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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
Configure network resource sharing
services
Inside this reading
Intranet Resource Sharing Services
2
LAN Based File Sharing
3
LAN Based Print Sharing
6
Client Computer Configuration
8
Summary
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
Intranet resource sharing services
An intranet is a computer network that uses Internet protocols (IP) and
network connections to securely share information between computer users.
Briefly, an intranet can be understood as 'a private version of the Internet'.
Intranets can have a variety of hosts on the network including workstations,
printers, routers and servers.
Now traditional IP data sharing services were designed for slow, remote
connections and are generally unsuited for Local Area Networks (LANs).
As a result, each of the major operating system vendors have adopted their
own high speed, user-friendly data sharing systems for LANs. This applies
equally to Microsoft based systems, Macintosh systems, Novell systems and
Unix Based systems. Each vendor will claim their system has advantages
over others. It is not the purpose of these notes to provide specific details
about each system. Rather these notes will examine the basic network
components involved in resource sharing in an Intranet environment.
LAN-based resource sharing in an Intranet will vary depending on the
operating system it is implemented on.
A ‘Standard Intranet’, which is based on the Internet resource sharing model
provides for:

File Transfer and directory management through ftp client/server
software

Download File transfer through an FTP capable browser

Printing through the IPP Internet Printing Protocol.

Configuration ability of a remote host through TELNET.
However, few commercial network operating systems require this
formalised approach to resource sharing when the hosts all reside on the
same high speed network.
Within the LAN environment the concept of a network visible resource is
used as the basis of network sharing. Each network visible resource can be
located by name and may be integrated into the user’s desktop on their local
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
computer. Such network resources then appear in the desktop environment
in the same way that a local drive or printer appears.
A network visible resource is normally a directory or printer on a host
computer connected to the network that is configured to allow access over
the network.
LAN-based file sharing
Each operating system that has network capabilities will support LAN-based
File sharing. The actual process involved in configuring an operating system
to share files with another computer will vary based upon the operating
systems being used. Processes that are commonly used are listed below.
Configuring the network interface for resource sharing
In some networks, the network interface that the computer presents to the
rest of the network must be specifically configured to allow resources
sharing.
Fig 1 Enabling Resource Sharing
For any specialised server operating system, this type of facility should be
enabled by default.
Configuring the actual resource to be shared on the
network.
The task of configuring specific resources to be shared across a network will
normally involve two processes. Once again, different operating systems
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
deal with this in different ways. However the name that identifies this
resource is important as it is then used to access the resource from another
computer. Microsoft Windows uses the Universal Naming Convention
(UNC) path that consists of \\HOSTNAME\RESOURCENAME (Also shown
as \\ServerName\ShareName).
Fig 2 Naming a network resource
The first process is to define the name that will identify the resource in the
network environment. This name does not have to be the same as the actual
resource’s name. Once named the resource should be visible through the
network interface from any computer on the network.
Fig 3 Viewing network resources
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
The second process is to define user permission that governs access to the
resource. This involves identifying the users who require access to the
resources and the type of permissions they require to work effectively with
the resource.
Fig 4 Allocating user permissions to a resource.
It is important to remember, that the user’s access permissions to a file on a
network share will be based on the permissions available in file system
being used on the drive. For example, a network share of a FAT32 drive will
not have as many file security permission options as the same file on an
NTFS drive.
Some Operating systems also provide enhanced data sharing facilities.
In Windows 2000/2003 systems, there is the capability to provide a virtual
file system. This facility is called Distributed File System (DFS) and
allows for all shared resources to be configured, regardless of which host
they reside on, to appear to the end user as a single directory structure.
Netware server operating systems are highly compatible with both
Microsoft and Unix network systems. Macintosh operating systems have
basic compatibility with Microsoft intranet network environments as well.
Other operating systems may also provide file-sharing emulations to
enhance their compatibility with other networks. Many Unix systems can be
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
configured with Samba that provides an emulation of a Windows’ network
file system. Macintosh systems can install a virtual PC emulation to allow
them to operate as an XP client computer.
Your challenge then is to identify the procedures for your operating system
that will allow file resources to be accessible over a network.
LAN-based print sharing
Components of a network printing system
Network printing systems have two main components.
The first component is the printer. The printer will have a physical
connection that may be a standard centronics (parallel) interface, a serial
interface (RS-232 or USB), an infrared interface or a network card interface.
The second component of a network printing system is a software device
called a printer queue. A printer queue is a buffering mechanism allowing
print jobs to be stored until the printer is ready to process them. A printer
queue normally has printer driver software associated with the queue,
providing the device specific protocols required to pass jobs on to the printer
device.
Sharing printers over an Intranet.
The sharing of printers over a network may take a number of different
forms.
Network printers may be attached to a specific host computer through a
parallel or serial connection. In this case, the printer becomes another
resource of that host and may be shared in much the same way as file
resources are shared.
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
Fig 5 Configuring a share name for a printer.
Share names must be created to identify the resource and appropriate
permissions allocated to the user accounts that will be accessing the
resource.
Fig 6 Creating a print queue on a client computer using a UNC path
Using this method in a windows environment, the printer would have its
own UNC share name and the printer queue on the client computer would
be configured to send its print jobs to the UNC path of the printer.
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
Alternatively, network printing can occur when the printer in question is
network capable. This means that the printer has a network card and is
configured with an IP address of its own. When configured in this way, it
becomes an independent network host. Host computers can then be
configured to access it by IP address.
Fig 7 Creating a print queue on a client computer using an IP address
Using this method, the printer queue on the client computer is configured to
access the printer directly through either a domain name or an IP address.
Client computer configuration
It is important that network resources are configured to be easily accessed
by users of the system. Most operating systems provide features that allow
this to happen. The most common methods of integrating network resources
into the user interface on a client computer are listed below.
Drive mapping
Drive mapping has been used over many years as a way of making user
access to a network file resource easier. Drive mapping is a system where a
network file resource is associated with a drive letter on the client machine.
Because the drive letter is configured at the client computer, each user could
potentially have a different drive letter to refer to the same resource.
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
Fig 8 Mapping a drive letter to a UNC path
To avoid confusion however, it is better that drive letters be consistent
across all users in the system. For example, a commonly used drive mapping
found on many systems is the drive letter U: to point to the user’s individual
home directory.
Printers may also be mapped to the client computer’s printer ports. When
this occurs, the printer appears as if it is directly connected to the client’s
computer.
Login scripts
Another way of tailoring the users environment to access network resources
can be through the use of a login script. Most operating systems provide
their own script language. In Windows, a script can be in the form of a batch
file or visual basic program. In Unix login scripts are often referred to as
shell scripts and will be in the language of the shell the user is working on.
Macintosh systems use Applescript.
In this learning object, scripts are of value if they allow you to configure
network resources for the user each time they log into the network. Scripting
languages must allow you to use commands that will associate network
resources to objects within the user’s desktop.
Common types of functions found in a login script are:

