Amazon AppStream allows faculty & students access to SPSS and Stata for academic use only. AppStream can be used from any computer with a compatible web browser.

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For questions about Amazon AppStream access, contact the Help Center at help.center@bc.edu or 617-552-HELP (4357).

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Note: 51暗网 Apps retired on May 31, 2025. Please use Amazon AppStream to access SPSS and Stata software.听With the retirement of 51暗网 Apps, your AppsStorage (L: Drive on Windows) will retire on October 1, 2025.听Learn how to move your data from AppsStorage below.

Accessing Amazon AppStream

To access Amazon AppStream:

  1. Using one of the supported browsers, go to: bc.edu/app-stream
  2. On the 51暗网 Single Sign On (SSO) login page, enter your 51暗网 Credentials (the username and password you use for Agora Portal) and complete 51暗网 2-Step Verification.
  3. Click Continue with browser.
    Note: 51暗网 does not support the AppStream client app.
  4. Click the desired application.
  5. Use the instructions below to set up Google Drive or OneDrive to use with AppStream.

Amazon AppStream is supported on computers on the following web browsers only:

  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Safari
  • Microsoft Edge
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Note: Amazon AppStream is not supported on mobile devices or the AppStream client app.

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Working with Files on AppStream

You can only store files used with AppStream in these cloud-based services:

  • Google Drive
  • Microsoft OneDrive
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Setting up Google Drive or OneDrive on AppStream

To configure Google Drive or OneDrive to use with AppStream:

  1. In AppStream, open the app you want to use.
  2. On the top menu, click My Files.
  3. Click Add Storage.
  4. Sign in to your 51暗网 Google Drive or 51暗网 OneDrive account.
  5. Follow the online prompts to give AppStream access.
    When opening or saving files through AppStream, you can browse to your files by clicking This PC, then OneDrive or Google Drive.

Best Practices for Personal File Storage

If you have a large number of files in Google Drive or OneDrive, it may take several minutes to sync your files and folders. To speed up this process:

  • Create a folder in the root of your Google Drive or OneDrive called "AppStream" & put all files you need for AppStream in this folder. Also, save all output to this folder.
  • Organize your files into folders
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Copying & Pasting

When using AppStream, sometimes you cannot use Command-C to copy or Command-V to paste text. Instead, you can use the secondary menu to copy & paste text.

To copy text:

  • From the Edit menu, select Copy.听
  • Control-click (or right-click) the item you selected, then select Copy from the shortcut menu.
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To paste text:

  • From the Edit menu, select Paste.听
  • Control-click (or right-click) the item you selected, then select Paste from the shortcut menu.
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Removing Google Drive or OneDrive Access From AppStream

When you no longer want AppStream to have permission to access your Google Drive or OneDrive account (for example, when you no longer have any classes that need AppStream), you can remove its access.

To remove access to Google Drive from AppStream:

  1. Sign in to your 51暗网 Google Account at: https://myaccount.google.com听
  2. On the left navigation, click Security.
  3. In the section 鈥淵our connections to third-party apps & services,鈥� click Amazon AppStream 2.0.
  4. Click 鈥淒elete all connections you have with Amazon AppStream 2.0鈥� and when prompted, confirm.
    This will not affect or delete any files stored in your Google Drive. It only removes AppStream鈥檚 access to them.

To remove access to OneDrive from AppStream:

  1. Sign in to your 51暗网 Microsoft Account at: https://myaccount.microsoft.com
  2. On the left navigation, click My Apps.
  3. Click the three dots on the Amazon AppStream 2.0 tile, then click Manage your Application.
  4. Click Revoke Consent.
    This will not affect or delete any files stored in your OneDrive. It only removes AppStream鈥檚 access to them.

Frequently Asked Questions (Amazon AppStream)

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51暗网 Apps: Moving Your Files from AppStorage

51暗网 Apps retired on May 31, 2025. Please use Amazon AppStream to access SPSS and Stata software. With the retirement of 51暗网 Apps, your AppsStorage (L: Drive on Windows) will retire on October 1, 2025. Learn how to move your data from AppsStorage below.

To download your data from AppsStorage (L: Drive):

  1. Make sure you have mapped a drive to AppsStorage (L: Drive). Learn how to map a drive below.
  2. From your AppsStorage drive, copy files and/or folders (not system folders) you want to save, and then paste them to your hard drive, flash drive, or cloud storage (Google Drive or OneDrive). Or, you can drag & drop the files/folders to the new location.

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Working With Files in 51暗网Apps

For the best possible performance, ITS strongly recommends you save your files to AppsStorage when using 51暗网 Apps. (Windows computers: Your AppsStorage space will display as the L: Drive within 51暗网Apps.)

Working With AppsStorage (L: Drive)

AppsStorage is a secure drive dedicated to supporting 51暗网 Apps. Once you access AppsStorage, you will have access to any files you have saved there.

  1. Log in to 51暗网 Apps using the Light version (see instructions above).听
  2. The first time you open an application in 51暗网 Apps, the process to initialize your designated AppsStorage (L: Drive) space occurs.听
  3. You will see a message indicating your account is being initialized. Click OK.听
  4. If you get a message saying there is no storage space available, log out & log back in again.
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Notes:

  • When working within any of the applications on 51暗网 Apps, your files will be saved to the L: drive (AppsStorage) by default.
  • When you are logged into 51暗网 Apps, the L: drive听appears as if it is a local drive.
  • You may access the L: drive to open or save files from within any of the applications.
  • You have the ability to听access files stored on your local computer.听However, to make sure you are getting the best performance results, using AppsStorage is strongly recommended.

