Simple network question(s) 3

[SteveHigh]

Hello

I am going for a 1st-line Helpdesk job and one of the qustions I am likely to be asked concerns problems regarding user access to files/folders on the network. The users use WinXP in an Active Directory environment.

Can I verify here that these kinds of problems are often related to permissions?

For instance, if a user cannot access a folder on the network, does the administrator not grant permissions (provided the user is entitled to access them) via Active Directory?

Furthermore - if you do not mind - how would an administrator troubleshoot file server/folder access and permissions?

Many thanks for any feedback.

Thanks

Steve

 

[Rhort]

Network access issues could also be physical; i.e. unplugged cable, or failed network card, floor port or switch.

Assuming that’s not the case, then yes, it’s almost always down to permissions. Generally, a well-managed network will have security groups set up, meaning that anyone requiring access to a specific folder on the network will be added to the group, and then the group is given the rights to the folder. Some network admins are so particular about the advantages of this that they’ll even create a group with just one person in it when assigning rights to network shares (just in case they later find they need to add someone else in the future). Generally, this wouldn’t be done on the user’s private (sometimes called ‘Home’) folder. Failure to implement a strategy like this can often lead to very complex rights issues at the deepest sub-levels of the network folder tree.

Troubleshooting access permissions is often quite easy if you know how to read a folder’s properties, as they include an option to check ‘Effective Permissions’, meaning if a user can’t access it, you can see what their rights to that folder are, even if they’re inherited from somewhere further up the folder structure, and from that standpoint, it’s quite easy to backtrack up the tree until you find where the issue is. Also, from that point, you can see what other groups have access to the folder, and then you could just make sure the user is in an appropriate group; this is one advantage of network management using groups – you often don’t need to find out where in the tree you need to add the user to get permissions to the folder, only which group they need to be in to access it.

These are just the basics, and you won’t have to look to far into it to discover that things can get a LOT more complex, but if you’re looking for a first line position, anything too deep will just get passed to the second and third line analysts.

Hope this helps

 

[ArizonaGeek]

Basically Rhort has the right idea but just to expand upon it, while AD does play a role in how one would permission a folder the real things you need to know is the differences between local permissions and network permissions, Windows permission and NT permission.

You also need to know how to "pass through" folders so you can have individual permissions inside folders.

A person might have access to a folder within a folder but if they can't pass through the top level folder they aren't going to see the folder they need access to. For example you have a department share folder and within that you have an HR folder, an IT folder, sales etc. A person might have permissions to the IT folder but if they don't have read and/or list folder contents permissions to the department folder they aren't going to see the IT folder.

Again as Rhort mentions troubleshooting the basics is always the first step, can the person actually get to the network? Also, you'd be surprised (or maybe not) at how many people want access to files and folders they really have no business accessing. Just because they SAY they should have access to it, doesn't mean they are supposed to. So I'd ask a simple "are you supposed to have access this share?" or "did someone specifically give you permission to access the share?" just as part of my troubleshooting. Then work on checking permissions. Good luck!

Cheers
Rob

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[SteveHigh]

Hello to both you Rhort, and you, Rob.

I felt embarrased asking such a simple question, though I suppose that is what forums are for. Anyway, I'm very grateful to you both for shedding light on network issues and for giving me some food for thought.

Fingers crossed!

Steve

 

[christech4000]

NTFS permissions are one of the main features of NTFS security. if you are going to be involved with Windows NT 4.0 2000 XP YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND 1 USER ACCOUNTS 2 GROUPS 3 PERMISSIONS. Undrestanding these three things will clear up windows file and folder sharing.
Good luck!!!

 

[SteveHigh]

Many thanks, Chris for your post.

OK, Individuals; groups; permissions; if I take a systematic approach, it might not be as daunting as it seems.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Steve

 

[linney]

Set permissions for folders and files

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/security/permissions.mspx

How To Share Files and Folders Over a Network (Domain) in Windows 2000

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301198

How to set, view, change, or remove file and folder permissions in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308418

domain and security

http://search.techrepublic.com.com/search/domain+and+security.html?t=9&s=0&o=0

 

[SteveHigh]

Hello Linney

Thank you for your post.

The links look great: I downloaded all the files they refer to.

Thanks to you all for your help.

Steve

 

[linney]

If you don't get your job, you know who to blame!

Good luck for the future, whatever it is.

It wouldn't hurt to research Vista a bit too.