Getting Started with Microsoft OneDrive

Both OneDrive and Box use state-of-the-art technology and industry best practices for data encryption during transit to and from the cloud, as well as while stored within each app. However, some types of data should not be stored on OneDrive and Box at all; refer to information specific to permissible data by type. For this reason, we recommend you use only the web interface (http://portal.office.com or http://pitt.box.com) or official apps to transfer data securely. If you use an app for Box or OneDrive that has been developed by a third party, you should take steps to ensure that the app transfers data using a secure method.

OneDrive and Box provide robust security for the data you store. However, due to federal ,state, and local laws and university policies and standards, please consult the University’s data classification and compliance site to determine the appropriate storage locations for different data types.

To and From OneDrive

If you are working from a PC or laptop, then you can use the Upload and Download links to move files to and from your computer. The Upload link appears at the top of the OneDrive webpage that displays your cloud file directory. In order to download a file that is on the shared drive, click once on the file name, Then right click to bring up a secondary menu. For macOS clients, this may require you to hold down the Command key first if you only have one button on your mouse. Select the Download option that should appear.

If you will be moving files to and from OneDrive and have admin rights on your system, consider downloading and installing the OneDrive for Business application. This application will create a local copy of your OneDrive cloud folder and then sync the files with the cloud when the system is connected to the network. You can work directly with these local copies of the files and the OneDrive for Business application will make sure that they are stored on the cloud. Macintosh and Windows versions of the OneDrive for Business application are available for download at https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-us/download.

Between Cloud Services (Box and OneDrive)

The easiest way to move files between the cloud services is to use a PC or laptop that has both the Box Sync and OneDrive for Business applications installed. Open both from the system tray to create windows for both. From the windows you can move files using cut/copy and paste. If you are on a system where both utilities are not available, you will have to open up the web interfaces for both OneDrive and Box and use the upload/download functions using the PC's drive as an intermediary.

Moving files back and forth from a mobile/tablet platform is possible. It requires that both mobile app versions of Box Sync and OneDrive for Business are installed and running and configured to save files locally, in a location that both apps can access. In a case like this, it may be more efficient to use a PC system instead. Student Computing Lab PCs are accessible to anyone with a Pitt student, faculty, or staff account and have both apps installed.

Using FTP (Box)

The following is a summary of the steps to establish a secure connection to Pitt Box using an FTP client.

These instructions use FileZilla software as an example. All FTP clients will use the same server and port configurations.

Step One - Set up an External Box Password for Your Pitt Box Account

Single sign-on (SSO) using Pitt Passport is not supported, so you will not be able to log in to the FTP client with Active Directory or LDAP credentials.

Before using FTP with Box, you need to set up an external Box password for your Pitt Box Account. Take the following steps:

1. Log in to Box via My Pitt (my.pitt.edu) using your University Computing account username and password.
2. Click your initials in the top right corner, then choose Account Settings.
3. On the Account tab, scroll down to the ‘Authentication’ section. Click Change Password.
4. Type the new password twice, then click Save.

Step Two - Download An FTP Client

Any FTP client can connect to Box's FTP server. The Box Team suggests using the FileZilla client>.

Note: There is no need to try to use the Pitt Box App link (via My Pitt > Box > Your Name in the top right > Apps) to download ‘Box FTP Server’ because it says “Install the FTP client of your choice.”

Step Three - Configure Your FTP Client to Use Box

To establish a secure connection to Box with your FTP client use the following settings:

• File protocol: FTP
• Host name: ftp.box.com
• Encryption: TLS/SSL implicit encryption
• Port number: Port 990 is for secure SSL connection.
• User name: Your University of Pittsburgh Computing Account Username
• Password: the External Password that you created via Box to use with your FTP client.

Here is what the FileZilla Quickconnect window looks like:


Note: You can make a one-time connection to FileZilla.

Here is what the FileZilla window with a saved connection looks like:


Note: Most settings are saved. You will have to provide your password before you can connect

Recommendations & Tips

• FTP is a great option if you need to do a one-time migration of data into Box. 
• Box does not recommend using FTP as a two-way sync mechanism. You should use the Box Sync feature to sync files. Use the following method>.
• Box recommends that no more than 150,000 files or 250GB of total data should be included in each FTP batch.
• Based on Pitt IT's Customer and Application Support experience, sending smaller batches of files (approximately 50 GB) overnight provides an effective way for file transfers to be completed.