Implementation Suggestions

iFolder

The following implementation points are provided only as introductory information. To begin using iFolder, see the Novell iFolder 2.1 Installation and Administration Guide.

Managing iFolder

You manage iFolder through the iFolder Management Console, which you can access directly or through iManager. For more information, see "Using the iFolder Management Console" in the Novell iFolder 2.1 Installation and Administration Guide.

Configuring the iFolder Server

Before you let users log in to the iFolder server, complete the setup tasks in "Configuring Your First iFolder Server" in the Novell iFolder 2.1 Installation and Administration Guide.

Creating and Enabling iFolder Users

To provide user access to iFolder:

1. Create User objects in eDirectory.
2. Enable the User objects as iFolder users.
3. Have users create their iFolder accounts in one of the following ways:
   • Install and use the iFolder Client to access the iFolder server
   • Install and use NetDrive to access the iFolder server
   • Use the Java* applet available on your iFolder Web site

     For example, users would enter

     http://ip_addesss/iFolder

     where ip_addess is the address of the iFolder server.

     They would then click the Login link on the page.

WARNING:  

If users access iFolder for the first time through NetStorage, they are not given the opportunity to create a passphrase. This means that their files and folders are not encrypted on the iFolder server.

For more information, see "Managing iFolder User Accounts" in the Novell iFolder 2.1 Installation and Administration Guide.

Samba

To use Novell's implementation of Samba file services on your NNLS server, you must have installed the service using the instructions in "Installing Nterprise Linux Services" in the Novell Nterprise Linux Services Installation Guide.

After installing the NNLS software, you must do the following:

1. Create an eDirectory user account for each user you want to have access to Samba file services on the NNLS server.
2. Create a home directory for each user by logging in to the server as the user from a shell prompt.

If you are new to NNLS, we recommend you use the step-by-step instructions located in "eDirectory and Identity Services" in the Novell Nterprise Linux Services Lab Guide for specific instructions on creating eDirectory objects (users, groups, and containers) on an NNLS server. Then see "Create Samba User Home Directories" in the same guide to finish preparing the server for Samba file service access.

All users whose accounts have been enabled for Samba access can access the NNLS server as they would any Windows server.

For more information on Novell's implementation of Samba, see Samba Support in NNLS.

NetStorage

The implementation points in the following sections are provided only as introductory information. For more information about using NetStorage, see the NetStorage Administration Guide.

Creating Storage Locations

You create access points from NetStorage to other file systems by creating Storage Location objects in eDirectory. For instructions on creating Storage Locations, see "Creating a Storage Location Object" in the NetStorage Administration Guide.

If You Performed an Express Installation

If you performed an express installation, your NetStorage installation already contains two Storage Locations:

• A shared folder on the NNLS server which contains a Read Me.html file that explains how to create Storage Location objects
• iFolder access to your NNLS iFolder server

  HINT:  iFolder access in NetStorage is controlled through the iFolder Storage Provider task in iManager and does not involve a storage location. For more information about the iManager task, see the context-sensitive help in iManager.

If You Performed a Custom Installation

If you performed a custom installation, your NetStorage installation contains the shared folder referenced in the previous section, but it might not contain an iFolder link depending on whether you specified an "iFolder Server IP Address or Hostname" (Novell Nterprise Linux Services Installation Guide) while installing Virtual Office.

iFolder Requires Additional Setup

If your NetStorage installation has an iFolder link, you must complete all the instructions in iFolder before attempting to let users access the service.

Assigning User and Group Access Rights

Because NetStorage provides only access to other file storage systems, the users and groups that access the other systems through NetStorage must be created and granted file and directory access on those systems.

For example:

• NetWare users must exist in the eDirectory tree where the NetWare server resides and have access rights to the files and directories on the NetWare server.
• Windows users must exist on the Windows systems and have the required access rights to the files and directories on those systems.
• If your users will access iFolder files on the NNLS server, they must be defined as LUM users (and Samba users for Samba access) on the NNLS server.

IMPORTANT:  The usernames and passwords used to authenticate to the NetStorage (NNLS) server through eDirectory must match the usernames and passwords defined on the target systems.

Authenticating to Access Other Target Systems

The NNLS installation establishes a primary authentication domain for NetStorage. To access any storage location, users must exist somewhere in this primary domain. When it receives an authentication request, NetStorage searches for the username in the context you specified during NNLS installation and in all its subcontexts.

Authentication to other file systems is often controlled by other authentication domains. For example, you might create a storage location on the NNLS server that points to a NetWare server that resides in a different eDirectory tree. To access this storage location, users must authenticate to the other tree.

This means that you must specify an additional context in the NetStorage configuration as a nonprimary authentication domain.

When defining a nonprimary authentication domain, you must

• Ensure that the username and password in the nonprimary domain matches the username and password in the primary domain.
• Specify the context where User objects reside. NetStorage doesn't search the subcontexts of nonprimary authentication domains.

For more information about managing NetStorage authentication domains, see "Authentication Domains" in the NetStorage Administration Guide.

NetStorage Authentication Is Not Persistent by Default

By default, users must reauthenticate each time they access NetStorage in a browser. This is true even if another browser window is open and authenticated on the same workstation.

The reason for this is that persistent cookies are not enabled by default.

This setting can be changed. For more information, see "Persistent Cookies" in the NetStorage Administration Guide.