Managing StreetTalk for Windows NT Services
The first six chapters of this guide discuss creating and managing file services on a StreetTalk for Windows NT server. The remaining six chapters, starting with Chapter 7, discuss creating and managing print services on the server.
Unless otherwise specified, all management tasks discussed in this guide are performed using StreetTalk Explorer.
Chapter 1 - Introduction to StreetTalk for Windows NT File Services
Overview of StreetTalk for Windows NT File Services
When you install StreetTalk for Windows NT software, you have the option of installing StreetTalk File software. Install the StreetTalk File software on your StreetTalk for Windows NT server if you want the server to provide the following resources for Banyan client workstations:
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VINES Files - This service supplies Banyan network files to Banyan client workstations. ![]()
StreetTalk File services - This service shares specified directories on the Windows NT Server with Banyan clients.
This chapter describes key features of a StreetTalk for Windows NT File service. It explains how installing StreetTalk File software on a Windows NT Server enables sharing of Windows NT directories with Banyan clients and describes the different methods for sharing Windows NT directories. It also explains where to find information in later chapters about creating, configuring, and providing users access to StreetTalk file services.
The StreetTalk for Windows NT file system supports the File Allocation Table (FAT) file system and the Windows NT File System (NTFS) on the following Banyan clients: DOS, Windows, Windows 95/98, Windows NT, and OS/2.
StreetTalk for Windows NT does not support Macintosh clients; Macintosh clients cannot store or share files on a StreetTalk file service.
StreetTalk File can share any type of drive that the host Windows NT Server can connect to. This includes, but is not limited to, NTFS, FAT, HPFS, CD-ROM, optical read/write drives, remote network drives, ZIP drives, and diskette drives. StreetTalk File can share directories on any file system supported by the Windows NT Server, regardless of the file system type on which you install the StreetTalk File software.
File System Size
StreetTalk File supports any size file system on the Windows NT Server.
Banyan File Security and Attributes
You control access to StreetTalk file services using Banyan Access Rights Lists (ARLs) and attributes. Setting the ARL for a file service requires you to set the ARL option for the service and edit the ARL itself. Refer to "Modifying the Access Rights List (ARL) Option" in Chapter 3 for information about setting the ARL option for a file service. Refer to Chapter 4 for a complete explanation of Banyan file security.
Long Filenames
StreetTalk File supports file and directory names consisting of greater than 8 characters and a three-character file extension. Long filenames can consist of as many as 255 characters, including all of the characters considered valid for DOS 8.3 names, special characters, and additional characters valid for long filenames only, but not for aliases. The following characters can be used to name files and directories in a StreetTalk file service:
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All standard alphanumeric characters ![]()
Certain special characters: $ % ` - _ @ ( ) ^ # & SPACE + , ; = [ ]
Not all Banyan clients support long and international filenames. Long and international filename support exists only in the Banyan Enterprise Client for Windows 95, Release 3, revision 7.12(0) and greater, and the Banyan Enterprise Client for Windows NT Release 4, revision 5.56(30) and greater. Previous versions of all Banyan clients (Windows, DOS, and OS/2) cannot read long filenames. If a StreetTalk file service shares a directory on an NTFS volume, long filenames within that directory are truncated when viewed from these older Banyan clients. When opening files with long or international filenames, these clients must specify the truncated name. Earlier versions of all Banyan clients can save files to NTFS volumes by specifying filenames according to the standard DOS 8.3 naming convention.
Not all applications support long filenames. Even if the operating system and the Banyan Enterprise client software on your workstation support long filenames, you are restricted to the DOS 8.3 naming convention if the application does not support long filenames.
Aliases
The long filename is the primary name. The file system generates an alias for every primary name. The alias is DOS 8.3 uppercase name. An alias is automatically generated whenever a primary name:
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Contains more than 8 characters followed by a three-character extension ![]()
Contains lower-case characters ![]()
Contains characters not allowed in an 8.3 name
StreetTalk File allows Windows 95/98 and Windows NT clients that support long and international filenames to share files with DOS or Windows 3.x clients that restrict file and directory names to 8 characters and a three-character extension.
DOS or Windows 3.x clients can access a file or directory that has a long filename by specifying its alias.
International Filenames
StreetTalk File supports international filenames for DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98, and Windows NT clients. For DOS clients, double-byte character filenames are truncated to 8.3 standards.
Copying File Attributes
StreetTalk File supports VINES and DOS file attributes, and OS/2 Extended Attributes. OS/2 Extended Attributes are supported when copying files using the Banyan VCOPY command. Refer to "Copying Files into StreetTalk File Directories" in Chapter 3 for more information on copying files and file attributes.
To create a file service, the StreetTalk File software must be running in the Windows NT Service Manager. In addition, your StreetTalk name must be on the AdminList for both of the following groups :
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The group where you are creating the service ![]()
The group Servername@Servers for the StreetTalk for Windows NT Server where you are creating the file service
If you did not initially install the StreetTalk File software when you installed the StreetTalk for Windows NT software, add the software by running the StreetTalk for Windows NT installation program. Select a custom installation and select the StreetTalk File component from among the list of components to install.
