Indiana University’s
Research File System
What is the IU Research File System?
User 1, on campus
/user1
/user2
/collaboration
User 2, somewhere else
BACKUP
RFS Access – Samba/CIFS
RFS Access - SFTP
http://iuware.iu.edu
RFS Access - Web
RFS Access – AFS Client
RFS Access
Works with all major operating systems:
Mac, Windows and Linux/Unix
From an off-campus location, IU VPN
is required for:
– Samba
– AFS client
However, VPN is not needed for:
– Web access (https://)
– SFTP
IU VPN introduction: http://kb.iu.edu/data/ajrq.html
Right and wrong ways to use RFS
Good Uses:
• relatively small files (up to ca. 1 GB in size)
• files that are updated frequently
– remember that files can be edited directly in RFS,
using Samba or the AFS client
• frequently accessed files
• files that need to be shared, i.e. group project work
In short, treat RFS like a local hard drive, or a shared drive
Right and wrong ways to use RFS
Poor Uses:
• backups
– RFS is intended as workspace, use SDA for backups
and archiving
• files updated by multiple users at once
– for example, Access and other databases
– files that many users edit simultaneously
SDA introduction: http://kb.iu.edu/data/aiyi.html
Policies
• storage quota for individual users is 100 GB;
• additional space may be available upon request
• RFS is available to faculty, staff and graduate students;
undergraduates can be sponsored by faculty or staff
• data are backed up nightly, backups kept for 2 months
• you can request restoration of accidentally lost data
• changes from the previous day:
– kept in the 1day-backup directory
– you can restore data from 1day-backup yourself
• RFS storage system is HIPAA aligned
Collaborative work
 You can request project space, distinct from your own
user space
 Initial quota for project spaces is 100 GB
 You can define your own groups of RFS users
 no shared accounts are required
Exercises
Exercises
What we will do next:
•
•
•
•
•
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We will set up and try out every method of RFS access
We will move files around
We will open and edit files in RFS
We will recover files from the one-day backup
We will share files by using a project space
We will regulate access to project files
Exercises - Samba
Macintosh:
In the Finder, Go menu → Connect to Server... .
smb://rfs.iu.edu/username
Windows:
Right-click My Computer → Map Network Drive... .
\\rfs.iu.edu\username
http://kb.iu.edu/data/arxp.html
Exercises - SFTP
Windows:
Install WinSCP from http://iuware.iu.edu
Connect to rfs.iu.edu with your username …
Macintosh:
Install AnyClient from http://iuware.iu.edu
Connect to rfs.iu.edu with your username …
For the brave: open the Terminal window instead, type:
sftp username@rfs.iu.edu
and look here for sftp commands: http://kb.iu.edu/data/akqg.html
http://kb.iu.edu/data/asay.html
Exercises - Web
Open the browser of your choice, go to
https://rfs.iu.edu/
Log in with your username …
http://kb.iu.edu/data/arxi.html
Exercises – OpenAFS Client
Install the Kerberos client
Windows:
http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/dist/index.html
Download and run the installer: kfw-<version>.exe
Choose to install KFW Client and KFW Documentation …
For configuration files, enter: http://storage.iu.edu
Macintosh:
Your Mac should have the Kerberos client already installed.
http://kb.iu.edu/data/arxq.html
http://kb.iu.edu/data/arxr.html
Exercises – OpenAFS Client
Obtain OpenAFS here: http://www.openafs.org/release/latest.html
Windows:
Download and run either one of these installers:
OpenAFSforWindows-<latest-version>.exe
openafs-en_US-<latest version>.msi
Choose to install OpenAFS client …
Macintosh:
Download and run the appropriate version of installer:
OpenAFS-1.6.1-<large feline>.dmg
Click appropriate icon to install OpenAFS client …
http://kb.iu.edu/data/arxq.html
http://kb.iu.edu/data/arxr.html
Exercises – Projects
group rfsclass_admin
user rfsclass
r, l, d, i, w, k, a
r - read
l - look up
d - delete
i - insert
w - write
k - lock
a - administer
group rfsclass_user
all of us
r, l, d, i, w, k
\\afs\iu.edu\home\projects\UITS\RTSTOR\rfsclass
Exercises – Projects
Please form teams of 3-5 people; each team should have at least one
Windows user – nominate him/her as the project administrator.
Create a team folder in the rfsclass project space.
Check the folder’s Access
Control List (ACL)
Try changing the settings.
Exercises – Projects
Administrator:
Delete your credentials, then log back in as user rfsclass;
Remove the permissions of the group rfsclass_user;
Add r, l, d, i, w, k for every team member.
Delete your administrative credentials, then log back in as yourself.
All team members:
Move some files in and out of your team’s folder; open each other’s files,
modify them, delete them.
Try opening the files in another team’s folder!