Introduction
Resource folders provide a centralized location for uploading and storing data used by workspaces on a Linux-hosted FME Flow. In addition to uploading files through the FME Flow Web UI, you can connect an existing file share as a system resource, making it accessible and browsable directly within the Web UI.
There are two ways to create a file-based Resource Connection:
1. Network-based resource – Mount a file share from another Linux or Windows system onto the FME Flow host, then connect to it using a local UNC path.
2. Cloud-based resource – Connect directly to an Amazon S3 bucket.
Please be advised that these instructions were tested with FME Flow 2025.1.1 hosted on Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS
Step-by-Step Instructions
Part 1: Connecting a Network-Based Resource
This section describes how to mount a Linux or Windows file share onto a Linux-based FME Flow host and create a corresponding resource connection in the FME Flow Web UI using a local UNC path.
Two common file-sharing protocols are used for network mounts:
- CIFS (Common Internet File System): Used for Windows-based systems
- NFS (Network File System): Used for UNIX and Linux-based systems.
Mounting a Linux-Based File Share With NFS
1. Update System Packages And Install The NFS Kernel Server
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install nfs-kernel-server
2. Assign Ownership of the Shared Directory to the Correct User and Grant Full Read, Write, and Execute Permissions
Ensure that FME Flow services run under the same user account to prevent permission issues.
Use the following commands to grant permissions:
sudo chown -R <username>:<groupname> <FileShareDirectoryPath>
sudo chmod 777 <FileShareDirectoryPath>
For example:
sudo chown -R fmeflow:fmeflow /mnt/nfs_share_server
sudo chmod 777 /mnt/nfs_share_server
3. Grant NFS Share Access to the FME Flow Host by Editing the NFS Exports File
Open the /etc/exports file in a text editor.
sudo nano /etc/exports
Add the following line to the file:
<FileShareDirectoryPath> <FMEFlowHostIP>(rw,sync,no_subtree_check,fsid=0)
For example:
/mnt/nfs_share_server 10.1.102.48(rw,sync,no_subtree_check,fsid=0)
Save and close the file, then apply the changes:
sudo exportfs -a
sudo systemctl restart nfs-kernel-server
4. (Optional) If a Firewall is Active, Allow NFS Access
sudo ufw allow from <FMEFlowHostIP> to any port nfs
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status
5. On the FME Flow Host, Update System Packages and Install the NFS Client Tools
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install nfs-common
Test connectivity to the NFS server:
showmount --exports <nfsServerIP>
For example:
showmount --exports 10.1.152.239
The exported directories from the NFS server should be listed. If not, review the server configuration or firewall settings.
6. Create an NFS Mount Point
sudo mkdir -p <FMEMountDirectoryPath>
For example:
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/nfs_share_client
7. Mount the Directory
sudo mount <FileShareHostIP>:<FileShareDirectoryPath> <FMEMountDirectoryPath>
For example:
sudo mount 10.1.152.239:/mnt/nfs_share /mnt/nfs_share_client
8. Verify that the Contents are Accessible
ls -l <FMEMountDirectoryPath>
Note: To ensure the mount persists after a system reboot, additional configuration is required.
Mounting A Windows-based file share with CIFS
1. Configure the File Share on the Windows Host
- Right-click on the file share folder, select “Properties”, and navigate to the “Sharing” tab.
- Add the required user account to share the folder with and provide them with Read/Write permissions.
- Note the “Network Path” of the file share folder, which is required for configuring CIFS on the FME Host.
Ensure FME Flow services run under the same user account to prevent permission issues.
2. On the FME Flow Host, Update all the System Packages and Install the CIFS-Utils package
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install cifs-utils
3. Create a Local Mount Point for the CIFS Share
sudo mkdir <FMEMountDirectoryPath>
For example:
sudo mkdir /mnt/CIFS_Linux
4. Mount the Windows Share
Mount the Windows network folder using the recorded network path or IP address:
sudo mount -t cifs -o username=<username> <WindowsFileShareNetworkPath> <FMEMountDirectoryPath>
The value <WindowsFileShareNetworkPath> can be found on the Windows folder’s “Properties” window as “Network Path”. An IP address can be used here instead of the FQDN/hostname.
For Example:
sudo mount -t cifs -o username=dpaterson "//10.1.152.176/CIFS_Windows" /mnt/CIFS_Linux
You’ll be prompted for the Windows account password specified in the command.
5. (Optional) Alternatively, Set Ownership With Uid and Gid
To ensure the mounted files appear owned by the correct Linux user and group, you can include UID and GID in the mount options.
id -u <username>
id -g <groupname>
For example:
sudo mount -t cifs -v -o username=dpaterson,uid=999,gid=1005 "//10.1.152.176/CIFS_Windows" /mnt/CIFS_Linux
This assigns ownership of the mounted share to the specified Linux user(uid) and group (gid), such as fmeflow.
6. Verify the Mount
ls -l <FMEMountDirectoryPath>
Creating a New Resource Connection In The FME Flow Web UI
1. Open Resources
In the FME Flow Web UI, go to Resources → Create.
2. Configure the Resource Connection
Enter the metadata:
- Name
- Display Name
- Description
Select the type and directory:
- Type: Network-Based Resource
- Directory: Full local mount path on the FME Flow host
3. Save and Verify
Click Create. Expand the new resource in Resources and browse to confirm you can list files.
Part 2: Connecting An Amazon S3 Bucket
In this section, you'll learn how to connect an Amazon S3 bucket to FME Flow. The process is similar to creating a network-based resource but requires a few additional configuration details.
1. Open Resources
In the FME Flow Web UI, go to Resources → Create.
2. Configure the Resource Connection
Enter the metadata:
- Name
- Display Name
- Description
Configure the bucket settings:
- Type: Amazon S3 bucket
- Bucket Name: <your-bucket>
- Access Key and Secret Key: from the AWS Management Console
This information is available via the AWS management console. Contact your IT administrator for details.
3. Save and Verify
Click Create. Open Resources and browse the bucket to confirm access.