Server Message Block (SMB)

Connect to Server Message Block (SMB) shares to sync data between folders and Foundry datasets. Common examples of SMB servers include Windows File Server and Samba File Server.

Supported capabilities

The SMB connector supports SMB protocol versions 2 and 3.

Data model

The connector can transfer files of any type into Foundry datasets. File formats are preserved, and no schemas are applied during or after the transfer. Apply any necessary schema to the output dataset, or write a downstream transformation to access the data.

Performance and limitations

There is no limit to the size of transferable files. However, network issues can result in failures of large-scale transfers. In particular, direct cloud syncs that take more than two days to run will be interrupted. To avoid network issues, we recommend using smaller file sizes and limiting the number of files that are ingested in every execution of the sync. Syncs can be scheduled to run frequently.

Setup

1. Open the Data Connection application and select + New Source in the upper right corner of the screen.
2. Select SMB from the Protocol sources section.
3. Choose to use a direct connection over the Internet or to connect through an intermediary agent.
4. Follow the additional configuration prompts to continue the setup of your connector using the information in the sections below.

Learn more about setting up a connector in Foundry.

Configuration options

The following configuration options are available for the SMB connector:

Networking

The SMB connector must be able to reach Hostname on Port (445 by default). If you are using a direct connection, you must use a TCP policy.

Sync data from SMB

The SMB connector uses the file-based sync interface.

Export data to SMB

To export to an SMB share, first enable exports for your SMB connector. Then, create a new export.

Export configuration options