The StreetTalk File software runs as a service on the Windows NT Server. After installing StreetTalk File, you can create file services by assigning StreetTalk names to directories on a Windows NT Server. Banyan clients connect to the Windows NT directory by specifying the StreetTalk name assigned to the directory. The Banyan access rights for the service determine who can use it. A single installation of the StreetTalk File software supports multiple StreetTalk file services, each of which can be independently started, stopped, and managed.
Installing the StreetTalk File software on your Windows NT Server lets you give Banyan clients on DOS, OS/2, Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98, and Windows NT workstations access to specified files and directories stored on that server. You do not need to set or change the Windows NT permissions for a directory to make it available to your Banyan clients. StreetTalk File runs under the Windows NT SYSTEM account, which has default access to all files and directories on the server. Sharing is accomplished through the mapping of a StreetTalk name to the directory and is done independently of the native Windows NT file sharing mechanism.
Assigning a StreetTalk name to a Windows NT directory creates a StreetTalk share. This StreetTalk share appears to Banyan clients as a Banyan file service that users can find and share through the StreetTalk Naming service. You can assign a StreetTalk name to a single Windows NT directory tree or to a group of directories in separate trees.
Type of File Service | Description |
Single Share | Assigns a StreetTalk name to a Single Windows NT directory tree |
Group Share | Assigns a StreetTalk name to a group of Windows NT directories in separate directory trees |
Each Windows NT directory or set of Windows NT directories to which you assign a StreetTalk name becomes a Banyan file service on the StreetTalk for Windows NT Server. You can add a file service to any Windows NT Server to which you have the appropriate administrative access.
Configuring the StreetTalk Server to Support StreetTalk File
To support StreetTalk for Windows NT File, you need to properly configure network communications on your StreetTalk server. For information on how to change the following settings, refer to the StreetTalk for Windows NT Installation Guide.
Configuring the Communications Heap
Set the size of the Communications Heap to 8192 KB or greater.
Configuring the SPP Connections
Increase the total number of SPP connections to a value equal to the number of projected concurrent file sessions that you anticipate on the Windows NT Server.
You can configure a maximum of 8000 SPP connections.
Preserving StreetTalk Access ARLs
You must uninstall StreetTalk Access for Windows NT before installing StreetTalk File. StreetTalk for Windows NT does not support an upgrade from StreetTalk Access or Toucan StreetDrive. The ARLs for a file service created by these products are not automatically preserved when upgrading to StreetTalk for Windows NT.
Before uninstalling StreetTalk Access, record the ARL settings that exist on your StreetTalk Access for Windows NT system so that, following the upgrade to StreetTalk for Windows NT, you can reproduce these settings. The DumpARL utility included with your StreetTalk Access software records the current ARL settings. Refer to your StreetTalk Access documentation for more information about using DumpARL. Refer to Chapter 2 of the StreetTalk for Windows NT Installation Guide for more information about upgrading from StreetTalk Access for Windows NT.
Use the following methods to preserve ARLs from a StreetTalk Access file service:
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VCOPY files to another file service ![]()
Copy the ARL data files from the StreetTalk Access server
Using VCOPY to Preserve StreetTalk Access ARLs
Note: StreetTalk Access file services do not support long filenames or OS/2 Extended Attributes (EAs). When copying files from a StreetTalk Access file service, VCOPY preserves ARLs, but not long filenames or OS/2 EAs.
1. Use VCOPY to copy the files from the StreetTalk Access file service to a file service on another Banyan server. Refer to "Using the Banyan VCOPY Command" in Chapter 3 for more information about using VCOPY.
2. Install StreetTalk for Windows NT, including the StreetTalk File service.
3. Create a StreetTalk file service. Refer to Chapter 2 for information about creating StreetTalk file services.
4. Use VCOPY to copy the files from the other Banyan server to the new file service.
Copying Data Files to Preserve StreetTalk Access ARLs
1. Copy the following files from the DATA directory of the StreetTalk Access system: FILES.IDX and ARLS.
2. Uninstall StreetTalk Access.
3. Install StreetTalk for Windows NT, including the StreetTalk File service.
4. Create StreetTalk file services that map to the same Windows NT directories as were mapped in StreetTalk Access.
5. From the Windows NT Services Controller, select StreetTalk File, and click Stop.
6. Copy the files FILES.IDX and ARLs to the following directory:
Program Files\Banyan\StreetTalk File\DATA
7. Restart StreetTalk File. StreetTalk file services will use the ARLs created for the StreetTalk Access file services that mapped to the same Windows NT directories.
Sharing Files and Directories Across Client Types
Sharing files across client types requires some mechanism for synchronizing the information each file system maintains for its files and directories.
File systems use specific conventions for file naming, sharing, security, and management. A number of considerations exist when sharing files among multiple users and platforms.
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Types of client workstations ![]()
Security ![]()
File and directory naming ![]()
File modes ![]()
File and record locking ![]()
File attributes (including OS/2 Extended Attributes) ![]()
Date and time created, last accessed, and last modified
To support file sharing among different clients, each time you create a new StreetTalk file or directory, the StreetTalk file service generates multiple names for it, a primary name and one or more secondary names or aliases. The primary name is based on the naming rules of the file system in which the component is created. Alias names are created to conform to the rules of other file system(s) in which the component is shared. To derive names for a component the StreetTalk File Service follows the XOPEN rules adopted by Microsoft Corporation to coordinate DOS FAT and OS/2 High Performance File System (HPFS) names.
