# Shared network directories - unsuitable for group work

## Definition

Files shared by a technical writing team are often stored in a shared directory on the network. [Version management systems](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/version-control-systems/) offer a more robust alternative for collaborative work.

## Failure modes

Technical writers work directly on shared files. Each weakness of the shared directory has a counterpart in a version management system handling text files:

| Failure mode | Shared network directory | Version management system |
|---|---|---|
| **Network failure** | Risk of data loss | No risk of data loss |
| **Offline work** | Limited possibilities | Advanced capabilities |
| **Concurrent access** | Files locked by the team members who have opened them | Files not locked by the team members who open them |
| **Restoration** | Directory by directory, from backups often only daily | Very fine-grained, both in time and in workload |

## Why backups are not enough

Even with frequent backups, directories are not a secure repository for data:

- **Coarse granularity.** The granularity of the backup is at the directory level, and backups are often only daily.
- **Restoration out of the writer's hands.** In the event of data loss, restoration is done directory by directory, not file by file, and involves versions whose age depends on the system administrator, not the technical writer.
- **Error-prone searches.** Searching through archives is a tedious operation that can lead to errors; without a reliable and easy comparison between several versions of files, the technical writer can easily lose changes they intended to keep while trying to restore others.

## Working on a local copy does not solve it

Copying a file from the network to modify it on a personal hard drive and then overwriting the network version with the local version is a risky operation:

- **No notification.** Team members are not notified if another member is modifying the same file simultaneously, leading to one of the technical writers losing all of their changes. [Which repository for group work?](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/which-repository-for-group-work/) walks through a similar scenario.
- **Older versions overwrite newer ones.** When manually copying files, either via a graphical file manager or from the command line, the technical writer can easily overwrite the most recent version with an older one.

A file synchronization program such as rsync or Unison (the latter being better suited for bidirectional synchronization) from the command line under GNU/Linux or Windows, or a graphical equivalent such as FreeFileSync, is recommended. However, these programs rely on the last modification date of the files.

> **Note: Example: FrameMaker books**
>
> When updating or publishing a FrameMaker book, relying on modification dates can create conflicts between files, as FrameMaker saves all the files in the book, even if their content has not been modified.

For a deeper look at how [Git](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/git-from-file-to-content/) manages content rather than files, see the dedicated article.

## Related articles

- [Which repository for group work?](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/which-repository-for-group-work/)
- [Repository](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/repository/)
- [A single repository?](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/single-repository/)

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Source: https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/shared-network-directories/