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Level 1

46 points

Understanding Network User's Home Folder Location

I am somewhat confused as to the difference between setting a network user's home folder location as "Local Only" or as a shared folder. I researched this and found a number of documents including https://help.apple.com/advancedserveradmin/mac/3.1/#apd973935ea-5ca3-43fa-9962-1 ba4d343d730 but am still confused.

I currently understand this situation to be as follows:

1. If a network user's home folder location is specified as "Local Only" then the home folders a)will be located on the server b) will be available to the user only the user logs into the server from the server and c) will not be available to be synced to the client [because they are not available when logging into the server from a client].

2. If a network user's home folder location is specified as a shared folder then the home folders a) will be located on the server b) will be available to the user when they log into the server from any client and c) will be available to be synced to client. When the home folder location is specified as a shared folder whether they are or are not synced to the client is controlled in Profile Manager's OS X's "mobility" settings.

3. With respect to the above:

i) Am I correct in my understanding and, if not, then please correct it.

ii) Can a users //Server/Users/User Name folder be configured as a shared folder that can be "made available for home directories"?

iii) Can the "standard" share folders [i.e. Documents, Music, etc,] be configured as shared folders that can be "made available for home directories"?

iv) For security purposes is it better to a) have a different shared folder for each users' home folder or b) one shared folder for all users' home folder. The confusing / issue is whether one shared folder for all users' home folders creates a security issue in that it enables all users access to see what other users have in their home folders[which, as an aside, I think it would].

Thanks in advance for your help!

Joel

MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Aug 10, 2014 10:35 AM

17 replies

JoelcYYZ Author

Level 1

46 points

Aug 12, 2014 4:30 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant Bennet-Alder wrote:

The unusual case is when that same Portable-Home User connects to the Server, not with their own devices but with a clustered computer. They were then presented with a dialog (by default) that asked whether they would like to create a local Home folder on this device as well, using their account on the Server as the source to sync from. One choice was NOT to create a local copy, but to operate as a Network user, using the Home on the Server. If they did much more than checked their email or surfed the Web, then their Server Home could potentially be out-of-sync with the Home on their own device.

Gant:

Appreciate what you are saying but note that this issue / problem is one of training / understanding of the users...one would hope that they would either be taught or understand what they are doing [i.e. it is not that tough, I understand it!]...the above scenario would be problematic because the server's home folder and the portable device's home folder on the user's personal device would be out of sync and files could potentially get lost.

I am -- as you know -- far from an IT Professional let alone a System Administrator but the more I think about it the more I am convinced that the best thing to do is i) set myself up as a Portable User [because I know what I am doing meaning that in the event that I log onto the network using another device I won't sync the server to the device] and ii) set everyone else up as a Local User because they rarely,if ever, use a device other than their own].

What are you comments / thoughts on whether the above setup noting that should you think there is a ether way to go please explain it to me.

Thanks,

Joel

Aug 12, 2014 7:43 AM in response to JoelcYYZ

When you are developing strong opinions about how it ought to work, you have the needed level of understanding.

Now as a Political matter, you need to include some key end-Users in the process, and allow them to make some choices so that they will feel some ownership and support the decisions. Otherwise they have this "thrust upon them" and will fight you whether it is right or wrong.

Then go forward with confidence.

Understanding Network User's Home Folder Location