USERS GUIDE for the SBCS FILESERVER

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USERS GUIDE for the SBCS FILESERVER

1. Introduction

The SBCS fileserver (QMSBCS1) is intended to facilitate the backing-up and sharing of data by all members of the School, irrespective of the type of personal computer and operating system that they are using.

The methods by which you can connect to the new server are summarized below and you should read this carefully to decide which is most appropriate for yourself before looking at the detailed instructions given in the following sections of this document:

Using an SMB Network Client

Most personal computers (including those running Windows, Mac OSX and Linux) now have built-in support for network connections using the SMB (CIFS) protocol. This method is the recommended method of access for people who expect to access the fileserver regularly from on-campus and who do not wish to install the Novell client.

(This method can only be used from within the G.E.Fogg and Walter Besant Buildings)

Using the Novell Client

This method requires Novell client software to be installed on the computer. It is generally only recommended method for people who access the fileserver extensively on a daily basis from on-campus, and who either already have the Novell client installed, or need it to be installed to access other Novell servers around College.

(This method can only be used when on-campus)

Using a Web Browser (NetStorage)

Files on the server can be accessed using a web browser, without installation of any additional software. It is secure and easy-to-use, but only single files can be easily uploaded and

downloaded, so it is not recommended for regular on-campus use. However, it could be used by those who only very occasionally need to access single files held on the server.

(This method can be used from on-campus and off-campus, including shared PCs)

Using WebDav

Many personal computers have a built-in webdav client, and third-party webdav clients are also available. WebDav provides easy, secure access to the server filestore. Once you have setup the connection for the first time, it is easier to use than NetStorage. However, it should only be used on your personal PC/laptop, not when using shared PCs (e.g. it should not be used from internet cafes, conference facilities)

(This method can be used from on-campus and off-campus)

Important Note for all first-time users

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2. Using an SMB (CIFS) Network Client

The quickest way to establish a connection to the new server is to connect using the SMB (CIFS) protocol that is used by the networking clients built into the current generation of Windows and Macintosh operating systems.

2.1 Supported Operating Systems

1. Windows 95, 98, NT, ME, 2K, XP; also Windows Vista (but see section 6.5) 2. Mac OSX (ideally version 10.3 or later)

3. Linux (using, for example, the smbclient included with the samba software suite)

Important Note for users of Windows Vista:

If you are using Windows Vista then please read section 6.5 before following any of the instructions given in previous sections of this document.

2.2 Connections from Windows PCs within SBCS

The following procedure will work for a PC located on any of the subnets operated by SBCS, located in either the Fogg building or Walter Besant building.

These instructions are written for Windows XP/Vista, but a similar procedure can be followed to establish a connection from a PC running an earlier version of Windows.

If you are running third-party firewall software (e.g. ZoneAlarm) then first read section 6.4 about firewall configuration.

Instructions for access:

Open the “Run” dialog-box - this is accessible from the Start-menu of Windows XP, but can also be opened on Windows Vista systems by holding-down the Windows logo key (  ) and pressing the R key.

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A fresh window should now open and, in the right-hand pane, two networked-folders should be evident (as illustrated overleaf).

The "Dept" folder provides access to shared folders:

if you double-click on this icon then you will see those areas of the departmental filestore to which you have been granted access.

The "Home" folder provides access to your personal filestore:

if you double-click on this icon then you will see a folder bearing your username. If you open this sub-folder then you will have access to your private files.

Ways in which you can make future access easier:

There are two main options

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4. repeat the previous steps for the second folder

This will generate the following two shortcuts which can then be re-named.

However, if you wish to save files from other locations directly to network folders (rather than saving them first to your local machine and then copying them across) then it is advantageous to map one or more network drives.

1. To do this, right-click on the folder and select “Map Network Drive”; this will bring-up the “Map Network Drive” dialog box (see below).

2. Select an unused drive letter in the field “Drive”.

3. Check if “Reconnect at Logon” is enabled. If not enable “ Reconnect at logon”

4. If your Qmsbcs1 username is different from that used to login to your PC then click on “different username”, and enter the username and password for the server.

5. Click “Finish”

If you wish, you can use this same procedure to map other drive letters to different parts of the filestore.

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2.3 Connections from Mac OSX systems within SBCS

The following procedure should work for a Mac located on any of the subnets operated by SBCS, located in either the Fogg building or Walter Besant building:

1. Click the Finder icon in the Dock 2. Choose “Go” from the menu

3. Select "Connect to Server" from under the "Go" menu

4. In the address field of the Connect to Server dialog, type the following:

smb://138.37.56.252/ and click on Connect

Depending upon which version of Mac OSX you are running, the next two steps may appear in either order.

