Novell iFolder 3.8.4 Readme

December 2010

1.0 Overview

Novell iFolder is a simple and secure storage solution that increases your productivity by enabling you to back up, access, and manage your personal files from anywhere, at any time. Novell iFolder has clients on Linux, Macintosh, and Windows platforms.

You can share files in multiple iFolders, each with a different group of users. You control who can participate in an iFolder and the access level for each member. You can also participate in iFolders that others share with you. iFolder also provides higher security for your confidential iFolder files, to protect them from intentional or unintentional access by unauthorized people.

This Readme provides a brief overview of new features, and installation and configuration instructions for Novell iFolder 3.8.4. It also lists the known issues and limitations with this release.

2.0 What’s New

The new features for iFolder are as follows:

2.1 iFolder Data Recovery Tool

The iFolder data recovery tool is a CLI-based utility that enables you to restore backed-up files, folders, or iFolders for any user. For more information, see iFolder Data Recovery Tool in the Novell iFolder 3.8.4 Administration Guide.

2.2 Upgrading a Slave Server to a Master Server

iFolder enables you to designate a slave server to be a master server. For more information, see Upgrading a Slave Server to a Master Server in the Novell iFolder 3.8.4 Administration Guide.

3.0 System Requirements

Novell iFolder supports a system built with the following components of Novell Open Enterprise Server:

3.1 Server

Your server must satisfy the following system requirements.

Novell eDirectory 8.8, Active Directory, or openldap
Novell iManager 2.7
Apache 2 Web Server (worker mode) with SSL configured
Mono 2.4 (novell-ifolder-mono-2.4)

3.2 Client

The iFolder client supports the following operating systems:

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) 10 SP3
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) 11 SP1 64-bit
openSUSE 11.3

NOTE:The iFolder Linux client requires the Mono framework for Linux and a GNOME desktop for iFolder Nautilus plug-in support.
Windows XP SP3 32-bit
Windows Vista SP1
Windows 7
Macintosh OS X 32-bit (Intel architecture) v10.5 and later (requires Mono 2.4.2.3). PowerPC architecture is not supported.

3.3 Browser

Novell iFolder supports the following Web browsers:

Internet Explorer 8
Mozilla Firefox 3.6.x and later
Apple Safari 4.x and later

4.0 Downloading and Installing the Novell iFolder Client

The iFolder client is available for download on the OES 2 SP3 Welcome page of your iFolder enterprise server. For more information, see Accessing the OES 2 Linux Welcome Page in the Novell iFolder 3.8.4 Administration Guide.

5.0 Known Issues for Novell iFolder

This section describes known issues for the iFolder enterprise server, Web Access server, and Web Admin server.

5.1 The OES Common Proxy User Password is Not Always Compliant with the Password Policies

If you have password policies that support non-ASCII passwords or that require passwords to be 4 characters or shorter, or 12 characters or longer, make sure you select the Attach common proxy user to common proxy policy option (the default setting) on the OES proxy install screen.

Selecting this option prevents the password-compliance issues with the proxy user after the installation.

If you are installing, then abort the installation and reinstall OES. In the common proxy page, you must provide a password for the common proxy user that complies with your password policy.

5.2 iFolder Configuration Fails

The auto-generated iFolder specific proxy user password is compliant with the default settings of the password policy. If you modify the proxy user password or the password policy, make sure that they are compliant with each other. otherwise the iFolder configuration fails.

5.3 iFolder Configuration Fails at Random

During the OES2 SP3 server installation, the iFolder server configuration might fail. This is a rare occurrence. If this issue occurs, run yast2 novell-ifolder3 to reconfigure the iFolder server.

5.4 iFolder Cannot Use the Common Proxy in Novell Cluster Services

When you are configuring iFolder in a cluster, iFolder should not use the common proxy user. The service level proxy should be used instead.

5.5 The iFolder Web Admin Alias Name Does Not Support Spaces

You must ensure that the Web Admin alias name specified during iFolder configuration has no space. Otherwise, the Apache restart after iFolder configuration fails.

5.6 The namcd Services Must Be Running While Changing the Proxy User Password by Using Common Proxy Script

If namcd services are down, you cannot change the common proxy user password by using common proxy script. This is because the Apache wwwrun user cannot be retrieved from the eDirectory if the namcd services are down.

