Lesson 7-Creating Network File Systems

Overview Understand Novell’s network file system (NFS). Understand Windows file storage. Utilization of NFS.

Understand Novell’s Network File System The NetWare file system stores a network’s data and facilitates its sharing with all the other NetWare network users. It also provides centralized access to its components. Its components include file servers, volumes, directories, subdirectories, and files.

File Server The file server is the highest level of storage unit in the NFS structure. All lower-level components are organized within the file server.

Novell’s file server components should have individual names, which are distinguishable from each other. Each named component is a part of Novell’s hierarchical system, and is stored within the NDS. File Server

The following rules must be followed while creating names: Each name must be unique so that the name leads to only one storage location. Each name should include a minimum of two characters, while the maximum number of characters should not exceed 47. Reserved characters cannot be used in the names.

Volume A volume is a physical device used for storage, and is either installed in, or attached to, the NetWare file server. It can be a hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, a tape drive, or any other large storage device. Volumes are similar to DOS disk drives. Each NetWare server must have at least one NetWare volume.

Volume The first NetWare volume created on the server is the SYS: volume. The SYS: volume stores the operating system files that are required to run the server. The object used by NDS to represent a volume on NetWare networks is the volume object. Volume object name is a combination of the server name and the volume name, connected by an underscore.

Directory A directory is an object representing an area on the NetWare volume where files and additional directories are stored. Optional directories can be created to organize the information stored on the NetWare file server.

Directory Required directories. Typical directories.

Required Directories System (SYS) – It contains the operating system’s NetWare Loadable Module (NLM) configuration files, and various other utilities. Public (PUBLIC) – It contains the files and programs that should be available to all users who have logged in. Login (LOGIN) – It contains files that can be accessed by all users prior to logging in to the network.

Typical Directories Application - This directory, commonly known as APPS, contains applications that can be used by multiple users over a network. Shared - This directory contains files that can be used by multiple users over a network.

Typical Directories Users: A user’s files and the associated documents are customarily stored in each user’s own HOME directory located inside the USERS directory. The files in the USERS directory can be stored on the server, so that the information can be accessed from any workstation on the network.

Subdirectory A subdirectory is a directory stored inside another directory. It is a further subdivision of the information stored in its higher-level directory object.

File The term ‘file’ is used to represent a document containing data stored in NFS. The lowest level object in the NFS's directory structure represents files. Files can include spreadsheets, PowerPoint applications, Word documents, application programs, graphic files, or any other data item.

File Syntax for locating files and subdirectories: While referring to a NetWare volume’s directory, it is essential to provide a colon between the volume name and the directory. While referring to a subdirectory contained within its parent directory, it is necessary to add a backslash between the directory and the subdirectory name.

Understand Windows File Storage Types of Windows storage. Windows file systems.

Types of Windows Storage Basic storage. Dynamic storage. Converting to a volume.

Basic Storage Basic storage is the primary storage type, and uses basic disks for storing data. The disks are formatted using primary partitions, extended partitions, and logical drives. Basic disks are divided into partitions that act as independent storage devices.

Basic Storage A maximum of four partitions can be created on each basic disk. The partitions created can include either all primary partitions or one extended partition. The primary partition is used to store the operating system’s startup files (boot files). It is also known as the active partition or the system partition.

Basic Storage Only one partition can be declared as active on a particular physical hard disk drive. The extended partition’s logical drive, containing the system’s startup file, is referred to as the boot partition. Extended partitions are used when additional separate storage areas are required.

Basic Storage Storage areas created on extended partitions are called logical drives. A maximum of 23 logical drives can be created on an extended partition.

Dynamic Storage Dynamic storage is a storage type available on the installed systems that requires upgrading of basic disks. Dynamic storage devices are called volumes.

Dynamic Storage Different types of dynamic storage

Dynamic Storage When working with dynamic storage devices, there are five different types of volumes to choose from: Simple volume – It is a dynamic storage area that comes from one physical disk, and uses all or a part of its storage in a single volume. Mirrored volume – It refers to two identical volumes on separate physical drives, with one volume maintaining an exact copy of the other.

Dynamic Storage When working with dynamic storage devices, there are five different types of volumes to choose from (continued): Spanned volume – A system of dynamic storage that provides an efficient way to use numerous disk drives. Striped volume – An efficient way to use storage space in multiple disks by using an equal amount of space from up to 32 disks to create a single storage space. Striped volume with parity – It is a fault-tolerant arrangement, and produces redundant storage.

Converting to a Volume Using the Computer Management console to convert from basic disks to dynamic volumes

Windows File Systems Windows 2000 Server and Windows XP Professional support the following file systems: The CD-ROM file system (CDFS) and the Universal Disk Format (UDF) read-only file systems for CD-ROM support. The file allocation table (FAT) and the NT file system (NTFS) file systems that support read and write capability for file storage.

