Recommended reading re folder permissions

[speckytecky]

Seeking a few pointers on an aspect of networks that I'm having difficulty getting my head around please fellow EduGeekers. The issue being network folder redirections and permissions.

I access networks in a couple of schools and in one it looks like everything permission wise is set to run from scripts - everyone seems to have full permissions on all folders (clicking on permissions on various folders the only settings visible are Everyone) - yet clearly students aren't able to access staff folders.

The other school has proper permissions set but a couple of issues remain.

1. Folder redirection is sporadic and in most cases points to the workstation not network folder. As it works properly on about 1 percent of log ons though clearly it's right somewhere?

2. In a network share I need to set permissions to enable access to work but deny the ability to move and copy.

Is there any easy reading that anyone can point me toward that will help me understand these sort of issues?

[f21970]

When you click on 'Permissions' on a share, the 'Everyone' box should be ticked otherwise users can only read from the share. Where you want to look for 'actual' permissions is the 'Security' tab, where individuals and groups are named and given permissions as to what you want them to be able to do. So, for instance, if you want to set up a 'Shared' folder where staff can read and write, but students can only read:
1. Create folder and share it. Click on permissions and tick 'everyone'.
2. On the security tab, add the staff group (assuming you have one) and tick full permissions.
3. Then add the students group, and when permissions appear, deny the delete permission.

I'm assuming you are running server 2k or 2k3, as 2k8 goes about things slightly differently.

Microsoft have a reasonable technet article here.

Ps. What are you using folder redirection for?

[Michael]

Have a look here Speckytecky. This is how I setup Folder Redirection for Start Menus/Desktops.

The only thing I haven't mentioned, is within Folder Redirection, you'd specify the path for Start Menu/Desktop as:

\\SERVERNAME\ICONS\STUDENTS\DESKTOP
\\SERVERNAME\ICONS\STUDENTS\START MENU

\\SERVERNAME\ICONS\STAFF\DESKTOP
\\SERVERNAME\ICONS\STAFF\START MENU

If you need further help from the guide, let me know.

[speckytecky]

Ps. What are you using folder redirection for?

Apologies for what might seem a muppet question to many advance EduGeekers but it's one I have been finding difficult to get right!

My original posting on this thread was not so well written either, being 2 questions in reality. One about general folder redirection the other being about share permissions.

I'm working in 2 schools and the main one had it's MS Server R2 Standard Edition server set up by a contractor and both he and afterward myself were left head scratching by the folder edirection issue. The major strange thing about it being that a few users are automatically picking up the proper redirection to their home folder on the student data folder. the bulk of the others fail to pick it up and the workstation saves their work locally until physically changed in Start / My Documents / Permissions / Target.

Thanks F21970 and Michael for your excellent and welcome responses.

[Michael]

I'm working in 2 schools and the main one had it's MS Server R2 Standard Edition server set up by a contractor and both he and afterward myself were left head scratching by the folder edirection issue. The major strange thing about it being that a few users are automatically picking up the proper redirection to their home folder on the student data folder. the bulk of the others fail to pick it up and the workstation saves their work locally until physically changed in Start / My Documents / Permissions / Target.

Folder Redirection is used to redirect the Start Menu and Desktop (which we already know about), but can also be used for the location of home directories. There are several ways to redirect home directories, but I will detail my method which I know works:

User Config > Windows Settings > Folder Redirection. Right click 'Desktop' and choose 'Properties'.

Set the first drop down menu to 'Basic - Redirect everyone's folder to the same location'. Set the second drop down menu to 'Redirect to the following location', then specify the path accordingly. On the 'Settings' tab untick both boxes. Repeat the procedure for the Start Menu.

Next stage, User Config > Windows Settings > Folder Redirection. Right click 'My Documents' > 'Properties'

Set the first drop down menu to 'Basic - Redirect everyone's folder to the same location'. Set the second drop down menu to 'Redirect to the user's home directory'. On the 'Settings' tab untick both boxes.

Within Active Directory, specify the user home folder to \\SERVERNAME\USERNAME$ Make sure the user has Full Control to their shared folder. Using a utility called AutoShare allows you to do this very quick with minimal effort.

[speckytecky]

Thanks Michael,

A gem of an answer from you - as usual.

Greatly appreciated.

[garethedmondson]

I'm assuming you are running server 2k or 2k3, as 2k8 goes about things slightly differently.

Microsoft have a reasonable technet article here.

Ps. What are you using folder redirection for?

I've never used 2K8 - is it major different?

GJE

[f21970]

Shares in Server 2008 are best done using ABE (Access Based Enumeration) - this allows you to hide shares, etc. from users. This means that shares that users do not have permissions to view are hidden. You can also do this in 2003 SP1 but you need to download an extension. There's a good article on it here.

Permissions in 2008 are very 'Vista' which I found a tad confusing at first!!!