Publishers of technology books, eBooks, and videos for creative people

Home > Articles > Apple > Operating Systems

This chapter is from the book

Configuring Apple File Service

Use Server Admin to make a folder on your server computer and share it via AFP.

Set Up a Folder for Sharing

Before a folder can be shared via any protocol, you must set it up for sharing.

  1. On your Mac OS X computer, open Server Admin, connect to your server with its DNS name, server17.pretendco.com, as ladmin (password: ladmin).
  2. Select the AFP service for your server in the left column.
  3. Click Share Points in the toolbar.
  4. Click Volumes, then click Browse.
  5. On your boot volume, navigate to Shared Items, click New Folder, name the folder Apple File Services, then click Create.
  6. Select the Apple File Services folder.

    Be sure to click the right folder before you set it as a share point in the next step.

  7. Click the Share button in the upper-right corner, then click Save.

    This item is now shared. By default, Mac OS X Server shares items over AFP and SMB only. Because you want this item to be viewable only by your Mac clients, you’ll modify the default setting so that the item is shared only via AFP.

  8. Click the Protocol Options button in the Share Point pane at the bottom of the window, and under AFP make sure that “Share this item using AFP” is enabled (it should be enabled by default).
  9. Select the checkbox labeled “Allow AFP guest access.”

    This allows users to connect anonymously, provided the AFP service is configured to allow guest users.

  10. Change the AFP name to Corporate AFP Server.

    This is the name that will be given to the volume when client computers connect to it, while preserving the original folder name when viewed from the server. On your server, you’ll want to be sure to choose names for the shares that correlate to their use. You may also want to retain the original folder name as the AFP name to avoid confusion between the name of the folder when viewed from the server versus when remotely connected from a client computer.

  11. Click the SMB tab next, and deselect the “Share this item using SMB” checkbox.
  12. Click the FTP tab next, and confirm that the checkbox labeled “Share this item using FTP” is deselected.

    Click OK to dismiss the pane, then click Save in the main Server Admin window.

    Now your shared folder named Apple File Services is visible only to Mac clients using AFP. No action needed to be taken in the FTP and NFS panes because share points are not exported as FTP or as NFS shares by default.

Configure and Start AFP Service

Because you want to share this folder using AFP, you must configure AFP service with Server Admin, and then start the AFP service.

  1. In Server Admin on your Mac OS X computer, select the AFP service, then click the Settings button in the toolbar.

    If the AFP service isn’t listed, you must first add it by choosing Add Service from the Action pop-up menu in the bottom-left corner of Server Admin.

  2. Click the Access tab, choose Any Method from the Authentication pop-up menu, and select the “Enable Guest access” option. Click Save.
  3. AFP should already be running from previous exercises. If it isn’t, start it by clicking the Start AFP button.
  4. On your Mac OS X computer, switch to the Finder and use Connect to Server to connect to your server at server17.pretendco.com.
  5. Connect as a guest user.
  6. Select the Corporate AFP Server share point and click OK.

    The Corporate AFP Server share point should open in your Finder as a folder.

    Note that an icon for the network volume does not appear on your desktop, but an eject icon does appear next to your server in the Finder window sidebar.

  7. Unmount the Corporate AFP Server share point.

Restrict Access to Files

Now that you have shared the Apple File Services folder, modify the permissions to restrict access to the files.

  1. On your Mac OS X computer in Server Admin, click the File Sharing button in the toolbar, and then click the Share Points button, followed by the Browse button. Select the Apple File Services share point.
  2. Click the New Folder button in the upper-right corner of Server Admin and create a folder inside Apple File Services called Press Releases. Click Save.

    You can create folders and share points using Server Admin without actually going to your server computer.

  3. Create a second new folder inside Apple File Services called Snow Leopard Development. Click Save.
  4. Click the Snow Leopard Development folder in Server Admin.
  5. In the Permissions pane, change the POSIX permissions as follows:
    • Owner: student1, Read & Write
    • Group: admin, Read & Write
    • Others: No Access
  6. Click Save.

Set Other AFP Options

You now have a basic AFP share ready for use. However, it’s possible you may need to set some additional settings. Next, you’re going to look at the various other options you can configure for an AFP share.

  1. In Server Admin, select the AFP service and click the Settings button in the toolbar.
  2. In the General pane, type some text in the Login Greeting box.

    This message will be displayed to each user who connects to the Apple File Service on your server. If users don’t have to see the message every time they connect, you can configure the Apple File Service to display it just once for each user.

  3. Select the checkbox for “Do not send same greeting twice to the same user.”

    Users will now see the message the first time they connect. They won’t see a message again until you change the greeting.

  4. Click Save.
  5. Click the Access tab.
  6. Select “Enable administrator to masquerade as any registered user” if it isn’t already selected.

    With this option enabled, you can simulate another user’s access: You can authenticate to the AFP service by providing the other user’s name, then providing any administrator’s password. This is helpful when troubleshooting permissions issues.

Limit Concurrent Users

In some cases, it may be useful to put limits on the number of users who can be connected to your server at any one time. This can be particularly useful if your server isn’t very powerful, or if you have a very slow network connection. In most cases, you’ll always want to set the number of maximum connections to a number higher than the number of guest connections to leave room for real users to connect to your server.

  1. Under Maximum Connections, change the setting for Guest Connections from Unlimited to 3.
  2. Change the setting for Client Connections to 10.

    This limits the number of users who can be connected to the Apple File Service simultaneously to 10.

    Of the 10 possible users who can be connected at one time, only 3 of them can be connected anonymously.

  3. Click Save.

Keep Error and Access Logs

Logs are critical assets for diagnosing any problem, including AFP issues. Certain laws or company policies may also require you to keep logs of activity on your server. Configuring your server to create error and access logs is done through Server Admin as well.

  1. Click the Logging tab.
  2. Select every checkbox.
  3. Click Save.

    This will enable all the possible logs, including both access and error logs. This will save information about such actions as when a user connects to your AFP server (Login), disconnects (Logout), reads or copies a file (Open File), creates a new file or folder, or deletes a file or folder. Additionally, there is a setting to archive the logs after a specified number of days. This is useful on a high-traffic server where the logs would otherwise grow too large and possibly fill your disk.

Use Your Server for Time Machine Backups

Normally, for Mac OS X you would configure Time Machine to back up to a second hard drive directly connected to a given computer. However, you can use a remote AFP share for this purpose as well by selecting the “Enable as Time Machine backup destination” option in a share point’s Share Point pane.

Peachpit Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from Peachpit and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about Peachpit products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites; develop new products and services; conduct educational research; and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email ask@peachpit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by Adobe Press. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.peachpit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020