Confidentiality?

Caitdv
Hello, we are considering using a reference management system to organize our company library. In addition to papers etc. we would also like to include CONFIDENTIAL documents (e.g. reports). Can it be ensured that no confidential information stored in the library is shared outside our organization?
Also, did I understand it correctly that when entering a reference, a copy of the document is created in a dedicated Zotero folder? If yes, could this be located on Sharepoint?
  • dstillman
    https://www.zotero.org/support/privacy

    If you don't want to share information publicly, simply use a private library.
    Also, did I understand it correctly that when entering a reference, a copy of the document is created in a dedicated Zotero folder?
    https://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data
    If yes, could this be located on Sharepoint?
    Absolutely not.
  • emilianoeheyns
    SharePoint does speak webdav, so personal attachments could maybe be stored there. No idea how far out of spec its implementation is though.
  • joycekwc
    You can also create a URI link within Zotero to link out to SharePoint for a document. I do this for documents that need a higher level of confidentiality. It is the same as sharing a link to a file - whatever SharePoint permissions apply are still in effect. But it would be a pain to do for the whole library.
  • bwiernik
    @joycekwc Zotfile can help make linked file workflows painless
  • JMartinR
    @dstillman I've read the warning about cloud storage and heeded it, but if you have a moment consider:
    * OwnCloud running on a VM on my server (this may be moved back to the host OS in future).
    * Access from either the server (doubles as my WS), or a Windows laptop on my network.
    * Access restricted to just one machine at a time.
    Would this still be regarded as inadvisable?
  • emilianoeheyns
    If you started zotero on machine A and would want to move to machine B, you would have to make sure that after closing Zotero on machine A, machine A is fully done syncing, and then that machine B is fully done syncing, before starting Zotero on machine B. In principle that should be safe, but given the "you would have to make sure"s, it is bound to fail at some point (people make mistakes). So still inadvisable.

    But this workflow sounds like you will be the only person accessing this library? Then why not use WebDAV syncing with a personal library? That is safe and supported.
  • JMartinR
    Any pointers?
  • emilianoeheyns
    https://www.zotero.org/support/sync, under "WebDAV". OwnCloud has WebDAV BTW.
  • JMartinR
    Thanks, but that seems to only be for file syncing, not for data syncing. The task for which I use the laptop is virtually all data with very little file content! What I'm doing is cataloguing a library and it's handy to be able to take the laptop to the library section, not the books to the desktop. My current workflow with the laptop is to run it's own copy of Zotero, index and classify to that, then export the data to a USB stick and import on the server. I could use a networked file, but as always Windows is a right royal PITA when working with servers, particularly at the moment when I'm transitioning away from the dying CentOS to Alma.
  • emilianoeheyns
    I'm sorry, I don't fully understand what you are describing here. Export from Zotero into what format? Import on what server?

    You should not have your zotero sqlite database on a networked disk. Zotero expects file-based locking to work, and on network disks that is not a given.
  • JMartinR
    Sorry if I wasn't clear:
    1) Sit down and do an hour or two's work on the laptop using a local version of Zotero.
    2) File > Export Library > Format=Zotero RDF to a USB stick (or possibly a networked files)
    3) Go to the server
    4) File > Import >From a file > Select file
    5) Ensure all items are in the right place and once backups have run delete the temporary file and clear the items from the laptop.
  • dstillman
    That's really not something you want to be doing. It will reset the Date Added/Modified values each time, it will break links in word processor documents, it could potentially lose or change a few fields, it logs lots of unnecessary deletions, and it's generally slow and tedious, among other things. If you have a USB drive, there'd be no reason not to just move the Zotero data directory to it (after closing Zotero) if you want an exact copy of your database. See “How can I move my Zotero library to a different computer?”.
  • emilianoeheyns
    OK, got it. But as this works, I must assume you do not want this. Does the confidentiality issue also include the item data (title, date of publishing, etc) in addition to the reports themselves? Because if not, you can just sync only the metadata using the zotero sync.

    I know there is a portable version for Windows that should be able to do the "transportable DB" workflow, but I don't know of a portable install for linux. Another option is to use remote desktop to the server and have only one copy of Zotero running that way. What do you do that requires you to be in the library? Then I can perhaps suggest something more precise.
  • JMartinR
    I discounted the remote desktop route due to the ban on networked access. I could try it again, I've installed the Linux system under Win10. All that I'm doing is indexing and classifying books, so the reason for going to the books rather than bringing them to the computer is weight and stairs (which are getting to be an issue with me).
    Look, thanks for your help on this but I'm conscious that we're drifting away from the original posting and furthermore I'm just an amateur, not a professional or a student, and don't want to take up too much of your time. Feel free to tell me to buzz off.
  • emilianoeheyns
    I'm glad to help. The USB option mentioned by @dstillman should be the simplest for your case.
  • joycekwc
    Thanks @bwiernik - I do use (and love) Zotfile, but hadn’t thought about it as I moved away from linking to using Zotero storage, so I only use the SharePoint links for a few files that are more confidential than most. But good point - that’s an alternative, although I see the conversation has moved on since then :)
  • JMartinR
    Sorry.
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