# CIFS (Common Internet File System)

This article outlines the integration with the CIFS (Common Internet File System) connector, enabling streamlined metadata management through features such as crawling and data preview. It also ensures secure authentication via Credential Manager.

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## Overview

### Connector Details

| Connector Category                                                       | File System                            |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| Connector Version                                                        | Release7.2                             |
| Releases Supported (Available from)                                      | Release6.0                             |
| <p>Connectivity</p><p>\[How the connection is established with CIFS]</p> | SMB (Username-password Authentication) |
| Verified CIFS Version                                                    | SMB 3.1.1                              |

{% hint style="info" %}
The CIFS connector has been validated with the mentioned "Verified CIFS Versions" and is expected to be compatible with other supported CIFS versions. If there are any issues with validation or metadata crawling, please submit a support ticket for investigation and feedback.
{% endhint %}

### Connector Features

| Feature                                      | Availability |
| -------------------------------------------- | :----------: |
| Crawling                                     |       ✅      |
| Delta Crawling                               |       ❌      |
| Profiling                                    |       ✅      |
| Query Sheet                                  |      NA      |
| Data Preview                                 |       ✅      |
| Auto Lineage                                 |      NA      |
| Manual Lineage                               |       ✅      |
| Secure Authentication via Credential Manager |       ✅      |
| Data Quality                                 |       ❌      |
| DAM (Data Access Management)                 |       ❌      |
| Bridge                                       |       ✅      |

{% hint style="info" %}
The application supports profiling only for files. Supported file types include: XLS, XLSX, CSV, JSON, Parquet, AVRO, and ORC.
{% endhint %}

### Metadata Mapping

The following objects are crawled from CIFS and mapped to the corresponding UI assets.

<table><thead><tr><th width="141.75">CIFS Object</th><th width="169">CIFS Attribute</th><th width="179.25">OvalEdge Attribute</th><th width="177">OvalEdge Category</th><th width="175.5">OvalEdge Type</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bucket</td><td>Bucket</td><td>Bucket</td><td>Bucket</td><td>Bucket</td></tr><tr><td>Folder</td><td>Folder</td><td>Folder</td><td>Folder</td><td>Folder</td></tr><tr><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td></tr><tr><td>XLSX</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>XLSX</td></tr><tr><td>XLS</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>XLS</td></tr><tr><td>CSV</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>CSV</td></tr><tr><td>TXT</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>TXT</td></tr><tr><td>PARQUET</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>PARQUET</td></tr><tr><td>ORC</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>ORC</td></tr><tr><td>JSON</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>JSON</td></tr><tr><td>YAML</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>YAML</td></tr><tr><td>PIP</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>File</td><td>PIP</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Set up a Connection

### Prerequisites

The following are the prerequisites to establish a connection.

Ensure that the CSV files follow the required formatting standards for proper data processing and visibility. Refer to [CSV Format Requirements](https://docs.ovaledge.com/connectors/additional-requirements/csv-format-requirements-for-file-connectors)**.**

#### **Service Account User Permissions**

{% hint style="warning" %}
It is recommended to use a separate service account to establish the connection to the data source, configured with the following minimum set of permissions.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
👨‍💻Who can provide these permissions? These permissions are typically granted by the CIFS administrator, as users may not have the required access to assign them independently.
{% endhint %}

| Operation            | Objects              | Permissions     |
| -------------------- | -------------------- | --------------- |
| Validate             | Connector Validation | Read permission |
| Crawling             | Crawling             | Read permission |
| Crawling & Profiling | Folder               | Read permission |
| Crawling & Profiling | Files                | Read permission |

### Connection Configuration Steps

{% hint style="warning" %}
Users are required to have the Connector Creator role in order to configure a new connection.
{% endhint %}

1. Log into **OvalEdge**, go to **Administration > Connectors**, click **+ (New Connector)**, search for **CIFS**, and complete the required parameters.