5. You will be prompted to select the shared volume to which you want to connect: the two options are Dept or Home

The "Dept" volume provides access to shared folders:

if you double-click on this icon then you will see those areas of the departmental filestore to which you have been granted access.

The "Home" volume provides access to your personal filestore:

if you double-click on this icon then you will see a folder bearing your username. If you open this sub-folder then you will have access to your private files.

6. You will be prompted to enter your server username and password (if you are asked for a workgroup name, use SBCS )

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3. Using the Novell Client

3.1 Instructions for Windows Users

If you already have the Novell client installed then go directly to Section 3.1.3; otherwise follow the instructions given below.

3.1.1 Downloading the Novell client

The client software for recent versions of Windows can be downloaded by typing the following URL into your web browser:

ftp://ftp.software.qmul.ac.uk/applications/novell_clients/

3.1.2 Installation of the Novell client and configuration

In order to install the Novell client:

1. Browse the folder containing the installation files until you find setupnw.exe 2. Double-click to run this program.

3. Select the Typical installation

4. Select Reboot when prompted to do so.

When the PC restarts you will see the Novell login window rather than the normal Windows login screen.

1. Enter the username for your PC

(which may be different from your Novell network username) 2. Enter the password for your PC

(which may be different from your Novell password) 3. Select Workstation Only

4. Click on OK

Once the system has completed its start-up, right click on the Red N in the System Tray to bring-up the following menu:

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To configure the client properly for the QM environment: 1. Click on Novell Client Properties

2. Click on the Advanced Settings tab

Select the File Caching parameter, and put the Setting to OFF

Select the Bad Server Name Cache parameter, and put the Setting to ON Select the UNC Path Filter parameter, and put the Setting to ON

3. Click on the Advanced Login tab

Select the NMAS Authentication, and put the Setting to OFF 4. Click on OK

5. Re-boot as prompted.

3.1.3 Connecting to the new SBCS fileserver

The following is the critical information that you require in addition to your username and password.

Tree: QM-SBCS

Context: staff.bio.as.qmw (unless told otherwise when username issued)

Server: qmsbcs1

If these settings do not work then use the following alternative setting for the Tree: Tree: 138.37.56.252

To manually connect to the server after starting your PC

Startup and login to your PC with the "Workstation only" option selected.

When you wish to connect to the server, right-click on the Red N in the System Tray to bring-up the client menu (shown on previous page), and click on Novell Login . This will bring up the following dialog-box.

Click on the Advanced button to expand the window and then enter parameters as shown below (substituting your own username and password), before clicking on OK.

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When you connect to the server using the Novell client then a "login script" is run, and you will find that you now have 2 mapped network drives:

H: (Home directory) , and S: (Departmental directory)

More details about the organization of the filestore are given in Section 6.2.

If you connect using a Novell client and have not already reset your initial, temporary password, then you will see a dialog box prompting you to change your password

(shown below)

Click “Yes” to accept, type your new password, then “OK” to confirm.

To automatically connect to the server whenever you switch-on your PC

The client can also be configured so that when you switch on your PC you will be presented with a Novell Client login window which automatically connects you to the qmsbcs1 server.

To do this you should first ensure that your username and password on your PC are consistent with your username and password on the server.

When you are first presented with the Novell Login dialog, make sure that the Workstation only option is not selected, then click on the Advanced button to expand the window and enter the parameters as shown in the screenshot at the top of this page.

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3.2 Instructions for Macintosh Users

If you already have the Novell client installed then go directly to Section 3.2.1; otherwise follow the instructions given below.

If you do not already have the Novell client installed then it is recommended that you do not install it but instead use the method outlined in Section 2.3 to connect to the server.

However, if you do wish to install the Novell client then the client software for MacOSX can be downloaded by typing the following URL into your web browser:

ftp://ftp.software.qmul.ac.uk/applications/novell_clients/

You will then need to obtain a serial number before you can install and use the client – this is because the College only has a limited number of licences for the Mac OSX Novell client. This serial number can be obtained from either Julian Holmes in Computing Services

( [email protected], tel. 5325 ) or the School's Computing Officer, Christian Marescaux ( [email protected], tel. 3646 ).

The following is the critical information that you require in addition to your username and password for establishing a connection.

