Cloud Storage Sync
Sync video assets automatically from Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, and other cloud storage providers.
See the integration overviews for Amazon S3, Google Drive, and Dropbox for feature highlights and plan details.
How cloud sync works
When you connect a cloud storage provider, VideoNest monitors the folder you specify and automatically imports new video files into your Media Library. VideoNest checks for new files on the sync schedule you configure. Folder structure from your storage provider is preserved as tags on the imported videos, making it easy to filter your library by origin folder.
Existing files in the folder at the time of connection can be imported in bulk on first sync using the Import existing files option. Files added after connection are imported on the next scheduled sync cycle.
Connecting Amazon S3
- Navigate to Settings → Integrations → Amazon S3.
- Enter your S3 bucket name and the folder path to monitor (e.g.
videos/incoming/). Leave the path blank to monitor the entire bucket. - Enter your AWS Access Key ID and Secret Access Key. VideoNest requires read access to the bucket. For best security, create a dedicated IAM user with a policy scoped to the specific bucket and prefix.
- Select your bucket's AWS region.
- Set the sync frequency (see Sync settings below) and save.
// Minimum IAM policy for VideoNest S3 sync
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": ["s3:GetObject", "s3:ListBucket"],
"Resource": [
"arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name",
"arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name/videos/incoming/*"
]
}
]
}Connecting Google Drive
- Navigate to Settings → Integrations → Google Drive.
- Click Connect Google Drive and complete the OAuth authorization flow. VideoNest requests read-only access to your Drive files.
- Select the folder you want VideoNest to monitor. Only files within the selected folder (and its subfolders) are imported.
- Set the sync frequency and save.
VideoNest supports both personal Google Drive folders and shared drives. When selecting a folder during setup, use the Shared drives tab to browse and select a shared drive folder.
Connecting Dropbox
- Navigate to Settings → Integrations → Dropbox.
- Click Connect Dropbox and complete the OAuth authorization flow.
- Select the Dropbox folder to monitor. VideoNest requests access only to the folder you select, not your entire Dropbox.
- Set the sync frequency and save.
Supported file formats
Cloud sync imports files in all video formats supported by VideoNest: .mp4, .mov, .avi, .mkv, .wmv, .webm, and .m4v. Non-video files in the monitored folder are ignored.
Sync settings
| Setting | Options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sync frequency | Real-time, Hourly, Daily | Real-time uses event-based triggers where supported (S3 event notifications, Drive push); Hourly and Daily use scheduled polling. |
| Import existing files | On / Off | When enabled, all video files already in the folder are imported on the first sync. Disable if you only want new files going forward. |
| Delete behavior | Keep in VideoNest / Remove from VideoNest | Controls whether removing a file from cloud storage also removes it from your VideoNest Media Library. Default is Keep. |
Setting delete behavior to Remove from VideoNest means deleting a file from your cloud storage will permanently remove it from your library and all associated distribution feeds. Enable this only if your storage bucket is your authoritative source of record.
Monitoring sync status
Each video imported via cloud sync displays a storage provider icon in your Media Library alongside the sync timestamp. To view the full sync history for a connected provider, go to Settings → Integrations and click the provider name. The detail view shows the last sync time, number of files imported, and any errors encountered during the most recent sync cycle.