Kimura SCM

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File Servers ​

In Kimura SCM, a file server is the service that stores and serves the actual file content for repositories. The Kimura server handles coordination (users, permissions, history, change lists), while file servers handle moving file data in and out of workspaces.

You will see file servers in the UI when you:

  • create a workspace (choose endpoints),
  • adjust endpoints in Settings,
  • or administer file server entries and repository access.

Primary, Secondary, And Default File Servers ​

Depending on how your environment is set up, you may see:

  • Primary File Server: the main place your workspace retrieves and stores file content.
  • Secondary File Server: an optional additional endpoint (often used for performance, redundancy, or a different site).
  • Default File Server (FS-DEFAULT): a file server hosted alongside the Kimura server when using the Visual Server.

The details (which ones you use, and what endpoints are correct) are decided by your administrator.

Important behavior:

  • Only the Primary File Server receives new file content from submits.
  • The Secondary File Server copies from the primary and can be used for syncing/getting files, but it is not used for submitting new file content.

Backup Server (Server Metadata Backup) ​

A file server can optionally act as a backup server for Kimura server metadata. In this mode, it can back up server-side metadata such as configuration, databases, rules, and repository metadata (for example repository descriptions and change list metadata).

This backup data can be used to restore a server more easily. In environments that use backup file servers, backups do not require copying drives or running separate manual backup jobs: changes are captured and reflected continuously by the backup file server.

Manual Restore From Backup File Server ​

Current backup output is written as:

  • .../FileServers/<BackupFSUser>/Backup/<ServerName>/

To restore manually:

  1. Stop the destination Kimura server if it is running.
  2. Copy the full contents of Backup/<ServerName>/ into the destination server root <ServerLocation>/<ServerName>/.
  3. Start the server using the same ServerName and ServerLocation.

File Servers Authenticate Like Users ​

Under the hood, file servers connect to a Kimura server and authenticate much like a regular user would. They are typically configured as a dedicated “file server user” that belongs to a special group (for example FileServers) which grants them the access needed to perform file server duties.

Client Authentication To File Servers Is Federated By The Kimura Server ​

Workspaces talk to file servers to upload/download file content, but users don’t separately “log into” each file server. Instead, the Kimura server authenticates the user and authorizes file transfers, and the resulting transfer context is what the client uses to perform the file transfer against the configured file server endpoint.

Endpoints (What You Configure) ​

An endpoint is the network address used to reach a file server (for example HOSTNAME:PORT).

In the Visual Client, endpoints appear in:

  • Create workspace: initial file server endpoint selection.
  • Settings → File Servers: update endpoints later and apply changes.

Workspace Metadata vs. File Content ​

File servers are used for file content transfer. The workspace itself maintains a local database/cache of metadata (history/state/revision tracking) to enable reconcile and keep the UI responsive, but it does not store repository file contents or all file revisions locally.

This is also why the workspace directory does not need a .git-style “source control internals” folder to function.

In contrast, most “permission denied” issues are caused by users/groups access rules, not by file servers themselves.

Administration: Managing File Servers (Admins) ​

Administrators can register and edit file server entries (names, passwords, and endpoints). The admin UI also shows which repositories a file server can access.

Hosting Or Running File Servers (Visual Server) ​

The Visual Server can:

  • host a Kimura server and optionally a default file server (FS-DEFAULT), or
  • run a Standalone File Server that connects to an existing Kimura server.