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Working from off-campus? To access AppsStorage from off-campus, you must use VPN.

Accessing AppsStorage (L: Drive) Outside of 51暗网 Apps

AppStorage can also be accessed independently of 51暗网 Apps, which will allow you to easily download/store files to be used within 51暗网 Apps (example: an SPSS syntax or data file). You may also want to move files from AppsStorage to another location or USB drive, etc.

Mapping a Drive to AppsStorage (L: Drive)

You may create a shortcut (or "map" access) to the AppsStorage space (L: drive) on your computer so that it is easily accessed. You must open an application in 51暗网 Apps first, before mapping the drive.

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Working With Local Files

51暗网 Apps applications are running on servers in the data center; accessing data on your local (own) computer will cause performance to be significantly degraded.

Although using听AppsStorage听(L: drive) is strongly recommended, you may access and save files on your own computer from within the 51暗网 Apps Server.

To open a locally stored file:

  1. From the听File听menu of the application you are using, click听Open.
  2. Click the plus sign (+) next to听Local Disk (C: on 51暗网 鈥� USERID).
  3. Click听Users.
  4. Click your 51暗网 Username.
  5. Navigate to the folder on your computer in which you have saved the file, and double-click to open it.

Remember, performance will be better if you save files to the L: drive (AppsStorage). Once you have opened the file, use听Save As听to save it to the L: drive.

Accessing Files From a USB Drive for Applications Used on 51暗网 Apps

Although using听AppsStorage听(L: drive) is strongly recommended, you may access and save files on a USB drive (thumb drive, external hard drive, USB card reader, etc.) by following these steps:

  1. Be sure you鈥檝e connected the USB drive to your computer听before听logging in to 51暗网 Apps.
  2. From the听File听menu of the application you are using, click听Open.
  3. Navigate to the USB drive - for example,听Removable Disk (E: on 51暗网 鈥� USERID)
  4. Navigate to the folder on your computer in which you have saved the file, and double-click to open it.

Remember, performance will be better if you save files to the L: drive (AppsStorage). Once you have opened the file, use听Save As听to save it to the L: drive.

Restoring Files From AppsStorage (L: Drive)

If you have accidentally deleted or changed files, you听may听be able to restore them from AppsStorage (L: drive) by following the steps below:

  1. Access your AppsStorage space (L: Drive) or mapped drive. You must be on the 51暗网 network or connected via听VPN.

    Windows 10: Click Start and in the Search field, type \\appsstorage.bc.edu\YourUserName.

    Mac: From the听Finder, click听Go听>听Connect to Server,听and type smb://appsstorage.bc.edu/YourUserName. Enter your username and 51暗网 password.

  2. A folder displays called听~snapshot.听(Windows: You may need to adjust your view options to display Windows hidden files. See instructions below.)
  3. Double-click the folder to open it.
  4. Subfolders will display. The names of the folders indicate when the data included in the snapshot was taken (hourly, nightly, or weekly, followed by the version).

    Hourly听- The most recent snapshots, from the past 24 hours, done at 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
    Nightly听- Taken Monday through Saturday.
    Weekly听- Taken every Sunday.
    Versions听- The newest versions are the ones appended with 鈥�.0鈥� and the older the version, the higher the number. Following this logic, the newest snapshot would be听hourly.0, created within the last four hours, and the oldest could be听weekly.2, which would be about a month old. You are not likely to find any snapshots older than one month.

  5. Open the folder of the time frame from which you believe the data you are looking for was saved.

  6. Once you find files or folders that you want to recover, you can copy them to their previous location or to a new location. Just be careful about overwriting data if you do copy it to its original location.
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Displaying Windows Hidden Files

  1. From the听Options听menu, select听Folder and Search Options.
  2. Click the听View听tab.
  3. In the Hidden files and folders section, select听Show hidden files and folders.
  4. Click听OK.

File Storage Quota

  • Faculty, graduate students, and staff can save up to 10 GB of data on AppsStorage (L: Drive).
  • Undergraduate students can save up to 1 GB of data on AppsStorage (L: Drive).
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If your quota is close to being reached, you will receive an email notifying you, and should delete some files or save them on your computer.

Viewing Your AppsStorage Information

If you think you may be nearing your quota, you can view how much space you have used and have remaining before creating new files. Follow these steps:

  1. Map a drive on your local computer听to AppsStorage.
  2. After mapping the drive, it will display on your computer just as any other drive does.
  • Windows: Click Start, then Computer. Right-click the mapped AppsStorage drive, then choose听Properties听to view the used and free space in the drive.
  • Mac: In Finder, right-click the mapped AppsStorage drive, then choose听Get Info听to view the used and free space in the drive.


View AppsStorage Information From Within an Application

You can also view your available and used AppsStorage space if you are logged into 51暗网 Apps and using an application.

Windows

  1. When saving or opening a file, your AppsStorage drive will display on the left.
  2. Right-click the drive, then choose听Properties听to view the used and free space in the drive.

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