Managing Access to Shared Folders

Managing Access to Shared Folders

Introduction:

The Windows Server organizes files into directories that are graphically

represented as folders. These folders contain all types of files and can contain subfolders.  Some of these folders are reserved for operating system files and program files. Shared  folders give users access to files and folders over a network. Users can connect to the  shared folder over the network to access the folders and files they contain. Shared folders  can contain applications, public data, or a user’s personal data.

What Are Shared Folders?

Sharing a folder is when a folder is made accessible to multiple users simultaneously over the network. After a folder is shared, users can access all of the files and subfolders in the shared folder if they are granted permission. You can place shared folders on a file server and also place them on any computer on the network. You can store files in shared folders according to categories or functions. For example, you can place shared data files in one shared folder and shared application files in another.

Characteristics of shared folders

Some of the most common characteristics of shared folders are as follows:

•

A shared folder appears in Windows Explorer as an icon of a hand holding the

folder.

•

You can only share folders, not individual files. If multiple users need access to the

same file, you must place the file in a folder and then share the folder.

•

When a folder is shared, the Read permission is granted to the Everyone group as

the default permission. Remove the default permission and grant the Change

permission or Read permission to groups as needed.

•

When users or groups are added to a shared folder, the default permission is Read.

•

When you copy a shared folder, the original shared folder is still shared, but the

copy is not shared. When a shared folder is moved to another location, the folder is

no longer shared.

•

You can hide a shared folder if you put a dollar sign ($) after the name of the

shared folder. The user cannot see the shared folder in the user interface, but a user

can access the shared folder by typing the Universal Naming Convention (UNC)

name, for example,

\\server\secrets$

.

Creating a Shared Folder

When you create a shared folder, you give it a shared folder name and provide a comment that describes the folder and its contents. You can also limit the number of users who can access the folder, grant permissions, and share the same folder multiple times.

Procedure using Windows Explorer

To create a shared folder by using Windows Explorer:

1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the folder, and then click

Sharing and Security

.

2. In the

Properties

dialog box, on the

Sharing

tab, configure the options described in the following:-

•

Share this folder

Click to share the folder.

•

Share name

Enter the name that users from remote locations use to connect to the

shared folder. The default shared folder name is the folder name. This option is

required.

•

Note

: Some client computers that connect to a shared folder only see a limited

number of characters.

•

Description

Enter an optional description for the shared folder. You can use this

comment to identify the contents of the shared folder.

•

User Limit

Enter the number of users who can concurrently connect to the shared  folder. This option is not required if you click

•

Maximum Allowed

current Windows client operating systems supports up to 10 concurrent connections.

•

Permissions

Click to set the shared folder permissions that apply only when the

folder is accessed over the network. This option is not required. By default, the

Everyone group is granted the Read permission for all new shared folders

Connecting to Shared Folders

After you create a shared folder, users can access the folder across the network. Users can access a shared folder on another computer by using My Network Places, the  Map Network Drive feature, or the Run command on the Start menu.

Procedure using the Run command

When you use the Run command on the Start menu to connect to a network resource, a drive letter is not required. This enables you to connect to the shared folder an unlimited number of times, independent of available drive letters.

1. Click Start, and then click Run

.

2. In the Run dialog box, enter a UNC path, and then click OK

Reference:

Eng. Eman R. Al-Kurdi

Islamic University of Gaza

Faculty of engineering

Computer Department.