Mac OS® X Snow Leopard™ Server For Dummies®

Chapter 9. Setting Up File Sharing

In This Chapter

• Configuring file sharing easily

• Types of files sharing for Mac, Windows, and Linux clients

• Setting up file sharing in Server Admin

• Setting user and group permissions for share points

• Configuring AFP, SMB, FTP, and NFS file services

For many locations, file sharing is still the raison d'etre for a server. It enables users to quickly and securely move files between computers sitting next to each other or in different buildings. It doesn't matter what computers an organization has because Snow Leopard Server uses the native file-sharing methods of Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux/Unix. Apple refers to shared folders as share points; Microsoft calls them shares. But they're the same thing in Mac OS X Server.

Snow Leopard Server has two tools you can use to configure file sharing: Server Preferences, for simple tasks or workgroups, and Server Admin for larger or more complex networks. You can also use both: Start with Server Preferences and move to Server Admin when you need more control. Both are located in the /Applications/Server/folder. You can use these tools on the server Mac or remotely from another Mac on the network.

This chapter starts with setting up file sharing with Server Preferences. The rest of the chapter describes the technology for more complex file-sharing configuration managed by Server Admin. This includes setting options for file-sharing protocols and creating user permissions to control access to files and folders. Chapter ...