3.6 Planning File and Folder Targets for Filr

IMPORTANT:We recommend that you review the information in the following to prepare for planning your Filr storage targets:

3.6.1 Storage Target Overview

Figure 3-3 Potential File and Folder Targets for Filr

Letter

Details

Filr provides file access through

  • Net Folders, which are similar to traditional network mapped drives

    And

  • My Files, which can include both traditional home directories and also Filr-based storage.

Net Folders point to file servers and/or network-based storage.

My Files can also point to file servers and/or network-based storage when these include traditional home directories.

If the Personal Storage feature is enabled, My Files also provides access to personal files and folders that are stored in Filr itself.

3.6.2 Identifying File Servers and Network Storage Targets

  1. On your worksheet, identify the file servers and network-based storage devices that Filr will provide access to.

    For more information, see Filr Server Requirements in the Novell Filr 1.1 Installation and Configuration Guide.

  2. After you have recorded the information for each file server and network-based storage device, continue with Planning Net Folder Servers.

3.6.3 Planning Net Folder Servers

  1. For each server or other network-based storage device identified in the previous section, do the following:

    1. Identify the NSS volumes and/or CIFS shares that Filr will provide access to.

    2. On your worksheet in the Net Folder Servers section, assign a unique Net Folder Server Name for each volume and/or share.

      Consider using a name that reflects the DNS and volume or share names associated with the Net Folder Server.

    3. Identify a Net Folder Proxy User for each Net Folder Server and record the information on your worksheet.

  2. After you have planned the Net Folder Servers that are associated with each file server/network-based storage device, continue with Planning Net Folders.

3.6.4 Planning Net Folders

HINT:Consider using Novell File Reporter in planning for Filr. File Reporter helps you quickly determine the number, sizes, types, access frequency, and so on for your organization’s files.

  1. For each non-home-directory Net Folder Server identified in Planning Net Folder Servers,do the following:

    1. Identify each main folder that contains files that require Filr access.

    2. On your worksheet in the Net Folders section, assign names that reflect the purpose or content of each folder.

    3. Record the Net Folder Server Name associated with each Net Folder.

    4. Record the path from the Net Folder Server to each Net Folder.

    5. For each Net Folder, record:

      • The number of files

      • The types of files, such as PDF, .doc, and so on

      • The size range

    6. Assess or estimate how often file content changes within each Net Folder.

    7. Assess how often user access rights change within each Net Folder.

      This helps determine synchronization frequency.

    8. Set a roll-out priority for each Net Folder.

      Initially, you should enable only the highest priority files and folders for access through Filr, to ensure a controlled and smooth implementation.

      The remaining files and folders can be enabled in a phased approach during the production rollout.

      Consider creating a map of the file structure that shows the order in which folders will be enabled through the testing, pilot, and production deployments.

  2. After you have planned the non-home Net Folders, continue with Planning Net Folder Access.

3.6.5 Planning Net Folder Access

IMPORTANT:We recommend that you review the information in Access Rights and Filr in the How Filr Works–Overview Guide to prepare for planning Filr user access.

Also see Configuring User Access to the Filr Site in the Novell Filr 1.1 Administration Guide.

  1. On your worksheet in the Net Folder Access section, record the following information for each Net Folder:

    1. The Net Folder name

    2. The names of each user and/or group that will be granted access to the Net Folder through Filr

    3. The Filr Role for each user and/or group.

      Filr roles are determined by file system rights and are not configurable in Filr.

    4. Verify that each user and/or group has the file system rights for the role they are expected to fill.

      For more information, see Access Through Filr Involves One of Four Possible Roles and Rights to Files and Folders in the How Filr Works–Overview Guide.

  2. After you have planned for user and/or group access to each Net Folder, continue with Planning Home Folder Access (My Files).

3.6.6 Planning Home Folder Access (My Files)

  1. For each home directory Net Folder Server identified in Planning Net Folder Servers,do the following:

    1. On your worksheet in the My Files (Home Folder Net Folder Servers) section, assign a name for each Net Folder Server that is associated with a set of home folders.

    2. For each home folder Net Folder Server, record:

      • The number of files

      • The types of files, such as PDF, .doc, and so on

      • The size range

    3. Set a roll-out priority for each home folder Net Folder Server.

  2. After you have planned the home Net Folders, continue with Planning for Personal Storage (My Files).

3.6.7 Planning for Personal Storage (My Files)

  1. If you are allowing users to have personal storage on Filr, then on your worksheet in the My Files (Personal Storage) section, record quotas for users and/or groups of users, whichever fits your organization’s needs.

  2. After you have planned Personal Storage quotas, continue with Planning for Content Searching (Content Indexing).