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Common use cases for shares

NetFoundry shares are the fundamental resource for securely exposing backend services, applications, and network endpoints to the public internet or external users. These examples highlight how to leverage shares to instantly provide zero-trust access, ranging from sharing development environments and exposing APIs to handling production service exposure and legacy system integration, all without the complexity of traditional firewall rules or VPN configurations.

Development and testing​

Share development servers and staging environments with team members and clients while maintaining security through NetFoundry's zero-trust architecture.

  • share development servers without VPN setup or firewall configuration
  • Expose staging environments for comprehensive QA testing
  • Enable remote debugging sessions for distributed development teams
  • Provide access to internal development tools and dashboards
  • Eliminate complex network configuration requirements
  • Maintain zero-trust security for all shared resources

API and webhook endpoints​

Make APIs and microservices publicly accessible while securely receiving webhooks from external services without exposing internal network infrastructure.

  • Expose REST APIs, GraphQL endpoints, and microservices publicly
  • Receive webhooks from payment processors and CI/CD systems
  • Handle third-party integrations with secure backend connectivity
  • Share individual microservices for integration testing
  • Enable partner and external developer API testing
  • Avoid permanent network access or complex authentication setups

Collaboration and external access​

Provide secure temporary access to internal resources for external partners and enable cross-team collaboration without compromising network security.

  • Grant project-based access to contractors and consultants
  • Enable external partner access without network security compromise
  • Share development environments and testing systems across teams
  • Provide access to project-specific tools and resources
  • Streamline external partnerships and temporary access scenarios
  • Maintain full control through share lifecycle management

Demo and presentation​

Showcase applications and prototypes to stakeholders with instant public access while maintaining control over demonstration environments.

  • Showcase applications to prospects, stakeholders, and investors
  • Create temporary demonstration environments for sales presentations
  • Enable customer pilots and product evaluations
  • Share prototypes and proof-of-concepts with instant access
  • Distribute beta versions and preview releases for user feedback
  • Control access duration and availability for all demonstrations

Production service exposure​

Expose production services securely without traditional DMZ deployment while enabling zero-downtime deployments through encrypted tunnels.

  • Expose production web applications and customer portals
  • Provide customer and partner access to production APIs
  • Maintain security through encrypted tunnels and automatic SSL/TLS termination
  • Enable zero-downtime deployments with seamless traffic transition
  • Avoid traditional DMZ deployment requirements
  • Support direct production service access with full security

Monitoring and health check endpoints​

Share monitoring and health check services with external monitoring providers while keeping internal infrastructure secure.

  • Share dedicated monitoring endpoints and health check services
  • Provide access to application metrics and system health indicators
  • Enable external monitoring service integration
  • Share operational dashboards without VPN requirements
  • Allow third-party health and performance monitoring
  • Maintain security for internal monitoring infrastructure

Legacy system integration​

Modernize legacy applications by exposing them through shares while maintaining existing infrastructure and compliance requirements.

  • Modernize legacy applications without infrastructure modifications
  • Enable cloud-based service integration with on-premises systems
  • Provide external access to mainframe applications and legacy databases
  • Support older systems that cannot be easily migrated to cloud
  • Maintain security and compliance requirements
  • Avoid firewall configuration changes for legacy systems