Applications: Overview

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An Aspera on Cloud application is a self-contained service with its own memberships and configuration settings.

What is an Aspera on Cloud application?

Each application can be configured at the global, organization level and at the workspace level. Organization-level settings are inherited by each workspace. The administrator (or, with proper permissions, the workspace manager) can override the inherited settings and customize them for a given workspace.

Aspera on Cloud supports the following apps:

  • Packages app: sending and receiving digital packages:
    • Can be enabled or disabled for the organization.
    • When enabled for the org, can be turned on or off for each workspace.
    • When turned on for a workspace, all workspace members automatically become Packages app members; org admin or workspace managers (with proper permissions) can remove individual workspace members from the Packages app.
    • Configured globally; global settings inherited by each workspace; inherited settings can be overridden and customized at each workspace.
  • Files app: sharing folders
    • Can be enabled or disabled for the organization.
    • When enabled for the org, can be turned on or off for each workspace.
    • When turned on for a workspace, all workspace members automatically become Packages app members; org admin or workspace managers (with proper permissions) can remove individual workspace members from the Packages app.
    • Configured globally; global settings inherited by each workspace; inherited settings can be overridden and customized at each workspace.
  • Activity: monitoring transfer activity, volume usage, events:
    • Can be enabled or disabled for the organization.
    • Not specific to a given workspace.
    • When enabled, an org admin can add users as members of the Activity app.
  • Automation app: automating workflows:
    • Can be enabled or disabled for the organization.
    • Not specific to a given workspace.
    • When enabled, an org admin can add users as members of the Automation app.
  • Admin: configuring users, nodes, apps, workspaces, and so on:
    • Always enabled; accessible to all organization administrators.
    • Portions of the Admin app are available to workspace managers, depending on permissions granted to them.

The Packages application

Members of the Packages application use it to send and receive digital packages. A package is a collection of digital assets (files, folders, video, images, and so on) that you gather to send to one or more individuals or user groups, or to an Aspera on Cloud shared inbox. When you send a package, Aspera on Cloud creates copies of the content you attach for each recipient; the source content remains unchanged.

The Packages app also allows users to invite other people to send files and folders back to them or to a shared inbox.

By default, Packages app members can collaborate freely with external users. Org administrators can gradually restrict external collaboration, all the way to eliminating it.

For configuration procedures, see Packages app: Send and receive files and folders.

The Files application

Members of the Files app use it to share folders in a workspace with one or more individuals or user groups. When you share, you assign access permissions for each folder to each recipient you share with. When you share folders, Aspera on Cloud does not create a separate copy, but grants the recipients access to the exact same materials you have access to. For configuration procedures, see Configuration options.

By default, Files app members can collaborate freely with external users. Org administrators can gradually restrict external collaboration, all the way to eliminating it.

For more information, see Should I send or share?.

The Activity application

The Activity application provides analysis and visualization of performance, history, and usage for file transfers made within Aspera on Cloud. The responsive engine automatically feeds real-time logs to the Activity server for output in the UI, so that you can easily associate the log data with user data and transfer statistics.

See Activity app: Monitor events, activity, and usage in your organization and related topics.

The Automation application

The Automation app lets you to create automated workflows that initiate file transfers, make calls to an API, and send notifications to users.

Automation monitors your file storage system for event triggers; for example, a specific date and time can initiate a transfer, and a file upload to a shared folder can trigger an email notification.

See Automation app: Automate your transfer workflows and related topics.

The Admin application

The Admin app provides all the controls to configure organization branding, workspaces, collaboration rules, users, nodes, content, and more. Organization administrators can delegate certain tasks to workspace managers. For these administrative tasks in the designated workspaces, mangers use the Admin app.