File Staging Server

Each Vault in your domain has its own file staging server, which supports various features including Vault Loader and Unclassified Document Creation. The file staging server is a temporary storage area for files you’re uploading to or extracting from Vault. For example, when using Vault Loader to create a new document, you upload the source file to the file staging server before loading the CSV. The CSV then references the source file location on the file staging server.

The file staging server deletes files according to the following rules:

  • Refreshing your Vault removes all files from the file staging server.
  • The server automatically deletes uploaded files and empty directories after 1 year.
  • The server automatically deletes extracted files and folders every 72 hours by default. This auto-deletion timeframe does not apply to files that users upload to the file staging server.
  • Deleted files are not recoverable.

Server URL

The URL for each staging server is the same as the corresponding Vault, for example, veepharm.veevavault.com.

How to Access File Staging Servers

You can access your staging server using your favorite FTP client, like FileZilla.

Vault Loader Details

You can view and manage files and folders on your Vault’s file staging server using the Vault Loader command line tool. Learn more in the Vault Loader File Staging Command Line Tool Reference.

Users do not need access to the staging server to access files on it with Vault Loader. For example, one user with file staging server access could upload files, and another user without access could create documents via Vault Loader that reference files on the staging server.

Vault File Manager Details

You can view, upload, move, rename, and delete files and folders on your Vault’s file staging server using Vault File Manager.

Client Settings

Use the following settings with an FTP client:

  • Protocol: Explicit FTPS or FTPES
  • Encryption: Require explicit FTP over TLS (FTPS). This is a security requirement. Your network infrastructure must support FTPS traffic.
  • Port: This does not typically need to be added and will default to Port 21.
  • Host: DNS of the Vault. For example, veepharm.veevavault.com.
  • Timeout: 180 seconds if uploading large files.
  • User: {DNS}.veevavault.com+{USERNAME}. This uses the same user name that you log in with. For example: veepharm.veevavault.com+tchung@veepharm.com.
  • Password: Your login password for this Vault. This is the same password used for your standard login. You can also use a valid session ID.
  • Login Type: Normal
  • Transfer File Type: Transfer files as binary
  • Transfer Mode: Passive
    • Active mode is unsupported
  • TLS Session Reuse: If your client has this setting, disable it.

Example Filezilla Settings

Screenshot example filezilla settings

If you have remote verification enabled on a proxy or a firewall, FTP traffic from computers on your network to Veeva file staging servers might be refused. If possible, work with your IT department to disable remote verification. If it cannot be disabled, contact Veeva Support.

Network & Firewall Settings

In addition to your FTP client settings, your network environment may require some modification. Before trying to connect to the File Staging Server via FTPES, ensure your network and firewall are configured as follows:

  • Outbound firewall filters must permit TCP traffic on these ports to the Host:
    • 21
    • 56000-56100
    • If you are using the Vault Domain in the Host setting:
      • port 21 needs to be open to the Host IP address
      • 56000-56100 need to be open to the vlt-{PODID}-ftp.veevavault.com IP address.
      • If you have multiple Vaults on multiple PODs, please contact support for an address range that encompasses all of them.
  • Firewall filters should be configured by IP address, not DNS name
    • Your network team can retrieve the address from DNS
    • Some firewalls will use the DNS name for reverse lookups, which will fail. Others will scan the TLS handshake to get the connection domain name value and fail the data connections as they do not look like normal web traffic.
  • If the client is behind a Network Address Translation (NAT) device, the NAT device must ensure that all connections generated by the FTPES session are translated to the same source IP address.
    • NAT devices with IP address pools without “stickiness” are incompatible with the FTPES service.
    • This limitation also impacts Active-Active firewalls with separate NAT addresses but without “stickiness” for the TCP connections.

File Staging Server Limits

The following limits affect file uploads to the File Staging Server:

  • File names cannot exceed 218 bytes, including the file extension. Note that one (1) character does not always equal one (1) byte. For example, the character “菌” is three (3) bytes.
  • Complete folder paths cannot exceed 955 bytes.
  • Folders cannot be renamed or moved.
  • Folder modification times reported in file listings are incorrect.
  • Listing large folders is slow.
    • Structure large datasets into trees and remove old files when they are no longer required to achieve better performance.
  • Folder listings are truncated at 65,000 rows.
    • Integrations dependent upon full folder listings should ensure that folders are kept below this value.

Your File Staging Server is a temporary storage solution and you should not retain files on the server for an entire year.

The automated deletion of all content after 1 year has the following effects on directories:

  • Directory objects in the underlying storage are deleted one year after creation.
  • Directories with contents will continue to appear until they are empty, at which point they will vanish.

Any integrations that anticipate the existence of a directory should catch the error when the directory does not exist and recreate the directory. Actively accessing content around the time of the automatic deletion can result in corrupted directory listings. This will normally clear after a refresh. If it persists, contact support.

Message Templates

  • Cannot Upload LSA to Binder or Placeholder (ftp_inbox_attach_to_unsupported_document__v): Vault uses this error message when the target document for a rendition is a binder or placeholder.
  • Large Size Asset Attached (ftp_inbox_lsa_uploaded_to_exsting_doc__v): This notification goes to the user who uploaded a Large Size Asset rendition to an existing document.
  • Cannot Attach Viewable Rendition to Video (ftp_inbox_attach_viewable_rendition_to_video__v): Vault uses this error message when the target document for an uploaded Viewable Rendition file is a video.
  • Max File Size Exceeded (ftp_upload_too_large__v): Vault uses this error message when a file exceeds the size limits. It is not specific to file staging server Inbox.
  • Missing Rendition Type (ftp_inbox_missing_rendition_type__v): Vault uses this error message when the uploading user does not specfy a remdition type or specifies an invalid rendition type.
  • No Appropriate Permission (ftp_inbox_no_appropriate_rendition_permission__v): Vault uses this error message when the uploading user attempts to update a document on which they don’t have the required permissions.
  • Target Document Not Found (ftp_inbox_target_document_notFound__v): This error message occurs when the filename targets a Document ID that does not exist. In some cases, the ID is valid, but the user uploading does not have View Document access to the targeted document.

Importing Submissions via File Staging

Users with a security profile of Vault Admin, RIM Admin, or Submission Manager may upload and import submissions that have been staged to the File Staging Server.

When using your Vault’s file staging server to perform a Submissions Archive import, the top level folder should be named “Submissions Archive Import”, followed by the Application sub-folder, and then individual Submission sub-folders containing the content of your submissions unzipped.

Examples:

Submissions Archive Import/ind123456/0001

Submissions Archive Import/ind123456/0002

Note that If these folders don’t exist within your Vault’s file staging server, you’ll need to create them.

Importing Large Files

If you need to import a submission larger than 4 GB to RIM Basics: Submissions Archive, first upload the submission folder and its files to Vault’s staging server using an FTP client. While we recommend using FileZilla, your IT department may require a different FTP client. Contact your IT department for more information or assistance with configuring your FTP client.

Use the settings from client settings to configure the FileZilla FTP client. Your settings may be different if you use a different FTP client.