> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://syteca.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configure Amazon S3 Binary Storage

> Store binary session data directly in an existing Amazon S3 bucket, configured natively without mounting network storage.

<Warning>
  **NOT AVAILABLE IN SAAS.**
</Warning>

Syteca can write binary session data (screen captures and related recordings) directly to an existing Amazon S3 bucket.

<Note>
  For Syteca 7.1 and later, this native method is recommended over the older [Mounting Amazon S3 as network file storage](/docs/administration/database/binary-storage-s3#legacy-method-mounting-via-an-nfs-gateway-before-syteca-7-1) approach.
</Note>

## Configure the S3 storage location

Provide four values: **Service Url**, **Bucket name**, **Access Key ID**, and **Secret Access Key**. These can be set at two points:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="During Application Server installation">
    On the **Binary Data Location** page of the installer, select **Amazon S3-like storage** and enter the four values.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="After installation">
    Right-click the [Syteca Server tray icon](/docs/administration/deployment/server-tray-application) and select **Database Parameters**. On the **Binary Data Storage** sub-tab of the **Database Parameters** (`DbSetupToolUI`) tool, select **Amazon S3-like storage** and enter the four values.

    <Note>
      After clicking **OK**, confirm the automatic restart of the Application Server when prompted.
    </Note>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Frame caption="Amazon S3 configuration fields in the Database Parameters tool.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/syteca/0FlD-vkHsBA1azVX/images/administration/database/binary-storage-s3-config.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=0FlD-vkHsBA1azVX&q=85&s=5120e41ad23f78ce73fae6bb1403acfc" alt="Database Parameters tool showing the Amazon S3-like storage fields" width="493" height="496" data-path="images/administration/database/binary-storage-s3-config.png" />
</Frame>

## Add an archived database using the same S3 storage

When [adding an archived database](/docs/session-monitoring/archived-sessions) on the **Archived Sessions** tab of the Activity Monitoring page, enter the same **Bucket name**, **Access key ID**, and **Secret access key** used above into the corresponding archive fields.

<Note>
  The **Use separate credentials to access binary storage** option isn't available when using Amazon S3-like storage.
</Note>

## Legacy method: mounting via an NFS gateway (before Syteca 7.1)

<Warning>
  **NOT AVAILABLE IN SAAS.** This method predates the native Amazon S3 configuration described above. On Syteca 7.1 and later, use the native method instead — this section is kept for environments still running an older version.
</Warning>

This approach mounts an S3 bucket as an NFS file share on the Application Server's EC2 instance, then points Syteca's File System binary storage at the mounted drive.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install the NFS client feature">
    On the Application Server's EC2 Windows VM (same VPC and security group as your S3 File Gateway), open **Server Manager > Add Roles and Features**, and under **Features** select **Client for NFS**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a mount script">
    Create a batch file (for example `C:\mount_nfs.bat`) containing the mount command from your file share's Details section, similar to:

    ```bat theme={"system"}
    echo %time% >> c:\mount_nfs_log.txt
    mount -o nolock -o mtype=hard [gateway IP address]:/[S3 bucket name] [drive letter]
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Schedule the script to run at startup">
    In Task Scheduler, create a task that runs as **SYSTEM** (via **Change User or Group** → enter `SYSTEM`), with an action pointing at the batch file and a trigger set to **At startup**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Restart the VM">
    Restart the Application Server VM to confirm the mount succeeds automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Point Syteca at the mounted drive">
    Right-click the **Syteca Server** tray icon, select **Database Parameters**, open the **Binary Data Storage** tab, and set **File System > Path** to the mounted drive. Click **Yes** to restart the Application Server automatically.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Azure Blob storage" icon="cloud" href="/docs/administration/database/binary-storage-azure-blob">
    An NFS-based alternative for Azure-hosted deployments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Database parameters" icon="database" href="/docs/administration/database/database-parameters">
    All binary data storage options.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Database management" icon="database" href="/docs/administration/deployment/database-management">
    Archive and Cleanup configuration.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>