5.7 The iFolder Setup Throws an Exception if an LDAP Proxy User Already Exists in Active Directory

The iFolder setup throws an exception when you specify the LDAP proxy user DN in YaST and if the LDAP proxy user is already existing in Active Directory. As a workaround, you must either use a new user's DN or delete the existing user for AD and then use the same DN again.

5.8 Reprovisioning Users From One Server to Another Results in Creation of Duplicate Entries of iFolders for the Reprovisioned User

If you reprovision users from one server to another, duplicate entries of iFolders are sometimes displayed for the reprovisioned user in the Web console and iFolder clients. As a workaround, after you reprovison the users, you must log in to the Web Admin console to verify if duplicate entries of iFolders are displayed for reprovisioned users. If duplicate entries are displayed, you must restart the iFolder server to resolve the issue.

5.9 iFolder Deletion Leaves an Empty Directory on the Server

For every iFolder, a directory with iFolder's unique ID as its name is created on the server. All the iFolder data is stored in this directory. When you delete an iFolder, the content of the directory is deleted. However, the directory itself is not deleted.

5.10 Uploading of Files is Possible Only if the Secondary Administrator Sets the Disk Quota

After you create a secondary administrator and assign a group to the secondary administrator, the secondary administrator must assign a disk quota to the users of the group. Otherwise, the users cannot upload any files by using the Web Access console or the iFolder client. This is applicable only if the Administrator console option was selected for managing the group quota while creating the secondary administrator. However, users can create empty iFolders even if the secondary administrator has not set any disk quota for users.

5.11 The iFolder Configuration through YaST Hangs When Active Directory on Windows 2003 Is Configured as an LDAP Source

When you configure iFolder through YaST, if Active Directory (AD) is given as the ldap source, the iFolder configuration hangs indefinitely. This occurs only for Active Directory configured on Windows 2003. As a workaround for this issue, follow the steps given below:

First, you must export the AD server certificate on Windows 2003:
1. Click Start > Administrative Tools > Certification Authority to launch the Certification Authority application.
2. Select a certification authority, then right-click and select Properties.
3. In the Properties window, click the View Certificate button.
4. In the certificate window, click the Details tab and click the Copy to File button.
5. Click Next in the Certification Export Wizard window.
6. Select Base-64 encoded X.509 and click Next.
7. Specify the path and filename of the certificate and click Next.
8. Click Finish to export the certificate.
Finally, copy the exported certificate file to the Linux server, and run the following command from the command terminal:

certmgr -add -c -m Trust win2k3-vin.ifolder.ad_win2k3-vin.crt

NOTE: If iFolder is configured in a cluster environment, this step must be executed for all the nodes.

5.12 iFolder Does Not Support Spaces or Dots in the Admin DN and User Container DN

iFolder does not support spaces or dots in the admin DN and user container DN. If the Admin DN or user container DN has a space or dot in it, iFolder configuration fails. This is applicable for all directory services.

5.13 Delta Sync Is Not Supported for Encrypted iFolders

Modifying any file in an encrypted iFolder performs a full sync to the iFolder server, instead of synchronizing only the changes.

6.0 Known Issues for the iFolder Client For Linux

This section describes known issues for iFolder client for Linux.

6.1 Modifications to Files or Folders Beyond the Second Level Are Not Getting Synchronized

For iFolder clients on SLED 10, if you make any modifications to a file or folder that is beyond the second level in the directory structure, the corresponding changes are not reflected on the iFolder server. However, modifications to files or folders in the first or the second level of the directory structure synchronized on the server for files or folders beyond the second level.

6.2 The iFolder Client on Linux Might Hang While Setting the Passphrase

While you set the passphrase, the iFolder client on Linux might hang. This is a rare occurrence. As a workaround, if the client hangs for a long time, you must kill the client and restart it.

6.3 When iFolders Are Added or Deleted, the Changes Are Not Immendiately Reflected on Linux Clients

For iFolder clients on Linux, when iFolders are added or deleted, the changes are not instantly reflected. It takes some time for the changes to appear.

6.4 The iFolder Client on Linux Might Freeze Sometimes

The iFolder client on Linux client might freeze. This is a rare occurrence. If this occurs, you must kill the client and restart it.

6.5 While Configuring an Account through the iFolder Client, an Error Is Received on Specifying the Passphrase

If encryption is enabled and you are configuring an account using the iFolder client, then you might receive an Operation timeout error when you are prompted to enter the passphrase on the Encryption page of the iFolder Account Assistant. This might occur when the server is busy serving iFolder client sync requests and LDAP sync and if the number of users in the system is high.

