How to use the CISER Research nodes:   File Access Control

C6. HOW TO CONTROL ACCESS TO YOUR FILES:

• DEFAULT PERMISSIONS
• By default the permissions set up for your home directory ("U:\UserX\<your netid>") allow you full control over your files and folders. Only you and the system and system administrators have access to your files on the CISER file server.  You may control who has access to your files and folders and what type of access they have.  You may add individual users or groups to the list of people who have access to all or selected files, while restricting access to all others.  See below for instructions.

• GIVING OTHER ACCESS TO YOUR FILES:
• To add access for other users to selected folders or files:
1. Right click on the icon for the folder or file to which you wish to give them access.
2. Select "properties", then choose the "security" tab.  
3. At the top of the security window you will see a list which includes the individuals and groups with current access to your files.  
4. Click the "ADD" button to the right of the current list of users.
5. A window will appear that has a textbox under "Enter the object names to select:"
• In this textbox you can enter the name or netid of the person who you wish to add, click on "Check Names" and the entry for that person should appear. Then click "OK".
6. The new names should now appear in the security window and their default permissions are shown in the checkboxes in the lower half of the window.
7. You can modify the level of access for any listed user:
1. Highlight the user's name at the top of the window.
2. Check or un-check various "ALLOW" boxes to modify access.
3. IMPORTANT: do NOT check any "DENY" boxes!  
• TIPS:
• If users are given permission to subdirectories or files, but not your main directory, they will need to know the full pathname of the folder to which they have permission in order to access those files.
•  For example: You can give a colleague access to "U:\UserX\your netid\research" but not to other folders in "U:\UserX\your netid" by modifying the security properties of the "research" folder (see below). The colleague will need to type in the full pathname "U:\UserX\your netid\research" in any explorer window (or use that pathname in program code) to access files in that directory.

• RESTRICTING ACCESS
• By default, only you and the system and its administrators have access to your files on the CISER file server.  
• It is important that you do NOT remove or alter permissions for the "system" and for "administrators".  Altering either will prevent some applications from working AND may mean that your files do NOT get backed up!
• However, you may add selected individuals to your access list, you can restrict or modify their access as follows: 
• Right-click on the icon for the folder or files in question,  select "properties", then choose the "security" tab.  
• You will see a list at the top of the properties window of the individuals and groups with access to your files.  
• When each name is highlighted the permissions granted that person show up in the "ALLOW" checkboxes at the bottom.  
• You can modify the level of access for any listed user:
• Highlight the user's name at the top of the window.
• Check or un-check various "ALLOW" boxes to modify access.
• IMPORTANT:  do NOT check any "DENY" boxes!  
• Or you can remove that user's access altogether:
• Highlight the user's name in the top of the window.  
• Select the "REMOVE" button.  
• If a box appears that says you cannot remove that group or person because the object is inheriting permissions from a parent  say " OK ", then uncheck the box at the bottom of the properties windows that says "Allow inheritable permissions from the parent to propagate to this object".  Then choose "copy" from the three options that appear.  Then proceed to "REMOVE" the group from the list.
• Click "APPLY" to complete the changes then select "OK" to exit the box.