Adding data from a shared network folder

[intapiuser]

Introduction

This forum post will demonstrate how to add data located in a shared network folder to your desired ElastiCube.

Purpose

In many cases we wish to import data located in a shared network folder to the ElastiCube.

To do so, we need to execute two main steps:

1. Map the network folder to the machine Sisense is operating on, so the ElastiCube will have access to this folder.
2. Grant System User with permissions to the network folder. Since the ElastiCube build process is operating as System User, to successfully build a cube which one of its data sources is located in a network folder, the System User must be granted with permissions to access the mapped folder.

Step 1 – Map Network Drive

Method 1 – Using CMD:

1. Open CMD as administrator
2. Enter the below.

   net use y: \\<private IP address>\<Folder directory> /user:Administrator /persistent:yes

   1. Note the spaces in these places: (after y: , before /user , before /persistent)
   2. If one of your folders or sub folders contains spaces, enter the path with "".
   1. net use y: \\xxx.xxx.x.xx\Test\Maayan /user:Administrator /persistent:yes
   2. net use z: "\\SEAN-PC\New Folder\TestMaayan" /user:Admin /persistent:yes
1. Tips:
2. Examples: 
3. Enter the password for 'Administrator' to connect to this folder.

Method 2 – Using windows GUI:

1. Right click the network drive and choose 'Map network drive'.

2. Check the following checkboxes:

-  Reconnect at sign-in

-  Connect using different credentials.

3. Fill the network drive folder credentials in 'Enter network credentials' window.

• Note: in case you don't have permissions to map the network drive, and you need to map only a sub-folder located under this drive, do the following:

1. Right click the sub-folder you want to share -> choose 'Properties' -> 'Sharing' -> 'Share'

1. On the File Sharing window – add permissions to 'Everyone' to Read / Write (modify the permissions as needed) - > click 'Share'.

3. If you want the folder to be located directly under this network machine when the user chooses the folder, then click on 'Advanced Sharing' and add permissions as needed.

This folder will be added to the network drives under the machine name. Right clicking this folder will enable you to 'Map Network Folder'.

Step 2 – Download PsExec tool:

1. Download from here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/psexec

2. Extract the files to this location: C:Apps:SysInternals (create the folder if needed)

3. Run PsExec.exe using the command line:

1. Open CMD as administrator

2. Enter the following:

c:\Apps\SysInternals\PsExec.exe –i –s net use y: \\<private IP address>\<Folder directory> /user:Administrator /persistent:yes

Example: c:\Apps\SysInternals\PsExec.exe –i –s net use y: \\xxx.xxx.x.xx\Test\Maayan /user:Administrator /persistent:yes

• Tip: Note the spaces in these places: (before -i , before -s , before net use , after y: , before /user , before /persistent)
• Make sure you are using the exact same credentials to reach the network drive, both for mapping the drive (using the commend: "net use y: \\<private IP address>\<Folder directory> /user:Administrator /persistent:yes" in step 1, and both for mapping the drive for the PsExec - using the commend "c:\Apps\SysInternals\PsExec.exe –i –s net use y: \\<private IP address>\<Folder directory> /user:Administrator /persistent:yes" in step 2).

Now you can add data located in the shared network folder to the ElastiCube, and build the cube.

Disclaimer: Use of this forum post

This post is using a third party tool which is not developed and maintained by Sisense. With this in mind, we strongly advise you to do some testing in your own environment and check the configuration. Since configurations and extensibilities reflected in this forum are outside the Sisense product development environment, they are not covered by Support Services.