Group Server / Data Backup Information
Updated 21 February 2007

	General Overview

The Hemminger group has a network-accessed storage solution designed to provide space for regular backups of data as well as a resource for personal group storage.

Each group member will have an account which is accessible from most locations within the UCI campus. We are currently reviewing security concerns before making the accounts accessible from anywhere on the Internet. If you do not have an account contact the server administrator (Ron or Viktor, as of this writing).

As it stands, users have broad control over how they use their personal folders. Group members may feel free to employ any backup solution with which they feel comfortable, however, Ron and Viktor are looking into options to provide a backup solution to interested members.

In addition to the personal folder, there will be one single public folder. Everyone that logs in successfully will have full read/write access of this data, and others will have read-only access to this folder. This was set up to serve as a resource for transmitting large files to other people in the group.

	Security Overview

The server is network-attached storage (NAS). This means that it is a small computer with limited functionality, many large hard drives, and an Ethernet connection for communicating with the outside world. Access is currently limited to the UCI campus.

The server simply acts as a repository for files. That is to say, files can only be uploaded, downloaded, or deleted. Files cannot be executed or run on this computer, so it will not suffer from viruses. However, it may store files that contain viruses, as it is a repository for a user's possibly infected files.

The server contains no mechanism to self-scan for viruses (remember, no program can be executed or run on this machine). As such, users will be responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of their files and folders. If one is connected to the server, it is as simple has having the local computer scan one's personal folder on the server as part of any routine virus scan.

	Quick connecting information

The server name is jchsvr.ps.uci.edu and all users connect through the SMB/CIFS protocol. Addresses are:

• \\jchsvr.ps.uci.edu\your_NACS_username (Windows XP users)
• smb://jlbsvr.ps.uci.edu/your_NACS_username (Mac OS X users)

Connect using your NACS username as the server username, and the password you entered when the account was set up.

	Connecting from off-campus or over the wireless network

For security reasons, the server is only accessible by computers with valid .uci.edu IP addresses. This includes people connecting to the server that are physically on campus. However, one may connect from any off-campus site through the campus VPN connection. See the NACS website regarding VPN for details about installing the software client.

To connect from off-campus, follow the instructions for downloading and installing the Cisco client. Run the client, and connect with "UCI Full", entering your name and password. Once connected, you may simply log in to the group server as if you were on campus.

A note to notebook computer users: computers connect to the server using the SMB (aka Windows File Sharing, aka CIFS) protocol, which NACS blocks over the wireless network. Connecting to the VPN eliminates this problem.

	Connecting from Windows XP

Click on the "Start" button and navigate to the "Run..." menu item.

In the "Run" dialog box shown below, enter "\\jchsvr.ps.uci.edu\your_NACS_username" remembering to substitute your NACS username for that entry. Press return or click "OK".

Authenticate yourself, by entering your username and password for the server in the next dialog box.

Click the "Remember my password" checkbox if you want to log onto this account from your computer frequently and you want the computer to remember this login information. Click "OK".

When login is successful, your personal folder on the server opens, such as is shown for user "grimm":

You may move files to and from this folder as you wish.

Mounting the personal folder and the public folder as a drive.
Windows has the ability to map remote server volumes (or folders within those volumes) as a logical drive letter, so that a remote folder may show up on the local computer as, say, "Q:". Files and folders are then simply accessed as, say, "Q:\directory\foo.bar". This makes backing up data and virus scanning remarkably straightforward. This also provides the option of automatically reconnecting when you log out and log back into your local computer.

To mount these folders, right click on the "My Computer" icon on the desktop and select "Map Network Drive...".

In the "Map Network Drive" dialog box, chose a drive letter in the first dropdown menu. To mount your personal folder, enter "\\jchsvr.ps.uci.edu\your_NACS_username\" or "\\jchsvr.ps.uci.edu\public\" to mount the public folder.

For consistency and simplicity throughout the group, Ron and Viktor recommend that users map their personal folders (that is, "\\jchsvr.ps.uci.edu\your_NACS_username\") as "Y:", and that users map the public folder (that is, "\\jchsvr.ps.uci.edu\public\") as "Z:".

If you want these folders to remap when you log into the local computer, click the "Reconnect at login" checkbox (recommended!).

In all likelihood, the name and password you use to log on to your personal computer will be different than the name and password you use to log into the server. If this is the case, click "Connect using a different name" and enter your username and password for the server.

	Connecting from Mac OS X

To connect from a Mac OS X computer enter the Finder and select the menu item "Go" and choose the option "Connect to server...". One may alternatively type command-K.

The dialog box below opens. In the "Server Address:" field type in the text below, substituting "your_NACS_username" for your NACS username (your email address name without the @uci.edu).

For convenience, after typing the address, you my click the "+" button. This will add this server address to the column below for rapid access in the future.

When your computer finds the server, you will be prompted to enter your username and password:

When you have successfully connected and authenticated your account, your folder on the server appears on the desktop, this folder opens in the Finder, such as the one shown for user "grimm".

You may move files to and from this folder as you wish. Backup solutions will not be provided for Mac OS X users since this functionality will be incorporated into Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.

Notice to Macintosh users regarding file names!
The Macintosh's native filesystem, HFS+, allows certain characters within filenames that are not supported by other filesystems. Specifically, any file containing the characters \ / " : ? | * < > will not be recognized by the server. Any copy operation involving a filename with these characters will abort. The simple solution, when running in to a large number of offending files that are hard to find or track, is to archive (ZIP) the files and transfer the archive onto the server.

	Suggestions for backing up a Windows XP folder or volume

This will be added later.

	Suggestions for backing up a Mac OS X folder or volume

Wait until Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard as this feature is built in as the bundled application Time Machine. Until then be conscientious and back your files up manually.