Tree: QM-SBCS

Context: staff.bio.as.qmw (unless told otherwise when username issued)

Server: qmsbcs1

If these settings do not work then use the following alternative setting for the Tree: Tree: 138.37.56.252

If you connect using a Novell client and have not already reset your initial, temporary password, then you will see a dialog box prompting you to change your password

(shown below)

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4. Using a Web Browser (NetStorage)

4.1 What is Netstorage?

Netstorage provides access to data stored in your personal home directory and also to some data stored on “shared drives” on the server using a standard web browser, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. It does not therefore require any special software to be installed. The process is secure, and can be used to access data on the server from off-campus.

NetStorage works most reliably with the Firefox browser, but is perfectly useable from Internet Explorer.

Netstorage enables users to easily copy, move, rename, delete, and download individual files stored on the server. Single files can easily also be uploaded to the server.

Directories (folders) of files can also be downloaded as a ZIP file.

4.2 How to use it

In your web browser, type the following address:

https://qmsbcs1.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/netstorage

You may be warned that there is a problem with the website's security certificate – in this particular case it is safe to ignore this warning and continue to the website.

Type your username and password into the dialog-box as shown below, and click on OK

The Netstorage webpage displays the folders and network files which are accessible to each user in two panes (in a similar fashion to Windows Explorer) as shown on the screen below.

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To access:

1. your personal files, double-click on the Home@QM-SBCS folder in the right-hand pane 2. files stored in shared “Departmental” folders, click on the DriveS@DEPT folder in the

right-hand pane

Once you can see the files of the relevant folder, the File | Edit | View options on the menu bar provide options to download, upload, open, move, copy or delete a file.

For example, to download a file: 1. Click on File

2. Click on Download

(if using Internet Explorer, you may be warned that this is a potential security risk and have to click on the "Internet Explorer Information bar" before you can download the file … if so, then you may also have to browse back down again from the top-level before you can download the file)

3. When prompted, click on Save

4.3 Known issues

The Download and Lock option does not seem to "lock" the file (preventing others from simultaneously accessing it) in the way that it should do.

When using Internet Explorer, file downloads may initially be blocked and you will need to click on the “Information Bar” at the top of the browser window to in order to allow them. This seems

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1. Open Internet Explorer.

2. Click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.

3. Click the Security tab, and then click on the Local intranet icon. 4. Click Sites ; Click Advanced.

5. Type in : https://qmsbcs1.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk ; Click Add.

6. Tick the Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone check box. 7. Click Close, then OK, OK

To make NetStorage easier to use you can create shortcuts (Favorite links) direct to the relevant part of the filestore using the format for the URL illustrated by the following examples:

e.g. 1 for a direct link to your personal filestore

https://qmsbcs1.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/NetStorage/?/oneNet/NetStorage/Home@QM-SBCS

e.g. 2 for a direct link to a particular section of the “S:drive”

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5. Using WebDav

5.1 What is WebDav?

WebDav is a well-established method for providing secure access to files held on network servers. It is therefore another method for accessing data stored in your personal home directory and also in some “shared drives” on the server. The interface is similar to the normal Windows Explorer view on a desktop PC. Some types of files (e.g. Excel files) can simply be opened by double-clicking on them; they can then be edited and re-saved to the server. Alternatively you can download and uploaded to and from your local PC using drag-and-drop between two windows. The process is secure, and can be used to access data on the server from off-campus, but should only be used on PCs to which you control access.

There are several ways of establishing WebDav connections:

(i) using a WebDav client supplied with the operating system (see section 5.2) (ii) using a third-party WebDav client (see sections 5.3 and 5.4)

5.2 Using the WebDav client of the OS

On Windows XP

1. Click on the Start button and select My Network Places 2. Click on Add a network place

3. Click on Next

4. Select Choose another network location and click on Next again.

5. Enter the following network address:

https://qmsbcs1.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/oneNet/NetStorage/

6. Click on Next.

7. You may receive a site-certificate warning; and then you will be prompted to enter your username and password.

8. After clicking on OK you will be prompted to enter a friendly-name for this connection. When you Finish a window will be displayed containing icons which provide access to both your personal filestore and shared parts of the network filestore to which you have been granted access. To use the WebDav connection on future occasions you simply go to My Network Places and double-click on the shortcut you created for this connection.

If you are the only user of the PC then it is recommend that you do choose to “Remember this password” when using WebDav as you will be prompted frequently to supply it.

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On Windows Vista

It has not been possible as yet to routinely establish WebDav connections to the server from machines running Windows Vista using the in-built WebDav client.

