You connect InEight to a network server with a CDE integration that keeps files, folders and metadata aligned between on-premises shares and InEight, or with a migration that moves the shares into InEight 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 InEight
InEight is common on major capital projects in energy, resources and infrastructure. The organisations running those projects often keep other information on network servers. Operational sites may hold asset data locally. Engineering teams may store analysis outputs and vendor data on shares. Some content is kept on premises for security classification. And past projects often live on servers that predate InEight.
When information sits in both places, people copy files between them, renumber them and enter InEight's fields by hand. The server and InEight drift apart, and nobody can say with confidence which copy is current.
What carries across between InEight and a network server
CDE Sync™ maps the server's folder structure to InEight and populates InEight's fields from folder and file naming rules, keeping the two aligned in the direction you choose. Files saved to a nominated share can be registered in InEight, and documents in InEight can be written back to the server. Version history integrity is maintained, and every transfer is logged.
The network servers and InEight integration pages describe both connectors, and CDE Sync for InEight covers InEight in more depth.
How to connect InEight to a network server, step by step
Decide whether the server will stay in use (sync) or be retired (migration into InEight).
Identify the shares and folders involved and the InEight projects they relate to.
Work with your IT team on the secure connection to the server and a scoped service account.
Obtain InEight's numbering and mandatory fields from document control, and arrange an InEight service account.
Connect both in the CDE Sync™ wizard, or agree the migration scope and target date with Utopia Digital.
Define how folders and file names populate InEight fields.
Test on a small folder, check results with document control, then switch on the schedule or complete the move.
Operational sites and classified content
Energy and resources operations often run with limited connectivity or strict network segregation. Local servers at operational sites hold the information crews rely on day to day. Connecting a nominated share to InEight lets project information reach those sites, and site records flow back to the project, without anyone carrying files on removable media.
Where content is classified or sensitive, the scope of the connection matters. Only nominated folders are connected, and the service account can only see those folders. Agreeing that scope with your security team before the first run keeps the connection within your policies. Our article on connecting CDEs securely under SOCI covers security considerations in more depth.
Legacy shares can also be brought across. A migration moves selected past projects into InEight with their structure and version history, while records that only need to be kept can go to CDE Archive™, where they stay searchable in your own Azure without occupying active storage.
Most teams start with one share and one InEight project, then extend once the rules are proven.
Security for on-premises data
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. Utopia Digital holds SOC 2 Type II and Cyber Essentials. See the Security Trust Portal and the global data region map.
InEight, network servers and the Utopiaverse™
Connecting a network server to InEight is part of the Utopiaverse™, the connected record Utopia Digital builds across your platforms. CDE Sync™ keeps server and InEight aligned, CDE Backup™ keeps an independent copy in your own Azure, CDE Migrate™ retires the server when you are ready, and CDE Archive™ captures completed projects. AI Insights searches local and InEight content together, with answers that cite the source files. See also How Do I Connect InEight to My Other CDEs? and How Do I Connect a Network Drive or File Server to My CDE?
See a network server connected to InEight in the monthly live demo, or talk to the team about your environment.
