The following sections are provided only as introductory information. For more information about using NetStorage, see the OES 2 SP3: NetStorage Administration Guide.
The inherent value of NetStorage lies in its ability to connect users with various servers and file systems. Some connections are created automatically depending on the OES platform where NetStorage is installed. Other connections must be created by the network administrator.
In summary, NetStorage provides automatic access to:
NSS volumes on the same server that use the default mount point (/media/nss)
User Home directories that are specified in eDirectory on NCP or NSS volumes.
Drive mapping locations in login scripts of the user logging in (if the NCP Server for Linux is running on the server)
To provide access to file systems not listed above, you must create Storage Location objects in eDirectory. For instructions on creating Storage Locations, see Creating a Storage Location Object
in the OES 2 SP3: NetStorage Administration Guide.
If you plan to use SSH storage locations, be aware that by default any users who are enabled for Samba cannot access data stored at the SSH locations. Additional steps are required to grant simultaneous access to Samba and SSH. For more information, see Section 12.4, SSH Services on OES 2.
Because NetStorage provides 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:
eDirectory users must exist in the eDirectory tree where the OES server resides and have access rights to the files and directories on the OES 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 Samba files on an OES 2 server, they must be enabled for LUM and Samba access on the OES 2 server. For more information, see Services in OES 2 That Require LUM-Enabled Access.
IMPORTANT:The usernames and passwords used to authenticate to the NetStorage (OES) server through eDirectory must match the usernames and passwords defined on the target systems.
The OES 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 OES 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 OES 2 server that points to a legacy 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 non-primary authentication domain.
When defining a non-primary authentication domain, you must
Ensure that the username and password in the non-primary domain matches the username and password in the primary domain.
Specify the exact context where User objects reside. NetStorage doesn’t search the subcontexts of non-primary authentication domains.
For more information about managing NetStorage authentication domains, see Authentication Domains
in the OES 2 SP3: NetStorage Administration Guide.
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 OES 2 SP3: NetStorage Administration Guide.
Your NetStorage installation can change as your network changes and evolves by providing access to new or consolidated storage locations. For information about the kinds of tasks you can perform to keep your NetStorage implementation current, see the OES 2 SP3: NetStorage Administration Guide.