Alternatives : if you do need to regularly use the filestore from off-campus using a Windows Vista PC then you should consider purchase of the WebDrive software (see Section 5.4).

On Mac OSX

It has not been possible as yet to establish WebDav connections to the server from machines running Mac OSX using the in-built WebDav client.

Alternatives :

(1) Use the Apple File Protocol (AFP), rather than WebDav, to connect to the server (see Section 6.6)

(2) Use the free Goliath WebDav software, which may be downloaded and installed as follows (note – these instructions have not been tested at QMUL):

1- Download the Mac OS X version: Start your web browser.

Go to http://www.webdav.org/goliath/#download

Click on the link labelled "here" in the Mac OS X section. Hold down the Option key and click the here link

Save the "Goliath1_0_1.dmg.gz" file to your desktop. Double-click the "Goliath1_0_1.dmg.gz" file to uncompress it.

A file named "Goliath1_0_1.dmg" and a disk image named "Goliath 1.0.1" should then appear on your desktop (if the files do not uncompress automatically, you need to install StuffIt Expander.)

2 - Install Goliath for Mac OS X:

Double-click the disk image "Goliath 1.0.1"

Drag the "Goliath 1.0.1" folder to the Applications folder located under your hard disk icon. Goliath is now installed on your Macintosh.

3 - Connect to WebDisk

Open the Applications folder.

Locate the Goliath 1.0.1 folder and open it. Double-click the Goliath 1.0.1 application icon.

The "New WebDAV Connection" dialog box should then appear. 4 - To connect to your WebDisk:

In the "New WebDAV Connection" dialog box, type:

https://qmsbcs1.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/oneNet/NetStorage/

In the login dialog boxes type in your username and password. Click OK.

When you connect successfully to your WebDisk, a window will appear on your desktop. Security Certificates

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5.3 NetDrive

The NetDrive 4.1 client software was developed by Novell and works on Windows XP, or earlier versions of Windows, but not on Windows Vista. It establishes a WebDav connection to the server and maps a drive letter to the filestore of the server which makes the files appear as if they are located on your local PC.

To install the software and establish a connection:

1 – Download the software from http://qm-web.chem.qmul.ac.uk/it/netdrive/ and save it your local PC. 2 – Double-click on the exe file to install the client.

3 – Once the installation is complete, double-click on the NetDrive shortcut to start the application. 4 – Click on New Site, then

Type in a user-friendly name for the connection (e.g. QMSBCS1 ) Type in the site address: this should begin

https://qmsbcs1.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/oneNet/NetStorage/

but you can also connect directly to a lower-level of the filestore using an address of the format https://qmsbcs1.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/oneNet/NetStorage/DriveS@DEPT/Teaching/

Click on Finish

5 – Select Server Type WebDAV , and a suitable free drive-letter (e.g. X)

6 – Unselect Anonymous/Public Logon, and then enter your own username and password. 5 – You should now have a Window similar to that shown below, and can click on Connect.

For additional documentation for the Novell NetDrive see:

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5.4 WebDrive

WebDrive is a commercial WebDav client for Windows PCs that automatically maps remote filestore to a drive letter in a similar fashion to NetDrive, and greatly facilitates the use of the remote filestore.

It can be purchased from http://www.southrivertech.com/products/webdrive/

(a free evaluation version is available).

The current release of WebDrive does work well with Windows Vista, as well as with earlier versions of Windows.

5.5 Known issues

When using WebDav, copies of files from the filestore are cached locally on the PC, and it is this local copy that you work upon and then upload. If several people are working on a file then it is possible for one user to accidentally overwrite changes made by another user. There are "lock" facilities built-into some of the above WebDav clients but we have not tested these. This is a potential problem when accessing shared parts of the filestore, but should not be a problem for files stored on your personal home drive.

Do not try to rename directories when working within WebDav and this can cause a loss of connection to the contents of that directory.

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6. Additional Information

6.1 How to change your password for the server

When you are first provided with your username you will be issued with a temporary password. You must then immediately change this password to something that you will easily remember, by following the procedure outlined below. Please ensure that the new password you choose is secure (8 characters or longer; it should not be a dictionary word and should contain several numbers and/or symbols in addition to letters of the alphabet).

You may also wish to change existing passwords at regular intervals so as to ensure better security. The interface for changing your password is known as Virtual Office which also allows you access to various other utilities (such as Netstorage). To log into Virtual Office, open a web-browser and enter the following URL into the address bar:

http://qmsbcs1.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/vo

You will be re-directed to a secure site and you may be prompted to accept the site’s security certificate. When the page loads, you will be asked to log in using your existing username and password.

