network place help

[J]

Hello,

I would like to setup a small office network among several XP
professional/home computers.

In my plan, I would like to define one computer as a 'server' that other
computers may 'login' that 'server' to obtain the server share folders.
However, the login information of 'server' and other computers may not
be the same. I would like to know that if I can map those share folder
with not local login name (i.e. the server login information). If so,
how can I implement and are there any resources I can refer?

Besides this, I have another question that I can whether define
different permission sets within a share folder. In other words, I would
like to know if different sub-directories or files in the same share
folder can be defined for different read/write permission setting. If
so, how can I do it?

Best rgds,
Joe Li

 

[Guest]

Hi J,


There are several ways to do that. I would go talk to a consultant for a couple of hours and get a scope and purpose defined so you will know what is best for your needs.
The term server means 3 or 4 things.
A server type machine, server O/S such as Windows net 2003, a service on a workstation or server, and then a function that only server software provides.

Money and time can help make the decisions but at a certain point you will need help because one guy just can’t do it all when it gets big and busy..

For a really simple network with storage shares minimal effort over and beyond getting the P/C’s up and running is needed.

Let’s say you 6 P/C’s, at least two XP Pro.

The main issue will be data volume. A wireless G system will give about 5 MB x .7 through put to each machine. The server machine will only have 3.5 MB also.

This means backups over this system will be about 30 min per P/C one at a time.
File transfer to read or write a document will be quick enough but large graphic files will take many seconds. Forget database queries without a lot more infrastructure. The wireless G is no match for the Gigabit nics and hub. These can handle data as fast as a disk drive.

Ok, chose one XP Pro machine as the file server. (PRO can have 10 connections at a time.) Add very large disks, such as WD ATA 250 GB. Make only one primary partition on the primary disk of about 32 GB as the OS software installs. After the OS is up and running with all the up dates, convert the two disks to dynamic disks. The free space can then bee rationed out at needed in say 4, 8, 16 GB chunks. These chunks are called volumes and referenced by name \\computer\volume\folder\file. They can be used to extend a Folder on the system C drive partition by creating a mount point or just regular share stuff (a lot of this is explained in the xp pro help and MS online help.)

Once the computers are wired up then you can use permissions by account name, as long as the server has all the accounts on it also.

Each P/C can use private areas on the server disk or share and guaranty can be added as needed. (Lots of up front thinking and planning makes it go smooth and fast.

A server with net 2003 just to have a domain to log on to and share files for less than 10 P/C’s is a spending setup. But if the data is ultra important, then safe and secure is going to out weight simple and cheap.

Hope that helps to get you started.
SJ

 

[J]

Dear SJ,

Thank you for your reply.

Currently I'm planning to use a XP Pro as 'server' which create share
folders for other XP workstations (and already prepare a huge harddisk
capacity and a DVD-RW to perform backup). Now I would like to know if
each workstation requires same login name and password as the server.
Otherwise, the workstation user can't login the 'server' to perform file
sharing. In other words, I may want to know if the workstations can use
other user account, and just type the real login data to connect server
when required. Or any other suggestions?

Also, I would like to know if I can define different permission sets at
different files at the same share folder, or I may need to build more
share folder, each for distinct permission set.

Best rgds,
Joe

 

[Guest]

Hi again J,

YW,

That makes it simpler.

Yes you will need to set up accounts on the server pro machine for every user account on the others with the same password. (This is the main reason for having a server with a domain when there are many users.) Turn off fast user switching and tell the security to require CTRL-ALT-DEL to log on.

Next you need to turn off simple file sharing on the server pro machine.
Read this link, skim the checklist for simple file sharing and permissions.
http://labmice.techtarget.com/articles/winxpsecuritychecklist.htm

Basically, for each folder on the server pro machine you need to remove Everyone and add authenticated users. (and give them read access. That would allow all users to see and read the files.) There is a check box that says roll down the permissions for sub folders.

Now if you want a folder for just certain users, maybe each user needs different permisiions, then just add each user to the permission list and check the needed permissions for each user.
(For example, Project leader gets add, read, change but not delete because you want history. Then user 2 gets read only, users 3 gets read, update. )

Now if you want two other machines to talk to each other, same thing, because the workgroup is like a star network with each P/C being a point and the connections being the paths. At some point it would get difficult to manage and all those users accounts to change every so often (So keep the important data on the one server and let the users put and retrieve from there to a common folder.

Note: XP home requires a bit more work for sharing permissions.

And that’s about all I know about permissions.
The good news is I may have answered my question I have pending here?

Good luck,
SJ

 

[J]

Dear SJ,

Thank you for your recommendation. I'm also planning like yours. Of
course I don't know if end users love this idea because much effort at
setup. In addition, I know that it's the best if there exists a domain
controller, but it's not the case.

J