The UpSlide library system is designed to access shared content directly from inside Office with minimal to no IT work required.

Overview

All shared content is stored in network folders (also compatible with SharePoint, Blob storage and locally synced folders such as Dropbox) and is replicated for each user in a local cache. Each time content is added or removed, a synchronization system makes sure that the local cache gets updated. UpSlide then displays the content of this local cache to the user.

If the user has an administrator license, they can also publish new content on the shared folders.

Network folders

The UpSlide library system supports multiple locations for its content. Each of these folders, called library locations, can be located on different servers and have a different set of access permissions. This can be very useful in multiple architectures. For example, they can be used to access both a central corporate library and a decentralized country library.

Each of the library locations contain .UpLib files organized in subfolders. A .UpLib file is simply an archive grouping the Office file, which contains the shared content and the previews displayed within the library pane.

Local cache

UpSlide automatically synchronizes the library locations with a local cache. This has two main benefits:

1. Changes made by administrators are immediately visible
2. The library can be used offline

The synchronization system is started each time the library pane is opened in UpSlide and will react almost instantly to any edits made to the library location (folder/file add/edit/delete).

The default location of the local Cache (%appdata%\UpSlide\Content\LibraryCache) can be customized.

Publish

UpSlide administrators, provided they have the required permissions (cf. below), can publish new content to the library and edit existing content. 

Permissions

UpSlide uses the user active directory read permissions on the library locations to filter accessible content. For example, the user below has access to the Shared, Legal and Accounting locations. Removing their access to the Legal part of the library would be as simple as revoking their access to the library location.

Similarly, to publish or edit content, an administrator must have write permissions on the targeted folder.

Technical limitations

We conducted tests to check for any technical limitations with our synchronization system. With 5,000 users watching the same library location the additional workload on the file server is barely noticeable.