Migrate On-Premises File Server
to or from any cloud.
The most common Agent use case. Any server with disk + an OS the Agent runs on is reachable to Mover.
Mover is the one-time cloud migration tool from Files.com — built for moving data between 20+ cloud providers and any on-prem storage reachable through the Files.com Agent. For On-Prem Server, that means installing the Agent on a host that can reach the On-Prem Server share, then pointing Mover at any of the supported cloud destinations on the other side.
When teams migrate On-Prem Server
The common situations.
Three or four real triggers below. Decommissioning aging hardware, consolidating into a cloud, tiering cold data to discount storage, or running hybrid setups where both sides need to stay in sync — the On-Prem Serverside runs through the Agent; the cloud side runs through Mover's native connectors.
Data center exit
Closing a server room, retiring on-prem infrastructure, or consolidating multiple sites into the cloud. The Agent gives Mover access to every file server on the way out.
Hardware refresh into cloud-first
Aging file servers nearing end-of-life moved to cloud destinations instead of being replaced with new hardware. The Agent reads the server directly during the cutover.
Compliance-driven cloud relocation
Specific regulatory or contractual requirements that mandate data live in a particular cloud region or under a particular compliance framework. Migrate from the on-prem server to the appropriate cloud destination through the Agent.
Hybrid: cloud primary, on-prem secondary
Reverse direction: keeping a local file-server copy of cloud data for disaster recovery, regulatory retention, or low-latency local access. The Agent provides the write path.
Setup
4 steps to first dry run.
The Agent installs and configures the same way regardless of the source — what changes is the mount or share path it reads from. For the full Agent install reference, see the Files.com Agent page.
Choose where to install the Agent.
Two patterns: install on the file server itself (simplest, no extra hardware) or on a separate Windows / Linux / macOS host that has network access to the server (cleaner separation, easier to throttle). Either works.
Install the Files.com Agent.
Download for Windows, Linux, or macOS from your Mover account. Run as a system service so it survives reboots.
Configure the Agent root.
In the TOML config, set root to the file server's root data path (e.g., D:\shared on Windows, /srv/share on Linux). Choose permission_set based on migration direction.
Connect and migrate.
Create the Files.com Agent connection in Mover, dry run, launch. For multi-TB datasets, scope the migration with include/exclude patterns and migrate in phases.
Common Questions
Frequently asked.
Specific to On-Prem Server. For the broader Agent FAQ (auto-update, logging, bandwidth limits, etc.), see the Files.com Agent page.
What OSes does the Agent run on?
Windows (Server 2016+), Linux (most modern distributions — Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, CentOS, SUSE), and macOS. The Agent is a small native binary with no runtime dependencies.
What about really old file servers — Windows Server 2008, Server 2003, ancient Linux distros?
If you can install the Agent there, it works. If the OS is too old to run the Agent, install the Agent on a modern host that can REACH the old server over SMB or NFS (treat the legacy server as a network share via SMB/CIFS or NFS instead of running the Agent directly on it).
How does the Agent stay updated?
The TOML config's auto_update_policy field controls this. Options are always (automatic), critical_only, manual_trigger (default — update from the Files.com dashboard), or never. Set this to fit your change-control policy.
Does the Agent need outbound internet access?
Yes, but only outbound. The Agent connects to your Mover/Files.com tenant via the standard HTTPS port. No inbound ports open on the file server, no VPN tunnels. The Agent's proxy_all_outbound config option supports environments where the file server can't reach the internet directly — proxies via your Files.com site.
Reached through the Files.com Agent
On-Premises File Server migrations run the same way as every other Agent setup.
The Agent is the same component across every on-prem or network-share source. Install once, point at a path, migrate to any of the 20+ Mover destinations.
Run a dry run before any data moves.
Connect On-Prem Server via the Agent, run a free dry run, see the exact size, file count, and price.