Displaying messages that relate to the current status of the network
system

Clearing out of any drive or printer mappings that may exist on the
local computer from previous users

Mapping relevant file resources to local drive letters.
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services

Mapping relevant printer resources to local printer ports.
In the windows environment, the use of command line statements stored in a
text file with a '.BAT' extension is common and easy to use. In this case, use
of the 'NET USE' command would allow both drive and printer mappings to
occur.
Login Scripts are particularly useful as they allow the one script to configure
the user environment of a number of users with common requirements. The
script can be changed at any time, and each time the user logs on, the script
is reloaded and executed. One of the tasks required of a network
administrator is a thorough knowledge of the specific scripting language for
the network operating system in use.
Example: A Windows login script file:
@echo off
echo Login Script for all users
net use H: \\FS-MU-01\%username%
net use O: \\FS-MU-01\Office
net use U: \\FS-MU-01\Utilities
net use LPT1: \\FS-MU-01\PR-MU-01
net use
The file can be named anything you like but is often called simply login.bat
For Windows Server 2003 operating as a domain controller, this login script
would be located on the server in the folder:
c:\windows\sysvol\sysvol\yourdomainname.com\scripts
and the user accounts on the domain controller need to be told to execute
this script for each new logon.
Without a domain controller you could locate the script file on the
workstation and put a link to it in the Start Up menu. For Windows XP
Start->All Programs->Startup by adding a shortcut to the folder:
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.
User profiles
In some Operating systems, there is a mechanism that allows the details of a
user’s computer configuration to be recorded. In the Windows environment
this is called a user’s profile. In a user’s profile, all features of the user
environment that have been modified from the ‘standard’ configuration are
retained. Mostly these changes relate to modifications of the user’s
‘desktop’.
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Reading: Configure network resource sharing services
While user profiles will store the configuration of many network resource
mappings, they are very labour intensive to manage. Resource mapping
should, whenever possible, be done through a login script.
Client software
In some cases, accessing network resources requires specific software to be
installed on a client’s computer. This could include software such as an FTP
Client, HTTP browser or a TELNET (or alternatively a Terminal Services)
client.
When this is required, research the available software alternatives and
ensure that the package chosen integrates with the client computers
operating system and is easy to use. Often such packages have a ‘standard’
version and a ‘deluxe’ version of the same program. Any comparison
between packages must always come back to the package’s features and
cost.
Macintosh and Unix systems also have software that will emulate other
operating systems.
Summary
Network resource sharing is an important part of any network. It is
important that you, as the network administrator, fully investigate the
methods used by your operating system to share resources across the
network. By integrating these resources into the user’s computer
environment, you are ensuring the best possible use of the network resource.
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