1. Transarc AFS Client for NT
Tami Kramer
CERN

2. AFS Client for NT
Enables access to files in the worldwide AFS filespace from NT workstations
Supports Windows Explorer for browsing files
Version - AFS 3.4a Patch 9.3
Several problems reported to Transarc have been resolved
AFS is an acronym for the Andrew File System, developed at Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, under sponsorship from IBM. AFS is marketed by Transarc Corporation and has been chosen by the Open Software Foundation as the basis of it’s Distributed File System DFS.
AFS is a network-distributed file system comparable to Sun’s NFS. It distiguishes between client and server machines. AN AFS client enables users to access data residing on AFS servers transparantly as if they were stored on a local disk. AFS servers in turn provide disk storage for files and directories.
AFS is being used as the main networked file system for interactive Unix systems at CERN.

3. Installation - AFS Client for NT
Easily installable - Setup interface
Requires ~ 6Mb on system disk and at least 16 Mb of RAM
Recommend increasing the pagefile by 50 Mb
Most files go into \Program Files\Transarc\AFS\AFSClient
Adds Transarc program dir to path

4. Configuration - AFS Client
AFS filespace is referred to by \\hostname-afs\all
Can define submounts of the form \\hostname-afs\userid
Control panel interface for config
Shell extensions (right-click) AFS menu for AFS files (Auth, ACL’s, etc…)

5. Authentication
Logging in to NT also authenticates user on AFS (if NT and AFS userid and password are identical)
In the default configuration this gives tokens valid for 25 hours
Unlock screen does not refresh AFS tokens - This can produce confusing error messages/results

6. Implementation on NICE NT
Easily installable from the NICE Start Menu - Install requires Local Administrator privileges
Maps drive P: to the AFS filespace
Authentication - shortcut on the Desktop to user’s AFS home directory. Checks if the user has valid tokens and prompts for them, if not.
Patches distributed “on demand” with NICE
FOR MORE INFO...

7. Usage Statistics
150 out of ~600 NT clients at CERN have installed the AFS Client

8. NICE Applications from AFS
Have tested AFS as an Application server for NICE
Very few problems were found
Bugs
Excel Add-ons don’t work
Problem with file update notification (Dev Studio and Explorer)
Features
Token refresh problems
Difference in the way Unix/NT handle files

9. Summary AFS NT Client is well-integrated
Support for the product is good
Very useful for physicists who wish to take advantage of the extensive AFS disk space resources available at CERN or those who just want access to the AFS filespace

10. Questions??