Staff Remote Access to Home Drive

[link470]

Hey everyone. Just had a question about remote access to the home drive for staff. As we have now, there's a link on our school website, that directs to the H drives on the server. Just using a port number, and mapping that port number in IIS to a Staff Shares website with the home directory of the root of the staff folder. The staff then enter in their username and password for the network because the site is using Integrated Windows Authentication. From there, they are shown a normal file directory page with all the teacher folders. They simply click theirs, and voila. They have access. Since they don't have access to the others through the ACL for each staff folder, they can't enter it. So they can only choose to click on their own folder. Here's the page: http://www.parkland.sd63.bc.ca/Staff/ . It's the top link there, and it will ask for Windows Authentication right away.

 

What I'd like to do, is have a nicer layout. Sure, you can "read" what's in your H drive, but what about download a document, work on it, and upload it as well? Like, an online storage base. I found this: http://pfn.sourceforge.net/index.php?opc=4&lg=ing but I'm not sure if it will allow me to do what I want. If I'd be able to have that authenticate with Windows, and show the correct user folder.

 

Has anyone had any experience doing anything like this? Adding a nicer remote file layout? Maybe via FTP instead of doing it through web? Thanks!

[Dos_Box]

I just use Webdav. They understand Windows Explorer.

[link470]

I just use Webdav. They understand Windows Explorer.

 

This is going to sound awful as a network engineer, but what is WebDav? [i'm really tired, lol] I googled it but at first glance it looks more like a technology than an individual program. Is there an individual program you use?

[Dos_Box]

Webdav is a component built into Server 2003 IIS. You have to manually add it in, but it is quite simple. Here are some easy step by step instuctions:

 

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/WebDAV-IIS.html

 

It too uses Windows authentication.

[link470]

Thank you very much! I will try this tomorrow in my spare time... [LOL spare time...what's that ]

 

Anyone else have any ideas?

[mrforgetful]

I found WebDAV to be best too.

 

You may find people have problems using XP though, MS screwed up it's integration. If you do come across problems and need help, if you can find it, maybe you can use Netdrive like our staff do.

 

Vista works perfectly though. (shock horror)

[Quackers]

Microsoft played around a lot with WebDav in Windows XP, and you'll find that XP SP2 is the worst for using WebDav.

 

Its slow, hangs and crashs explorer lots.

[mrforgetful]

Or just won't connect at all.

[zag]

Sharepoint sounds like it could be useful if you want a nicer layout.

[john]

Or Exchange 2007 if you use exchange, as that allows access to your home drive specified in your Active Directory Account.

[mrforgetful]

Ah I knew there was a pretty good reason I wanted Exchange 2007, I'd forgotten what it was though!