# 1. Introduction

# What is TotumService?

TotumService is a Windows background service for the Totum Platform. It watches folders (and related Unity media files), uploads matching files to cloud storage (typically Amazon S3), and gives you a local web dashboard to see what is happening.

You install it once. It starts with Windows. You manage it through a browser on the same machine (by default).

# What it is good at

Automatic uploads — Drop files into a watched folder; they go to the cloud when ready.
Safe handling of busy files — Waits until a file stops growing before uploading (so you do not upload half-written files).
Resilience — Remembers work in a local database. If the service or PC restarts mid-upload, it can recover.
Visibility — Dashboard, logs, and a Database Explorer so you can see status without reading raw log files.
Live settings — Many options can be changed from the web UI without editing JSON by hand.

# What it is not

Not a general file sync client (like OneDrive) for arbitrary personal folders.
Not a remote cloud console — the web UI is meant for the machine where the service runs (or carefully secured remote access).
Not a replacement for your S3 / Totum cloud credentials configuration — those still live in server config.

# The big picture

Your folders on disk
        │
        ▼
  Folder Monitor (scans on a schedule)
        │
        ▼
  Transfer Coordinator (queues uploads)
        │
        ▼
  S3 / cloud storage (via Totum presigned URL service)

Alongside that:

Web dashboard — status, active transfers, providers, logs
Configuration UI — folders and plugin settings
Database Explorer — every tracked file and transfer

# Main parts you will use

Part	Purpose
Windows Service	Runs in the background as `TotumService`
Dashboard	`http://localhost:55000` — live overview
Configuration	Folders, providers info, plugin settings
Database Explorer	Tracked files, transfers, recent failures
Logs	Files under the service `logs` folder, plus Event Log

# Typical day-to-day workflow

Service is already running (started with Windows).
You (or an application) place files in a monitored folder.
TotumService detects them, waits until they are stable, then uploads.
You check the dashboard or Database Explorer if something looks wrong.
You adjust settings or folders from Configuration when needed.

# Next step

Getting Started →