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Novell NetStorage

Overview

In the global enterprises of today, you need to be able to access your files and folders—from wherever you are—without having to be anxious about security. Virtual private networks (VPNs) aren't always available, but there's another solution—and a more convenient one.

Novell® NetStorage acts as a bridge between a company's protected Novell network and the Internet, providing protected file access from any Internet location. Files and folders on a Novell NetWare® 6.5 server or Novell Open Enterprise Server can be accessed using either a browser or via Network Neighborhood and Microsoft Web Folders; no Novell Client™ software is required. Users can securely access files from any IP-enabled machine via Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS).

NetStorage acts as a middle-tier server, communicating with the Novell file servers in the network and providing secure authentication using Novell eDirectory™ and the users' usernames and passwords.

With NetStorage installed on a single Novell NetWare 6.5 server or Novell Open Enterprise Server (NetWare or Linux), users can potentially have access to any Novell NetWare 5 (or later), Unix, Linux or Windows server anywhere on their geographically dispersed networks. Drive mappings appear in the form of folders on a secure Web page, providing a familiar interface that's easy to navigate. In fact, users can use many of the same conventions for expanding and contracting folders and opening files that are available in native desktops. NetStorage supports popular Windows, Linux and Macintosh Web browsers.

Secure Access Through Novell eDirectory

NetStorage authentication relies on the power of Novell eDirectory to provide secure access, so Internet-based access is as secure as accessing files from within the network.

Based on how NetStorage has been configured, the NetStorage Web page displays the network files and folders to which a user has access. NetStorage reads the user's Novell NetWare login script to determine drive mappings, reads Novell eDirectory User object properties to determine his or her home directory, reads administrator configured storage locations and then displays a list of files and folders based on mapped drives, home directories and storage locations. If the user usually logs in to more than one Novell eDirectory tree, he or she might have access to additional home directories in different Novell eDirectory trees.

Note: Users might have specific Novell eDirectory rights to certain files and folders on your network but will not be able to access those files and folders using NetStorage unless login script drive mappings exist, unless storage locations are defined to those folders, or unless the files and folders are in the user's home directory. Storage locations allow for mapping non-Novell Open Enterprise Server file services such as Unix or Windows.

Multi-tree Access

Many have a mix of Novell NetWare 5.x and 6.x servers with multiple Novell eDirectory or Novell Directory Services® trees residing on IP-based networks. In these multiple-tree environments, one of the biggest challenges is to provide users a single user ID and password with a single Web-based view to access data that is spread across multiple servers and multiple trees. When combined with other Novell technologies, NetStorage can provide a single Web-based view to access data on Novell NetWare 5.x, 6.x and Novell Open Enterprise Server in an IP-based environment, even when that data is spread across multiple Novell eDirectory trees.

File Versions and Archives

Novell Archive and Version Services provides a convenient and cost-effective way to instantly restore previous versions of modified, deleted or lost files. If the administrator configured your network files for versioning, historical copies of your files may exist in an archive database. The NetStorage Web interface can be used to view and retrieve older versions of archived files from any client, anywhere.

File Management

NetStorage allows advanced-directory and file-trustee-rights management and attribute management. Trustee rights can be assigned, removed or modified; attributes of files or directories can be modified; and files can be copied, deleted or renamed—user permissions permitting.

Features

  • Processes a user's container, profile or user login script for drive mappings
  • Honors Novell eDirectory/NDS Group memberships for drive mappings
  • Supports contextless and context-based logins into Novell eDirectory.
  • Processes configured storage locations for additional file access views

Benefits

  • Lets users securely copy, move, rename, delete, read, write and manage files between any Internet-enabled machine and many different types of servers—including NetWare, Linux, Unix and Windows—on their networks
  • Lets users access archived copies of their files (NetWare 6.5 or the NetWare kernel of Novell Open Enterprise Server only)
  • Eliminates the need to use a virtual private network (VPN) client to access files
  • Eliminates the need to e-mail or copy data from one machine to another
  • Supports Internet standards such as HTTP, HTTPS, HTML, XML and WebDAV
  • Supports the use of drive namings that users are accustomed to when they log in using the Novell Client
  • Supports Storage Location objects used to display a specified name for a network directory in the NetStorage directory access list displayed through Microsoft Web Folders or a Web browser

Talk to us today about NetStorage. +

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