Understanding File Transfers, Folder Monitoring, and SMB in Noxturnal
When a user moves or archives a study, Noxturnal does not directly perform file operations itself. Instead, Noxturnal requests that the Windows operating system perform the desired operation.
Noxturnal uses standard Windows shell file operations to initiate transfers. The operating system is responsible for carrying out the requested operation and managing all communication with the underlying storage.
This distinction is important:
- Noxturnal requests the operation through standard Windows shell APIs
- Windows performs the operation
- The file server processes the resulting requests
- The underlying storage stores the data
How Noxturnal Initiates File Transfers
The following process describes what occurs when a user drags and drops a recording between Noxturnal locations or uses the Archive feature, regardless of whether the recording is stored locally or on a network file share.
Noxturnal requests a file operation through Windows shell APIs
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Windows file APIs and shell services receive the request
↓
Windows performs the file operation
↓
Windows communicates with the destination storage
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The file server processes the request
↓
Data is written to the destination storage
Because Noxturnal relies on standard Windows file operations, the network protocol used for the transfer depends on how the destination storage is presented to Windows.
When the destination is a Windows file share, SMB (Server Message Block) is typically the protocol used by the Windows operating system to communicate with the remote file server.
If the storage is accessed through another filesystem technology, such as NFS or a vendor-specific filesystem redirector, Windows may use a different protocol.
Important Note
Noxturnal does not directly implement SMB or perform file operations itself.
Instead, it requests that Windows carry out the operation. The Windows operating system is responsible for executing the file operation, communicating with remote file shares, and establishing any SMB connections required to access the storage.
What is SMB?
SMB (Server Message Block) is a network file-sharing protocol used by Windows systems to access, transfer, and monitor files stored on remote file systems. SMB is not a storage system or storage technology. It is a communication protocol used to access storage hosted on another system.
In Windows environments, SMB is the most common protocol used for network file shares and is typically the protocol involved when Noxturnal accesses, transfers, and monitors studies stored on shared storage.
How FolderWatcher Detects Changes
FolderWatcher receives filesystem change notifications from the Windows operating system on the machine where Noxturnal is running.
- System events that trigger an action by FolderWatcher:
- Created
- Deleted
- Renamed
- Changed (LastWrite)
If the monitored data resides on a network file share, changes on the file server's filesystem ultimately trigger these events.
When the file share is hosted on Windows-based storage, these notifications are typically delivered through SMB Change Notifications.
The Windows operating system running Noxturnal receives these notifications and delivers them to FolderWatcher.
If the data is stored on a network share, the flow is:
File operation occurs
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File server filesystem changes
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SMB Change Notification is generated by the file server
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Windows client receives notification
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Windows generates a filesystem notification event (for example through ReadDirectoryChangesW)
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Noxturnal's FolderWatcher receives event and starts indexing
SMB Network Requirements
In Windows environments, SMB communication is typically handled over TCP port 445. If this communication is blocked by a firewall, Noxturnal may be unable to access, transfer, or monitor studies stored on network file shares.
Because Windows typically uses SMB for access to network file shares, the systems running Noxturnal and FolderWatcher must be able to communicate with the file server using SMB.
The following ports are commonly required:
Port | Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
TCP 445 | SMB | Primary SMB communication used by modern Windows systems |
TCP 139 | NetBIOS Session Service | Legacy SMB support |
UDP 137 | NetBIOS Name Service | Legacy name resolution |
UDP 138 | NetBIOS Datagram Service | Legacy browsing and discovery |
For modern Active Directory and Windows file-sharing environments, TCP port 445 is the primary SMB port and must be permitted between the Noxturnal workstation and the file server in accordance with the organization's firewall policies.
Summary
SMB should be viewed as a file access and communication protocol rather than a storage technology. Noxturnal relies on standard Windows file operations for transfers and monitoring, while the Windows operating system handles the underlying SMB communication with remote file shares. As a result, proper SMB connectivity, particularly access to TCP port 445, is essential when Noxturnal interacts with studies stored on Windows network shares.
When troubleshooting file-transfer or file-share connectivity issues, it is important to remember that Noxturnal is not directly communicating with the storage system. Noxturnal requests file operations through Windows, and the Windows operating system is responsible for communicating with the remote storage using the appropriate filesystem protocol, most commonly SMB in Windows environments.
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