Sams Teach Yourself MCSE Windows NT Server 4 in 14 Days
(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): David Schaer, et al
ISBN: 0672311283
Publication Date: 12/15/97

Chapter 8
Managing Network Resources

by David Schaer, John Hales, Edgar Torres, and Theresa Hadden

8.1. Overview

This chapter focuses on the requirements necessary to make data available securely to others on the network. The chapter explains the proper methodology for establishing share permissions and demonstrates the interaction between Share and Local permissions.

In addition to managing shares, at the conclusion of this chapter you should be confident that you could determine which print setup is appropriate in a given situation, how to configure the proper print scenario, and how to troubleshoot basic printing errors.

8.1.1. Objectives

The following are the objectives for the Windows NT Server and Enterprise exams:

•  Adding and configuring a printer

•  Implementing a printer pool

•  Setting print priorities

•  Managing disk resources by creating and sharing resources, as well as implementing permissions and security

•  Choosing the appropriate course of action to take to resolve printer problems

•  Choosing the appropriate course of action to take to resolve resource access problems and permission problems

8.1.2. Fast Facts

The following list of facts is a concise picture of the information presented in this chapter. It acts as both an overview for the chapter and as a study aid to help you do any last-minute cramming.

•  Only administrators and server operators can create shares on NT domain controllers.

•  Permissions on shares can augment permissions set on files and directories.

•  Access rights are collective unless a user or a group they are a member of is granted NO ACCESS.

•  Default share permissions are set to Everyone Full Control.

•  When Share and NTFS permissions are combined the most restrictive permissions apply.

•  You monitor active shares by using Server Manager.

•  Pausing the server service before disconnecting users from a share will prevent them from reconnecting.

•  Share permissions are the only vehicle in NT for securing FAT partitions.

•  A connection limit can control the number of concurrent connections to a share point.

•  Older DOS-based clients might not be able to access shares with names longer than 8.3 characters in length.

•  When accessing data from across the network you are a member of the network group.

•  When accessing data interactively you are a member of the interactive group.

•  A printer is a virtual device; it is the software interface between the application and the printer.

•  A print device is a physical device; it is the actual physical printing hardware.

•  The DLC protocol must be installed as a protocol if you want to print to the Hewlett-Packard Network Port.

•  By default, the EVERYONE group is granted print permission when a new printer is created.

•  By default, only members of Administrators, Server Operators, and Print Operators can control a new printer.

•  Multiple printers can point to a single print device.

•  A printer can be serviced by a print device that is either local or remote.

•  A printer pool is created by pointing a single printer to multiple print devices.

•  Print jobs sent to a printer during hours of unavailability will remain in the spooler until the printer is available.

•  Print drivers from NT 3. x cannot be used on NT 4.0.

•  It is better to install a print driver centrally on the print server rather than at each individual client. This is the case when clients are Windows 95 or NT.

•  Changing a printer’s priority will change the default priority of print jobs serviced by the printer.

•  Although NT can print to a Novell NetWare print server, the driver must be manually installed on the client.

•  The right to access specific printers can be granted on a user or group level.

•  If applications do not support reprinting of documents, the printer can be set to hold printed documents in the spooler.

•  Printing to a TCP/IP-based print device requires Microsoft TCP/IP print services to be installed.

•  UNIX-based clients can print to an NT-based printer if the printer is running the Line Printer Daemon.

•  The default location for spooling is on the boot partition. This can be changed by modifying the registry.

8.2. Sharing Directories

Setting up a server and installing all the hardware, making it fault tolerant, setting permissions on files and folders, setting up users and groups, and creating policies is all for naught without the capability to access the data across the network. If you are familiar with NetWare, this concept might seem foreign to you.

In NetWare, access to folders is automatic if you have the appropriate rights (or in NT parlance, permissions). Windows NT, however, does not operate in this manner. In NT, access to data across the network cannot take place until the data is first shared. Once shared, data can be accessed across the network, subject to NTFS and share permissions.

8.2.1. Who Can Share Data?

The question is, who can share data? Average users do not have that authority. The following can share data:

•  Administrators

•  The Power Users group on NT Workstation or NT Server installed as a Member or stand-alone server

•  The Server Operators group

8.2.2. What Can Be Shared?

Only folders can be shared, but once shared, they will remain available as long as the computer is running, regardless of who is currently logged on. When a folder is shared, all the information in that folder and all subfolders will also be available. NTFS permissions can be set on folders as well as on files.

The Server service must also be started for the data to be accessed.