{% hint style="info" %}
Fields marked with an asterisk (\*) are mandatory for establishing a connection.
{% endhint %}

<table><thead><tr><th width="220.25">Field Name</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Connector Type</td><td>By default, "<strong>CIFS</strong>" is displayed as the selected connector type.</td></tr><tr><td>Credential Manager*</td><td><p>Select the desired credentials manager from the drop-down list. Relevant parameters will be displayed based on the selected option.</p><p>Supported Credential Managers:</p><ul><li>OE Credential Manager</li><li>AWS Secrets Manager</li><li>HashiCorp</li><li>Azure Key Vault</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>Connector Environment</td><td>Select the environment (Example: PROD, STG) configured for the connector.</td></tr><tr><td>Connector Name*</td><td><p>Enter a unique name for the CIFS connection              </p><p>(Example: "CIFSdb").</p></td></tr><tr><td>Connector Description</td><td>Enter a description to identify the purpose of the connector.</td></tr><tr><td>CIFS User Name*</td><td>Enter the username used to access the CIFS shared drive.</td></tr><tr><td>CIFS Password*</td><td>Enter the password associated with the CIFS username.</td></tr><tr><td>Share Name*</td><td>Enter the name of the shared folder (as configured on the server).</td></tr><tr><td>CIFS URL*</td><td>Enter the full path to the CIFS shared location</td></tr><tr><td>Folder Path</td><td>Enter the specific folder path within the shared directory to access files.</td></tr></tbody></table>

**Default Governance Roles**

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="220.25"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Default Governance Roles*</td><td>Select the appropriate users or teams for each governance role from the drop-down list. All users configured in the security settings are available for selection.</td></tr></tbody></table>

**Admin Roles**

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="220.25"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Admin Roles*</td><td><p>Select one or more users from the dropdown list for Integration Admin and Security &#x26; Governance Admin. All users configured</p><p>in the security settings are available for selection.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

**No of Archive Objects**

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="220.25"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>No Of Archive Objects*</td><td><p>This shows the number of recent metadata changes to a dataset at the source. By default, it is off. To enable it, toggle the Archive button and specify the number of objects to archive.</p><p>Example: Setting it to 4 retrieves the last four changes, displayed in the 'Version' column of the 'Metadata Changes' module.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

**Bridge**

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="219"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Select Bridge*</td><td><p>If applicable, select the bridge from the drop-down list.</p><p>The drop-down list displays all active bridges that have been configured. These bridges facilitate communication between data sources and the system without requiring changes to firewall rules.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

2. After entering all connection details, the following actions can be performed:
   1. Click **Validate** to verify the connection.
   2. Click **Save** to store the connection for future use.
   3. Click **Save & Configure** to apply additional settings before saving.
3. The saved connection will appear on the **Connectors** home page.

## Manage Connector Operations

### Crawl

{% hint style="warning" %}
To perform crawl operations, users must be assigned the Integration Admin role.
{% endhint %}

1. Navigate to the **Connectors** page and click **Crawl/Profile.**
2. This action initiates the metadata collection process from the data source and loads the retrieved metadata into the **File Manager.**
3. In the **File Manager**, select the specific **folder**(s) or **file**(s), then click **Catalog Files/Folders** from the **Nine Dots menu**.
4. The selected **files** or **folders** will be added to the **Data Catalog> Databases/Files/File Columns** tab.

#### Other Operations

The **Connectors** page provides a centralized view of all configured connectors, along with their health status.

**Managing connectors includes:**

* **Connectors Health**: Displays the current status of each connector using a **green** icon for active connections and a **red** icon for inactive connections, helping to monitor the connectivity with data sources.
* **Viewing**: Click the **Eye icon** next to the connector name to view connector details, including databases, tables, columns, and codes.

**Nine Dots Menu Options:**

To view, edit, validate, build lineage, configure, or delete connectors, click on the **Nine Dots** menu.

* **Edit Connector:** Update and revalidate the data source.
* **Validate Connector:** Check the connection's integrity.
* **Settings**: Modify connector settings.
  * **Crawler**: Configure data extraction.
  * **Business Glossary Settings:** Manage term associations at the connector level.
  * **Others**: Configure notification recipients for metadata changes.
* **Delete Connector**: Remove a connector with confirmation.

## Connectivity Troubleshooting

If incorrect parameters are entered, error messages may appear. Ensure all inputs are accurate to resolve these issues. If issues persist, contact the **assigned support team.**

<table><thead><tr><th width="86.5">S.No.</th><th width="342.5">Error Message(s)</th><th>Error Description &#x26; Resolution</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td><p>Error while validating connection: Error  while validateConnection from CIFS : Error while  validateConnection from CIFS: </p><p>STATUS_LOGON_FAILURE (0xc000006d): Authentication failed for 'ovaledge' using xxxxx.xxx</p></td><td><p><strong>Description</strong>: Authentication failed for the provided CIFS username.</p><p></p><p><strong>Resolution</strong>: Verify that the username and password are correct and have access to the shared folder.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

***

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