MORE INFORMATION
Description of File System Directory and File Rights
File system security is basically the same for both Novell NetWare 3.
x and Novell NetWare 4.
x. A few new file attributes were added to Novell NetWare 4.
x to accommodate data migration and some file compression features.
Directory rights control general access to a directory, its files, and its subdirectories. When granted at the directory level, the rights apply to all the files and subdirectories in that directory unless the rights are redefined at the file or subdirectory level.
File rights control access to specific files in a directory. They are used to redefine the rights that users inherit from directory rights.
There are eight rights that can be granted at either the directory or the file level. The following is a list of Novell file system rights:
|
Novell
NetWare Right
|
Description
|
|
Supervisor
|
Grants all
rights to the directory, its files, and subdirectories. The Supervisor file
right can't be blocked with an IRF (Inherited Rights Filter). Users with this
right can grant other users rights to the directory, its files, and
subdirectories. Users who have this right can also grant other users any
rights to the file and can change the file's Inherited Rights Filter.
|
|
Read
|
Grants the
right to open files in the directory and read the contents or run the
program.
|
|
Create
|
Grants the
right to create a file and to salvage a file after it has been deleted.
|
|
Write
|
Grants the
right to open and write to an existing file.
|
|
Erase
|
Grants the
right to erase (delete) the file.
|
|
Modify
|
Grants the
right to change the attributes and name of the file, but does not grant the
right to change its contents.
|
|
File Scan
|
Grants the
right to see the file with the DIR or NDIR directory command, including the
directory structure from that file to the root directory.
|
|
Access Control
|
Grants the
right to change the trustee assignments and the Inherited Rights Filter of
the file.
|
If you make a trustee assignment in a directory, the trustee has access to the directory, its files, and its subdirectories (unless the rights are redefined at the file or subdirectory level).
When you make a trustee directory assignment, the default rights (Read and File Scan) allow a trustee to read the files in the directory and to see the subdirectories and files in the directory. Any trustee assignment, whether for a directory or a file, also includes the right to see the path leading from the root to that directory or file. A new assignment of trustee rights at the file level can revoke rights assigned at the directory level or allow additional rights.
Novell Privileges Required to Only Read Documents
Below is a list of directories where users need only Read and File Scan privileges to run Word (they only need to be able to read from these directories):
- Server location of Word program directory tree (Administrative installation)
- Server location of shared Microsoft applications (MSAPPS) directory tree (Administrative installation)
- Windows program directory, if running shared Windows
- Any server directories where you store graphics or other source files for links that you do not want users to be able to modify in Word.
NOTE: In addition, you need to apply Read-Only and Shareable Flags to all the files in these locations. Usually, the Novell network administrator sets this sequence of privileges and attributes after performing the server installation of Windows or an application.
Novell Privileges Required to Create or Modify Documents
READ, WRITE, FILE SCAN, CREATE, ERASE, MODIFY (all rights except ACCESS CONTROL and SUPERVISOR)
IMPORTANT: These user rights apply to the directory that contains the files you are working with. Novell NetWare also allows for assigning users file level rights. Make sure the FILE SCAN right is also assigned at the file level. This is especially important when users with Trustee rights are working with documents within the same directory.
For example: If one user opens a document, Word creates a temporary file with a name similar to "~wrd0000.tmp". When a different user with Trustee rights opens a different document, their session of Word may also create a temporary file with the same file name. This may occur when the Trustee does not have the file level right of FILE SCAN assigned. When the FILE SCAN right is missing, Word cannot "see" the other temporary files that may exist in the directory.
: NetWare version 2.
x also uses OPEN and uses DELETE and SEARCH instead of ERASE and SEARCH, respectively.
The following is a list of directories where users need these privileges to run Word:
- The workstation's Word program directory tree, if it is located on the server.
- Temporary directory, if it is located on the server.
- Any server directories where the user stores documents.
- Any server directories where source files for links are located that the user needs to modify (for example, Microsoft Excel worksheets or charts).
NOTE: The files in these locations usually have no Flags assigned, which means the user has complete access to them.
Symptoms of Missing Novell Privileges
|
File Scan
|
The user cannot
see any files in the directory, so the directory appears to be empty.
|
|
Erase
|
The user cannot
delete files, which frequently results in a large number of temporary (.tmp)
files.
|
|
Modify
|
The user cannot
rename files. When the user does not have Modify privileges, Word cannot
rename .tmp files during a save operation. When Word saves, it deletes the
previously saved version of the document
and then renames
the current .tmp file. Without Modify rights, Word deletes the document and
then cannot rename the .tmp file, so an error occurs and the document appears
to be lost. (You can copy the .tmp file to a directory in which the user has appropriate
privileges and then rename it.)
|
Why Novell Features File Scan as Well as Create Privileges
If you have Create privileges but not File Scan privileges, you can create files or copy them to a directory, but you cannot view the directory. This means that, under Novell, you can create a "drop directory" where you can collect files (such as reports or logs) from many users that cannot be read by those same users.
If you have Create privileges but not File Scan privileges in a directory where you want to create Word documents, a large number of .TMP files quickly accumulate.