Note: DOS and OS/2 FAT naming rules are more restrictive than NTFS naming rules. Naming files and directories according to DOS and OS/2 FAT conventions minimizes naming problems.
Renaming Directories or Files
If you change the name of a directory or a file for one type of client, the name changes for other client types according to the naming rules. Typically a FAT client viewing a long filename truncates the name to the first 6 characters, followed by a tilde (~) and a numeral.
Example: Renaming an 8.3 Filename to a Long Filename
Rename the file filename.doc to longfilename.doc.
The name of the new file appears as follows:
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Clients that support long filenames see the entire new name. ![]()
Clients that do not support long filenames see a truncated name, such as longfi~1.doc
Example: Renaming a Long Filename to an 8.3 Filename
Rename the file longfilename.doc to filename.doc.
All clients see the entire new name.
Synchronization Across File Systems
StreetTalk File supports the following DOS file security features.
Open or Sharing Modes
Open or Sharing Mode allows a user to open a file and prevents other users from reading or writing to that file.
File and Record Locking
DOS uses a byte range-locking feature to lock files and records. StreetTalk File treats the file as locked if the DOS file is locked.
You can add two types of StreetTalk shares:
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Single directory share ![]()
Group share
Add a share for a single Windows NT directory to associate a StreetTalk name with a Windows NT directory and its subdirectories. Users setting a network drive to the StreetTalk name for the file service can access the corresponding Windows NT directory and all of the files and subdirectories it contains.
Add a StreetTalk group share to associate a single StreetTalk name with a logical grouping of Windows NT directories. The directories that compose the group share can reside on multiple disks and in multiple directory trees. Group shares are commonly used to group CD-ROMs under a single StreetTalk name. Users connecting to a StreetTalk group share are able to access multiple, related directories from the single drive connection. Clients setting a network drive to that directory view each of the grouped directories as subdirectories of the StreetTalk file service.
Each individual directory in the group of directories is a share point. These share points can reside on one or more physical disks on a single Windows NT Server, or in different network locations. For information about share points, refer to "Understanding Share Points," which follows.
In group shares consisting of items from different network locations, permanent connection to some items in the share may not always be available.
For information on adding StreetTalk group shares, refer to "Adding a StreetTalk File Service" in Chapter 2.
For each directory tree you add to the group share, you create a share point name and associate that name with the root of the corresponding directory tree. When you first create a group share, specify a path and share name for the first share point. After the group share is created, you can add additional share points as needed.
The name you assign to each share point in a group share must be unique within that group share. The name you choose for a share point is not a StreetTalk name. A share point name can contain between one and eight characters. You can only use valid DOS characters, and international characters. You cannot use special characters when naming share points. If you enter a name with illegal characters, you are prompted to enter a new name.
You can assign an unlimited number of share points to a group share file service.
A StreetTalk group share contains no files at the root level.
Clients use the share point name to connect directly to a specific directory within the group share. Clients connecting to the main group share see the share point names as subdirectories. For example, a client connecting to the main group share depicted in Figure 1-1 would see subdirectories: for Share1, Share2, Share3, and Share4.
Restricting Access to File Services
To ensure that your file service is protected from unauthorized use, you need to specify rights for the service. Restricting access to a StreetTalk file service involves:
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Restricting access to the Windows NT console ![]()
Specifying the Access Rights List (ARL) option for the service ![]()
Setting attributes for files and directories ![]()
Specifying an ARL for the service to determine users' access levels
Refer to Chapter 4 for more information about these topics.
Managing StreetTalk File Services
You use a combination of Windows NT and Banyan tools to manage StreetTalk File services. You can start and stop the StreetTalk File software, obtain service statistics, add and remove services, modify access to files and directories, and so forth.
For information on how to add and remove services, refer to Chapter 2. Refer to Chapter 3 for more information about managing StreetTalk file services.
Backing Up StreetTalk File Services
Use your Windows NT backup utility to back up the data in file services on your StreetTalk for Windows NT server. Refer to your StreetTalk for Windows NT Release Notice for information about the recommended backup utility.
StreetTalk File maintains the information needed to support the Banyan ARLs and OS/2 Extended Attributes (EAs) for a file service object in a directory separate from the object itself. To properly back up ARLs and EAs, you need to back up all files in the following directory:
C:\Program Files\Banyan\File\Data
If you want to back up the directories being used for StreetTalk file services, refer to "Generating an ARL Report" in Chapter 4 for information about how to identify these directories using the DumpARL utility.
Use Table 1-2 to record the information you will need before running StreetTalk Explorer to add a StreetTalk file service.
Description | Entry |
StreetTalk file service name | |
New service description | |
StreetTalk servername | |
Windows NT drive and path |
- Fixed disk - CD-ROM - Removable - Network (not recommended) |
Type of StreetTalk share |
- Single - Group |