employees to use an authentication app the day they enabled it and most don't have work mobiles. The moment she got home I removed the app as it tracks location, IP, WiFi details, local devices and may other details from the phone and its one of the phones on my account as well.

The next day I phoned their IT department and they thought I was being unreasonable, but when I explained this to the boss it got fixed.

We've got MFA to log into our laptops, and have to use Duo.
Anyone know if Duo tracks stuff?

 

[rangor gubbins]

Duo privacy data sheet is here https://trustportal.cisco.com/c/dam...eet/security/cisco-duo-privacy-data-sheet.pdf and the 'End-User Device Metadata' section.

The amount of tracking from duo doesn't seem that bad to me, except perhaps the need for logging ssid details, which seems unnecessary.

 

[rangor gubbins]

If people have migrated an entire file server into a single library then it will perform like balls because people will be syncing metadata for files they have no interest in. This is why it's important to have a plan. For example you might have a folder where projects that are considered to be completed and closed go, as time progresses this will become the largest folder as there will always be more completed jobs than ones in progress or being quoted for, there's no need for everybody to have something like this synced to their device when it's so easy to open a browser and dig it out.

I think you've hit the nugget on the head here.
We're still getting loads of syncing issues, and I'm suspecting it's because IT have set it up so that we sync to the live projects but also to the archive. The archive is large (>5Tb).
In my case I had a sync to the archive before we had transitioned the live projects to share point, and since syncing to the archive I've experienced one drive problems. Now that live projects are also on share point the issues are much worse.

 

[rangor gubbins]

Yes not the worst, but for a private mobile logging details of the IP, SSID name, device serial numbers/IDs, host name (so my private network domain) wouldn't be acceptable for me.

When I monitored network traffic I also found it was sending details at times other than when in authenticating and although I could not decode what it was sending that is bad especially if it included location. Maybe it was a bug they've now fixed and for a work mobile all these details are fine and expected, but they should have a 'personal phone option' if companies aren't going to provide phones (or just use standard TOTP authenticator apps).

Thanks. Very good points. I'll talk about this with work.

 

[rangor gubbins]

So, another week later and we still have issues with one drive and share point. There are a few different problems, but the main issue are:
- Files taking hours to sync or not syncing at all.
- Indexing of folders and files taking hours, in some cases days.
The IT dept have said the issue is possible because of the number and size of some folder locations. For example we have an archive area that has 5TB and one of the working areas with about 2TB.

 

[rangor gubbins]

Sounds more likely, with that info to hand, that this has just been poorly planned and executed.

Perhaps. We had a meeting yesterday and the IT guys said other departments were not having the same problems we're having.

 

[rangor gubbins]

You've got 5TB of data in a single SharePoint document library? Performance will be terrible if you sync a library like that, best to stick to accessing it via the web browser.

IT have said that too. They've asked us to use selective sync for folders that we want available offline, but we'll still need to sync to the whole 5TB even if we only access via a Web browser.
Why is having such a large folder a problem? Do other cloud storage services have the same limitations on the size of folders?

 

[rangor gubbins]

@Caged ok,makes sense.
Not sure if it makes any difference but I don't think the files are in a document library.

 

[rangor gubbins]

Our work uses SharePoint & OneDrive and it's absolute crap! Slow as hell and constantly creates duplicate files if you start moving a lot around (we had to do this for ISO compliance and it was left to each team to move their own files), not to mention having to wait for it to sync if you do that. At one point I had over 3000 files waiting to sync and it took days for it to finish, then it complained it couldn't merge about 100 of the files so ended up with more duplicates 'cos they can sod off if they think I'm going to open each file and tell it which one to keep. It also regularly errors out when trying to open simple things like image files (jpg, png etc). Whoever thought this was a good idea should be slapped around the face repeatedly!

Just saying

I'm glad it's not just me then!
I can't understand why it's so bad. It's so bad I'm trying to find work arounds so I don't need to rely on it for instant access.
I find it's incredibly slow to open files even if they are locally available. It feels like every file that is opened is checked with the online version before being opened. On the face of it, that seems sensible but the result is lots of slow file opening.
I've got excel files that just will not sync. Whenever I open them I get a message saying that the file is unable to uploaded and I need to save another copy. If I save another copy that syncs but then the next time I open it the same thing happens. It's just a simple excel file. Makes no sense.

 

[rangor gubbins]

Today I uploaded about 100 files (200 mb) from one machine via the Web browser. I needed to use the files on another machine. On the second machine the upload location is synced with offline access, but it took >30 mins for the files to appear. It's 200 mb on a 500 MB/s (U/D) connection! It should be lightning fast.
In contrast I uploaded 100 mb of photos from my phone using Dropbox and the files appeared in my synced folder location on another machine in seconds.

 

[rangor gubbins]

@Silent Bob thanks for the info. I should clarify our organisation isn't using an individuals one drive area as file server or departmental files (at least that is the policy). But the one drive app seems to be what handles synchronisation of shared storage areas on sharepoint across everyone's laptops. It seems to have settled down now, and it's mostly working OK, but I still find it really slow and frustrating to use. Lots of little niggles that altogether make it a poor user experience.
For example, the default save location for any Excel file opened is now the online sharepoint location, rather than my local synchronised location, which means every time I open and save a file it will save to cloud by default, and can minutes or longer to appear in my local folder. I can override the default save location but it's annoying! There's probably a setting somewhere to change it's default.