Dataset/Sharing Question [Newbie]

[Hazimil]

Hi, I’m new to FreeNAS and am currently playing with it in a Virtual environment (I want to get used to it before I purchase hardware), and am slightly confused about datasets and sharing!

I’ve created a volume called volume1, which has a dataset called downloads (default options, except Windows ACL). I need the data in this dataset accessible by all users on the network (but they are not allowed to delete/add files), so I have created a Windows (CIFS) Share called downloads (default options, but with Export Read Only and Allow Guest Access ticked), which points to this dataset.

I have tested this, and any PC on the network is able to connect to this share, and access the files without altering them (which is what I need), however I have one user (Me!) who needs to be able to create/add files within the dataset.

How do I go about doing this? At the moment I have just created another CIFS share which points to the top-level volume, and added the user to Auxiliary group wheel.

Is this the way to do it, or is there a better way?

Thanks, Jonathan

 

[diedrichg]

Datasets are ways of segregating directory structures so that you can set specific user permissions.

Basically:
Ted and Bob can read but not write to "downloads"

Ted can read/write to "ted" but Bob can not

Bob can read/write to "bob" but Ted can not

Ted & Bob can read/write to "family"

Do a search of the forums, there are much better explanations and examples but this should get you started.

 

[cyberjock]

Uh, datasets bring nothing to the table in regards to user permissions that a folder doesn't. What datasets *do* allow you to do is have a whole different set of ZFS properties and isolate your data for ZFS snapshots/replication.

 

[9C1 Newbee]

This is a great question I just never asked.

 

[Dlukky]

Have u tried changing the permissions on a windows machine and let windows handle it not freenas?

 

[Hazimil]

Uh, datasets bring nothing to the table in regards to user permissions that a folder doesn't. What datasets *do* allow you to do is have a whole different set of ZFS properties and isolate your data for ZFS snapshots/replication.

So I could have just one dataset (to not complicate matters), create some folders and manage it via shares?

Have u tried changing the permissions on a windows machine and let windows handle it not freenas?

No, I was hoping to do it all from within FreeNAS, that way I only need to do one set of administration.

Jonathan

 

[alexg]

Windows "previous version" feature only works at the dataset level. So, if you create a CIFS that is a sub-directory and not a dataset, it will not work