Read/Write Privileges and Shared Storage

[Dave Klee]

When “System B” (the client) connects to “System A” (the server), are you using the same username and password to connect as the username and password that you need for the user account on System A that is doing all the editing locally?

[Tim Ward]

[Dave Klee] “are you using the same username and password to connect as the username and password that you need for the user account on System A”

No. I had created a second account for “System B.” I’d tried logging in using the “System A” account name before, but I think it may have connected through the other account. But today after reading your post, I just deleted the second account and used the “System A” account to connect and all seems well with permissions now. Would you need a real server to manage accounts and permissions?

Thanks Dave.

[Dave Klee]

Hey Tim, glad it’s working.

[Tim Ward] “Would you need a real server to manage accounts and permissions?”

Not really, but permissions on any system with multiple users can get tricky. As it sounds like you know, there are three basic types of permissions in OS X for a file or folder: owner, group, and everyone. By default, when a user creates a new file or folder, they are the “owner” of that file or folder and have read/write access. Also by default, pretty much everyone else (group and everyone) gets read-only access.

There are ways to change this default behavior or add extra permissions through Access Control Lists (ACLs), but all have plusses and minuses. Sounds like all you need is to get read/write access to all the files, so by logging in with the exact same user account when you connect from the second machine (client) you should get access to all the files — because you’re logging in as the same user (once locally, and once over the network).

A downside here is that you won’t have the ability to limit permissions if you’re logging in as the same user. So, if you ever wanted to limit the access that a user gets from “System B” to read-only, it would be difficult to do without creating another user account for “System B” to use as a login username and password (or using the guest account). There’s also the possibility for overwriting and messing up each other’s files when they’re accessed on two different systems. It sounds like you have thought out your workflow, but just know there are risks if someone gets confused and saves over the wrong file or deletes something they shouldn’t have.

So, long story short, the same user will get the same access to the same files — whether they’re logging in locally or over a network connection. If that’s all you need, then you should be good to go. If you ever want to add more users and groups, I think you’ll find that you can do a fair amount without getting the “server” version of OS X, but just know that it can get complicated.

Good luck, and please post back with any questions.

Dave

[Tim Ward]

Yeah, luckily this is just a temporary setup for one project. If it was anything more permanent, then we’d invest in some hardware and a VAR.