If you are using your account on the server for the first time then you will immediately be prompted to change your password.

If you have a password but simply wish to change it then click on the “padlock” button at the top of the page

This will take you to the “Universal Change Password” page, and the first part of this page will allow you to change your password.

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After you have entered the requested data, click on the “Submit” button. You will then be shown a message stating that your password has been successfully changed.

When you have finished using Virtual Office, please remember to log out. To log out, click the “Logout” link located in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

6.2 Overview of file structure and mapped drive letters

If you connect using a Novell client then two mapped drives will be created at the time of login:

Drive H: - corresponds to you own personal home directory. This is your private drive where

you can save your private data. No other user has access to it.

Drive S: - provides access to those parts of the shared School filestore to which you have been

granted access. The directories to which you have been given access may include directories associated with specific roles (e.g. admissions), but also include a folder for exchange of large files (called "File swap area") which is accessible to all member of SBCS.

If you connect via NetStorage then you will initially see folders whose names correspond to the drive mappings described above.

If you connect using an SMB client then the following diagram showing the organization of the folders (and the equivalent Novell drive mappings) will help you navigate to the correct area of the filestore.

6.3 Backup schedule for data held on the server

Files stored on the QMSBCS1 server are backed-up onto tape. Incremental backups of newly-created and modified files are carried out on a daily basis, and full backup is carried out each weekend.

6.4 Configuring firewalls to permit access to the server

If you are using the Windows firewall supplied with Windows XP and Windows Vista then you should not have any problem with establishing a connection. However if you are using a firewall supplied by a third-party (e.g. ZoneAlarm) then you may have to manually configure the firewall running on your PC to allow connections to the QMSBCS1 server - the IP number of the server is 138.37.56.252 , and the ports that are used by the CIFS network protocol are 137, 138, 139, 445.

Dept ( S: drive ) GROUPS groupname FILE SWAP AREA Other activities .. etc. etc. TEACHING BSc+MSci username ( H: Drive ) Home

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6.5 Problems with server authentication from Windows Vista using SMB

It is not possible to currently connect from Windows Vista to the server via SMB/CIFS without modifying one of the Windows configuration settings on the PC.

On a PC running Windows Vista Business or Ultimate (but not the Home editions) then this can be done fairly easily, using the following procedure. To do this you will need to be logged-in as a user with Administrator-level privileges.

1. Open the “Run” dialog-box by holding-down the Windows logo key (  ) and pressing the R key.

2. Type in secpol.msc and click on OK

3. Double-click in the right-hand pane on Local Policies , and then on Security Options 4. Scroll-down the list and double-click on Network Security: LAN Manager

authentication level.

5. Change the setting from Send NTLMv2 response only to

Send LM & NTLM – use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated.

6. Click on Apply, then OK, and then File > Exit.

7. Re-start the system (even though it doesn't prompt you to do so).

You may experience some problems when first browsing down to various levels of the filestore, but if you are persistent then the problems appear to disappear!

6.6 Connecting using Apple File Protocol (AFP) under Mac OSX

We currently permit use of Apple File Protocol (AFP) for connections to the server, but we are uncertain as to how secure this method is and what potential problems exist when using AFP concurrently with the other access mechanisms described in this manual. By all mean try it, but we cannot guarantee on-going support for this type of connection.

To establish a connection:

1 - Click the Finder icon in the Dock Download the Mac OS X version. 2 - Choose “Go” from the menu

3 - Select "Connect to Server" from under the "Go" menu

4 - In the address field of the Connect to Server dialog, type the following: afp://qmsbcs1.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/ and click on Connect

5 - You will then be prompted to enter your username and password for the server.

When using AFP to make a connection you may have to use your username with its "full context",

e.g. .jsmith.staff.bio.as.qmw rather than just jsmith

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6.7 Getting further help/advice and support

Should you require help to perform these tasks, please feel free to contact your computing-support staff. If you need your allocation of storage space on the server to be increased then please also submit your request to the School’s IT Support staff – please note however that our ability to meet such requests is dependent upon there being sufficient diskspace available.

Emma Goddard / Greg Sheard x 3646 / 3058 , [email protected]

USERS GUIDE for the SBCS FILESERVER

USERS GUIDE for the SBCS FILESERVER

Contents

1.

Introduction

2.

Using an SMB (CIFS) Network Client

3.

Using the Novell Client

4.

Using a Web Browser (NetStorage)

5.

Using WebDav

6.

Additional Information