Windows File Systems FAT NTFS

FAT Earlier versions of Windows used the FAT file system. The FAT keeps track of where data is stored on the system, and must be continuously updated. In a system using FAT, a partition is divided into sectors.

FAT Sectors are storage units where data is written in clusters. A cluster refers to the minimum amount of space used each time data is written to storage.

FAT When data is written to FAT, the system looks for the first empty cluster and begins writing data. If a cluster is complete and data still remains to be written, the available contiguous or non-contiguous space is used to write data completely.

FAT Data on a disk is fragmented when the data in a file is stored in non-contiguous or non-adjacent space on the disk. The Disk Defragmenter utility, located in the System Tools folder, is used to defragment the data.

FAT The FAT file system is an efficient mechanism for working on partitions whose size is less than 400 megabytes. The largest partition size maintained by the earlier version of FAT was 4 gigabytes.

FAT The Windows 2000 system supports both, the FAT16 and the FAT32 file systems. The Windows XP system, in addition to the FAT16 and FAT32 systems, also supports the virtual file allocation table (VFAT) system.

FAT FAT uses a complete cluster to write data, even if only a part of the cluster is required, resulting in an improper utilization of space. Since the FAT is stored close to a volume’s starting point, a lot of time is spent on updating the table. FAT file systems lack security features.

NTFS NTFS is Microsoft’s most capable network file system. NTFS stores files using clusters, but it uses smaller cluster sizes and even allows a user to adjust the cluster size during partition formatting. The NTFS table, also called the Master File Table (MFT), maintains a record of the information concerning the files stored on the NTFS formatted partition.

NTFS NTFS uses the MFT space to store sector maps. By storing sector maps inside the MFT space, NTFS cuts down on the time spent on locating files, and, therefore, speeds up all file usage. NTFS stores a mirror copy of its MFT in various locations within the partition itself, thereby providing easier recoverability in cases of failures.

NTFS The NTFS file system permissions enhance a user’s ability to decide and control other user’s access to stored objects. NTFS also supports features such as Active Directory (AD), file encryption, and file compression.

Utilization of NFS Share-level permissions. File-level permissions. Effective permissions.

Share-level Permissions Workgroup user. Domain user.

Workgroup User A workgroup user working on a FAT partition can only decide on the following: Whether to keep a shared folder as a private folder or name the folder and share it over the network. Whether to allow or disallow networked users to change the files within a shared folder.

Workgroup User On a FAT partition, data can only be shared at the folder level. Users having access to the shared folder also have access to any file contained within that folder.

Workgroup User A workgroup user has no control over the actions performed by local users on files. Users having local access to a computer operating as a workgroup member on FAT partitions have complete access to all files located on that computer.

Domain User Share Permissions tab

Domain User The share permissions that are available to a domain user are: Read – This permission allows users to read information stored in a file, and also permits them to see a list of the files stored on a partition. Change – This permission allows users to alter a folder or its contents.

Domain User The share permissions that are available to a domain user are (continued): Full control – It is the default permission assigned to new folders, and provides users the option to change the folder’s permissions and take ownership of the folder or its contents. Deny – This permission prevents users access to a folder.

File-level Permissions To implement file-level permissions, users must store and share their files from an NTFS partition or a NetWare partition.

File-level Permissions Permissions on NTFS partitions. Permissions on NetWare partitions.

Permissions on NTFS Partitions Security tab

Permissions on NetWare Partitions NetWare file system rights

Permissions on NetWare Partitions Access Control (A): This right allows a user to grant another user the right to access a file, a directory, or a subdirectory, or to remove a user’s access to the affected objects. It also allows the user to change all applicable Inherited Rights Filter (IRF) and trustee assignments.

Effective Permissions In Microsoft and Novell file systems, rights flow downwards. With NetWare rights, an IRF can be implemented to stop the downward flow. With Microsoft permissions, a user can change the default setting that configures files and folders for inheritance.

Effective Permissions To determine the final share-level and file-level permissions, all permissions attributable to that user are combined. When permissions are combined, the least restrictive permission is the resultant share permission.

Effective Permissions On a NTFS partition, if share permissions and file-level permissions are combined, the least restrictive of each is taken from the two possibilities. The more restrictive of the two possibilities is considered as the final permission.

Summary File servers, volumes, directories, subdirectories, and files form the components of the NFS. The first volume created on a NetWare network is the SYS: volume. Basic disks can be divided into a maximum of four partitions.

Summary Dynamic storage includes volume types like simple, mirrored, spanned, striped, and striped with parity. On FAT partitions, data can be shared only at the folder level, while on NTFS partitions data can be shared even at the file level. The least restrictive permission determined by combining permissions from multiple sources is considered the most effective permission.