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User profile for user: Rodrigo M. Ramos
Rodrigo M. Ramos Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

POSIX vs. ACL

Hi fellows,
I have 2 completely different servers running on completely different locations, but with very similar issues.

Location A: Mac OS X Server 10.4.11, completely up to date, running flawlessly for about of couple of years. A few days ago, I happened a hard drive failure and I need to restore all data from a Retrospect backup to a brand new drive. I reconfigured all the share points and ACLs just like was before the crash, but several permission problems started to happen. The POSIX permissions are taking precedence over ACL!

For example: An user has full control (ACL) over a file (any kind of file), but if that user isn’t the owner (POSIX) and the staff group or everyone has ready only permission, that user couldn’t write/modify/delete that same file. The server is completely ignoring the ACL inherited from upper folders.

* When I reconfigured the share points and permissions, I used 10.5.5 Server Admin running on my Mac.


Location B: A brand new Mac OS X Server 10.5.6, completely up to date. Since day one we have several issues also regarding to permissions. Like location A above, the POSIX are taking precedence over ACL, BUT, the problem only appears to affect PowerPoint Files. Accessing via SMB, PowerPoint 2007 couldn’t even open the file on read only mode! Open via AFP on PowerPoint 2008 or via SMB on PowerPoint 2007, the file could be opened in read only mode.

If the user is the owner or became the owner, the problem doesn’t happen at all.

Running ls –le on Terminal, all the ACEs and POSIX are listed properly, using Effective Permissions Inspector all permissions appears to be ok, the user have full control over the file/folder.

Does anyone have any clue?

Thank you!

Message was edited by: Rodrigo M. Ramos

MacBook black 2.2GHz, 4GB, 320GB, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Feb 16, 2009 5:15 PM

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15 replies
User profile for user: Antonio Rocco
Antonio Rocco
User level: Level 6
12,278 points

Feb 17, 2009 11:37 AM in response to Rodrigo M. Ramos

Hi

+. . . hard drive failure and I need to restore all data from a Retrospect backup to a brand new drive . . .+

I'm guessing you did not enable ACLs for that volume? Whenever enabling or disabling ACLs for a volume (replacement drive or otherwise) always restart the Server otherwise the ACLs don't 'take' and only POSIX permissions are honoured. This is the situation for 10.4. ACLs are not enabled by default. With 10.5 they are.

Try to share a folder rather than the volume itself.

Try to use the Server Administration tools that came with 10.4 to administer a 10.4 Server.

Tony
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User profile for user: rkovelman
rkovelman
User level: Level 2
320 points

Feb 18, 2009 7:16 PM in response to Rodrigo M. Ramos

In the past I have seen Retrospect not copy over ACL's and the POSIX was just wrong. What I needed to do was basically clear out all the permissions from command line and make sure all files were
Admin - read and write
Administrators - read
Everyone - read
Make sure you do this in command line and propagate permissions through out the drive. I rebooted after. I then set the share up and as "Tony" said make sure you share files NOT the volume. I then went to each folder and set up the POSIX first again. Then I enabled ACL's and rebooted. Then I re entered the ACL's and propagated again.

This is was like 2-3 years ago but it didn't fail me.
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User profile for user: Rodrigo M. Ramos
Rodrigo M. Ramos Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Feb 18, 2009 9:29 PM in response to rkovelman

rkovelman wrote:
Is the PPT files in different share points or in the same one?

*Different ones.*


If that works fine what about other office documents, word and excel?

*Only ppt opens as read only.*

How far down in the share point is it? Or levels?

*It varies a lot. Some files are 1 level deep, others are 3, 4...*

Thanks!

Message was edited by: Rodrigo M. Ramos
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User profile for user: Rodrigo M. Ramos
Rodrigo M. Ramos Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Feb 19, 2009 5:04 AM in response to rkovelman

rkovelman wrote:
Interesting are these computer bound to OD / LDAP or do they just mount the drive and save the file?

*No computer is bound yet, but they will.*

Have you tried to push permissions back down (propagate)?

Yes.

What Office is this? 2004 and 2007? Which is the mac using and vise versa?

*2008 on Macs, 2007 and 2003 on PCs.*
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User profile for user: rkovelman
rkovelman
User level: Level 2
320 points

Feb 19, 2009 7:34 AM in response to Rodrigo M. Ramos

The only Office bug that I have seen is this. Each user has a UID on there computer. If not bound to the server it goes by the UID on the system which turns out to be 100 lets say. If bound to the server and logged they use the UID off the server which no one can have the same number. Not sure if this would create a permission issue or not?

2008 on macs - make sure they are fully updated but I think the only issue was Entourage? What were the PPT files made in?

Again I am just trying to help I have no idea at this point. Sorry!
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POSIX vs. ACL

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