FAQ
General Questions
Simple Cloud Files gives users the ability to store unlimited data in AWS S3 Buckets, and associate those files with Confluence pages and spaces.
For three main reasons:
1) You want/need more storage than Atlassian provides
2) You want to be able to upload files larger than Atlassian allows
3) You want better control over where your files are stored, and what happens to them.
Confluence Cloud used to have a 25GB storage limit for your entire account (shared across all Jira Cloud, Bamboo Cloud, and Confluence instances. While Atlassian has increased that limit to 250GB, there is still a 2GB limit for free accounts, and in all cases, there is no way to increase this limit. Additionally, individual files are limited to a max size of 2GB per file.
With our app, you not only gain unlimited storage, you also unlock unlimited file size per file, and all the other features S3 provides. Like integration with other AWS services, or the ability to share a bucket with Bamboo.
Once installed, the app adds a new area to spaces in the left sidebar navigation for Clouf Files. This is where files can be stored on a project wide basis, instead of just a single issue.
Pages gain a new sub-page for Cloud Files as well, which is where all the files related to a page can be seen.
Additionally, pages receive new macros that can be embedded in a page, which allows users to embed images from S3, link to files, or even embed a file browser that points to S3.
No, and for the foreseeable future that is unlikely to change. If you have a need for this however, we would be interested to hear your particular use case.
Unfortuntately, that's the way Atlassian handles all licensing.
Regardless of how many users need an app, you end up having to pay for all users in your Confluence Cloud instance. This behavior is enforced on the Atlassian side, and outside of our control.
Of course!
We are always looking for ways to improve our apps, and the best way to do that is with your input.
Don't hesitate to email us at support@tss.io, and let us know about it.
Using Simple Cloud Files
Yes!
Our app exposes several macros that allow you to embed an image, link to a file, or even embed a full file browser.
That depends...
If your S3 bucket has versioning enabled, then yes, you can go to the bucket and recover the file. Otherwise the answer is no.
Page level files are shared with anyone that has access to browse the page.
Space level files are shared with anyone that has Browse Space permission for the space.
If your Confluence page is shared publicly, then of course, public users can see files as well, but only if they are embedded within a page.
No.
Files are associated with Confluence pages. As such, any user with access to the page can see the files uploaded to the page.
The same is true for space-level files. Anyone with access to the space can see the files shared on a space level.
Folders: Yes!
Individual files? No.
The app supports folder level permissions, allowing you to lock folders to specific user groups. You can decide what kind of access that group has. Read/Write, read only. No delete, etc.
Yes! You can create folders (and subfolders) and move files to organize them.
Yes!
You have the choice of either disabling the app for specific space, or doing the reverse: disabling it for all spaces and then only enabling it for specific space. Ultimately flexibility.
No.
Files stored in S3 buckets are entirely separate from Confluence attachments. In fact, Confluence is completely unaware of the files you upload to S3.
No.
We've made the decision not to delete files in your bucket, unless a user explicitly requests it.
At some point in the future, we may introduce an option for admins to control this behavior, but for now, files remain in your bucket, even if the corresponding Confluence page is deleted.
Nope. Just like S3, there are no limits.
Nope.
We have some customers that store 100 GB ISO files in S3 without issues. It just takes a while to upload :)
Yes!. The app supports changing the default permissions, and granting specific permissions to user groups.
Thus, you can change who can create folders, who can upload or download files, or even preview files.
Yes. You can change the bucket at any time, simply by changing the configuration.
Be aware however that our app does not migrate files from the old bucket to the new bucket when you change settings. That is entirely up to you.
Yes. Our app automatically detects if versioning is enabled, and if so, allows users to browse past versions of a file.
Nope. We support all available AWS regions.
Of course. We support all AWS regions.
If you encounter any issues with one of the secure regions, simply contact our support and we'll help you get setup.
Absolutely not.
In fact, your files never touch our servers. Neither during file uploads, nor file downloads.
Our app connects to your bucket to do directory listings, and generate pre-signed links to files/folders. Those pre-signed links are then relayed to the client side where users can interact with them.
Effectively this means users download files directly from S3 without the downloaded files being transfered through our infrastructure or servers. File uploads are handled the same way. Users uploading files are sending them directly to S3.
Not yet, but this feature is coming soon.
Not yet. We're planning on adding support for it in the future.
Install / Uninstall / Upgrade
You can install the app directly from your Confluence Cloud instance by visiting the "Apps" page, and searching for "Simple Cloud Files" in the "Find new Apps" screen.
Once installed, you'll need to visit the configuration screen to configure the S3 bucket you want to use.
Atlassian provides customers with a Sandbox Confluence Cloud instance. You can install the app there for testing purposes.
Additionally, you could sign up for a new Confluence Cloud evaluation, and install it there as well to test out things.
Confluence Cloud apps are typically upgraded automatically by Atlassian whenever we make a release in the marketplace.
The exception to that is If we require additional permissions from you. In that case, you have to manually upgrade from the "Manage Apps" screen, by clicking the upgrade button, as this grants us the additional permissions we request.
You can either uninstall the app from the "Manage Apps" screen, and then reinstall from the Atlassian Marketplace.
Uninstalling the app keeps your Files in tact. Thus, if you reinstall the app after uninstalling it, your data will come right back.
Of course not! Those are your files, stored in your S3 bucket. You keep those, even if you stop using our app.
Absolutely nothing!
The beauty of using the Simple Cloud Files plugin is that you own the S3 Bucket, and thus the files stay with you, no matter whether you stop using our plugin, or even Confluence itself.
Developer / Technical Questions
All files you upload through the Simple Cloud Files app will be stored in the S3 Bucket you've configured.
Each Confluence Space will have its own folder based on the space key. Within each space folder, you will find one folder called 'spaceFiles', which contain all the files directly associated with the space itself.
Additionally, you will find a folder for each Confluence Page that has Simple Cloud Files attached to it. The folders are named based on the page id.
The files are stored in your own S3 bucket. You own the bucket :)
Backups are entirely up to you.
Importing / Exporting Content
Is it possible? Yes. Can Simple Cloud Files do it for you? No.
The general way to go about this would be to export files from Confluence to a local source (your hard drive), and organize them based on Space key and Page Id., From there, you can upload them to S3, and our app will simply pick them up.
Sort of. Simple Cloud Files doesn't have any specific import functionality. That being said however, you can upload files to S3 directly, and our app will simply pick them up, as long as the files are placed in the correct folder.
Based on that, you could export data from your other source, and upload it to the correct folder in S3 and achieve an 'import' that way.
You own the S3 bucket. The files are completely in your control. As such, you can export them however you like. You could download them from the bucket, you could copy them to another bucket, etc.