This is a rare occurrence and you cannot set the passphrase when this issue occurs. As a workaround, you must click Cancel in the Encryption page of the iFolder Account Assistant to continue with the account creation. After an account is created, when you attempt to create an encrypted iFolder, you are prompted to specify the passphrase. You must then specify the passphrase to create an encrypted iFolder.

6.6 No Notification of Name Conflicts on Uploading Multiple Files with the Same Name by Using Two Different Clients

When you upload multiple files with the same name to the same iFolder by using two different clients, the synchronization is successful. However, a name conflict occurs that you must resolve.

6.7 Option to Start iFolder During System Login Does Not Work in the iFolder Client for SLED 11 and OpenSUSE 11.3

For iFolder clients on SLED 11 and openSUSE 11.3, if you leave iFolder running and log out of the system, iFolder does not start as expected during system reboot.

As a workaround, you must add iFolder to the list of startup programs:

Click the Gnome Control Center.
Click Systems > Sessions.
In the Sessions dialog box, click the Startup Programs tab.

You can also open the Sessions dialog box from the command terminal by typing the command gnome-session-properties.
To add iFolder to the list of startup programs, click Add and browse to the location where the iFolder executable is available.

IMPORTANT:The iFolder client executable is present in /opt/novell/ifolder3/bin .
Click OK and then click Close to close the Sessions dialog box.

6.8 The First Synchronization Cycle After Downloading a Shared iFolder Generates an Error

When you download a shared iFolder, the first synchronization cycle fails with an error message “1 item not synchronized”. However, during subsequent synchronization cycles, the synchronization is successful.

6.9 The iFolder Icon Is Not Updated Automatically on OpenSUSE 11.3 and SLES and SLED 11

For iFolder clients on openSUSE 11.3 and SLES and SLED 11, if you convert a folder to an iFolder or revert an iFolder to a regular folder, the icon on iFolder is not updated automatically.

As a workaround for this issue, you must do a manual refresh. For instance, you can manually refresh by pressing the F5 key.

7.0 Known Issues for the iFolder Client for Windows

This section describes known issues for the iFolder client for Windows.

7.1 Auto Upgrade Does Not Work for the 3.8 version of the Windows 64-bit iFolder Client

If you have installed the 3.8 version of the Windows 64-bit iFolder client, any attempt to automatically upgrade to a new version of the client fails. You must manually install the new version of the client. After you install the client manually and replace the 3.8 version of the client, the auto upgrade feature works for subsequent client versions.

7.2 iFolder Does Not Support Auto Upgrade from iFolder 3.6 to 3.7 and Later Versions in SSL Servers

When you connect an iFolder 3.6 client to an iFolder 3.7 and later server, the system throws a System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException error instead of prompting the user to log in to the new client.

This is because the iFolder 3.6 Windows client cannot communicate with an SSL 3.7 or later server. During the connection attempt, the server responds that the preferred communication is HTTPS; however, the 3.6 client does not support HTTPS. When the client attempts to connect via HTTPS, the connection fails because the certificate validation and acceptance fail.

The workaround for this issue is to perform a manual upgrade or set the iFolder 3.7 and later server to communicate via only HTTP.

8.0 Known Issues for the iFolder Client For Macintosh

This section describes known issues for the iFolder client for Macintosh.

8.1 Unable to Create a New Account After Deletion of a Previous Account

If you delete a previously configured account and create any new account by using the account creation wizard, you might receive an error. This is a rare occurrence.

If you receive this error, you must stop the iFolder client, delete the local simias directory ( $HOME/.local/share/simias), then create a new account.

8.2 Menus for the iFolder Client on Mac are Inconsistent with Menus on Windows and Linux

There is an inconsistency in menus for clients on Mac in comparison to the clients on Windows and Linux. For instance, for the iFolder client in Mac, both Delete and Revert to Normal iFolder options are enabled for both local and remote iFolders.

8.3 No Auto Upgrade For the iFolder Mac Client

The iFolder client for Macintosh doesn’t provide the auto upgrade feature. When a new version of the client is available, iFolder prompts you about the availability of the client for downloading, and when you click OK, it downloads the client to a location on your workstation. You need to go to that location and manually install the new client.

9.0 Legal Notices

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