You connect Oracle Aconex to a network server with a CDE integration that keeps files, folders and metadata aligned between the on-premises server and the Aconex register, or with a migration that moves the server's contents into Aconex for good. CDE Sync™ handles the ongoing connection and CDE Migrate™ handles a one-time move, both preserving folder structure and version history.
Why network servers sit beside Aconex
Many organisations still keep project information on a network server, NAS or mapped drive. Some do it for security classification or data sovereignty. Others have design software that works best with local files, or site offices with limited connectivity. Meanwhile the owner's record lives in Aconex, where every document needs a number, revision, status and the register fields the owner requires.
Bridging the two by hand is slow. Someone copies files from the server, renames them, fills in register fields and uploads to Aconex. When the owner responds, the returned documents are downloaded and saved back to the right folder. Over time, the server and the register stop matching, and nobody can say with confidence which copy is current.
What carries across between Aconex and a network server
CDE Sync™ maps the server's folder structure to Aconex document types and fields, and keeps the two aligned in the direction you choose. Files approved on the server can flow into the register, and documents returned in Aconex can be written back to a nominated folder. Version history integrity is maintained as files move between local storage and the cloud, and every transfer is logged.
The network servers and Oracle Aconex integration pages describe both connectors.
How to connect Aconex to a network server, step by step
Decide whether the server will stay in use (sync) or be retired (migration into Aconex).
Identify the shares and folders involved and the Aconex project they relate to.
Work with your IT team on the secure connection to the server and a service account with scoped access.
Request an Aconex integration user from the Aconex administrator.
Connect both in the CDE Sync™ wizard, or agree the migration scope and target date with Utopia Digital.
Map folders and file naming conventions to Aconex document types and register fields.
Test on a small folder, check the register entries with document control, then switch on the schedule.
Giving local files register metadata
Files on a network server usually carry little metadata beyond their name and folder, while Aconex expects a full set of register fields. That information can often be derived automatically. A discipline folder can set the discipline field, a document number in the file name can populate the number and revision, and a package folder can set the document type. Agreeing these rules once means every file reaches Aconex properly described.
The same rules then apply to new files as the server keeps being used, so the register stays consistent over the life of the project. Our article on connecting a network drive to your CDE covers this in more depth.
It is also worth deciding early whether the server or Aconex is the source of truth for each folder. A one-way flow from server to register is simplest and suits teams that author locally. A two-way flow suits teams that also need returned documents saved back to the server for local tools to use.
Security for on-premises data
Organisations that keep data on premises usually do so for good reasons, and the connection has to respect them. CDE Sync™ streams files without storing them, encrypts data in transit, processes it in the Azure region you choose and uses a service account scoped only to the folders in sync. That suits SOCI-regulated work across transport, energy, water and aviation. Utopia Digital holds SOC 2 Type II and Cyber Essentials. See the Security Trust Portal and the global data region map.
Aconex, network servers and the Utopiaverse™
Connecting a network server to Aconex is part of the Utopiaverse™, the connected record Utopia Digital builds across your platforms. CDE Sync™ keeps server and register aligned, CDE Backup™ keeps an independent copy of Aconex in your own Azure, CDE Migrate™ retires the server when you are ready, and CDE Archive™ captures the record at completion. AI Insights searches local and Aconex content together, with answers that cite the source files. See also How Do I Connect Oracle Aconex and SharePoint? and How to back up a CDE.
See a network server connected to Aconex in the monthly live demo, or talk to the team about your environment.
