AFS (formerly known as the Andrew File System) is an open source, distributed file system. Files stored on AFS servers can be accessed via AFS client software which is available for UNIX, Microsoft Windows, and Macintosh systems. Benefits of AFS include:
| Security | AFS uses Kerberos authentication for user verification. The mutual authentication system used by AFS encrypts your password before it is sent over the network, which protects it from unauthorized use. |
|---|---|
| Access Control | AFS supports directory-level access control lists (ACLs). AFS users can create groups and manipulate ACLs without administrator intervention. |
| Global Accessibility | Files stored on AFS servers can be accessed (provided you have the necessary permissions, of course) from any AFS client anywhere on the Internet. |
| Open Source | Its free. |
The OpenAFS Web site is the home of the open-source AFS project and contains the latest release downloads (both source code and precompiled), documentation, and breaking news. To install and configure an AFS client, the following links on the OpenAFS site are of particular interest:
Two files are of interest in configuring your system to access AFS servers. 'ThisCell' defines your default AFS server when issuing an AFS command. 'CellServDB' defines the AFS servers (and the specific machines that make up those AFS servers) that your system can access. The exact location of these files is dependent upon which operating system you are running.
For example, to access the Web authoring directories within the 'ccs.nrl.navy.mil' AFS server, you might configure your system as follows:
| Filename | Example Contents |
|---|---|
| ThisCell |
ccs.nrl.navy.mil |
| CellServDB |
>ccs.nrl.navy.mil #Naval Research Lab - CCS 132.250.118.100 #opus.ccs.nrl.navy.mil 132.250.118.101 #milo.ccs.nrl.navy.mil 132.250.118.102 #oliver.ccs.nrl.navy.mil |
For questions, suggestions, or more information, contact syssupport@nrl.navy.mil.