Transcript Slide 1

Webdisk
Storage Anywhere, Anytime for Everyone
Presented at Educause, 2003
Copyright 2003, Jeremy Mortis and Harold Esche.
This work is the intellectual property of the authors.
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Webdisk
Storage Anywhere, Anytime for Everyone
Harold Esche
Director, Information Technologies
and
Jeremy Mortis
Manager, Web and Email Services
© 2003 The University of Calgary
Outline
• Project objectives
• Alternatives
• Solutions
– Server
– Client
• Demonstration
• Lessons learned
• Questions
The University of Calgary
• 6th largest University in Canada
• Research intensive
• 30,000 students, faculty & staff
The University of Calgary
The Problem
Why are we still carrying around diskettes?
Project Objective
Provide a better way for students to manage files
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Easy to use
Regularly backed-up (and restorable)
Able to grow with demand
Secure, robust, easy-to-manage
Provide shared storage for group work
Access by multiple clients (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.)
Standards based
Inexpensive
Project Structure
Small group, broad mandate, short timeframe
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Published terms of reference
Defined objectives
Defined sponsor
Defined resources
Defined milestones and timelines
Appropriate (and dynamic) team
Choices, choices, choices
Protocols: SMB vs FTP vs NFS vs HTTP vs …
Server platform: Windows vs Linux vs AIX vs …
Authentication: Active Directory vs LDAP
Software: proprietary vs open source
Our Solution
Webdisk:
A blend of WebDAV, Linux, Apache, and WebDrive
• Store files in a central location
• Enable worldwide access via the WebDAV protocol
• Provide instructions and/or free client software
The WebDAV Protocol
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An emerging internet standard
Not just for web publishing!
Extends http to facilitate file management
No persistent connection required
No firewall problems
Using WebDAV
• Natively supported by Windows, MacOSX, Linux
• Natively supported by DreamWeaver, Mozilla
• Variety of clients available for all platforms,
making storage appear as a mapped drive, NFS
mount, FTP server, etc.
• Read access via any web browser
• Deals with files, not bytes
Rejected Alternatives
• SMB (i.e. Microsoft Networking) is complicated
for users and is often blocked by firewalls
• FTP lacks encryption
• SFTP and SCP lack choices in client software
• Web-based solutions are awkward to use
• Proprietary solutions are too expensive
Server Environment
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Open source: Apache + mod_dav
Modified by University of Calgary
Uses normal Linux user directories and files
Uses normal Linux file ownerships
Uses normal Linux user quota
Uses .htaccess to control access
NFS-mounted RAID Storage
LDAP/PAM authentication
Horizontally scalable
Webdisk Sharing
• Facilitates collaboration
• Users can share directories with individuals or
groups
• Users can make directories public
• Shares can be read-only or read-write
• Web-based tool for managing shares
• WebDAV supports file locking
• Functionality developed at University of Calgary
Windows and WebDAV
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Not very functional prior to Windows XP
Inefficient
Difficult to troubleshoot
Only works with UNC-aware software
Requires repeated logons
“Webdisk Client”
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Improves WebDAV support in Windows
Maps storage to a Windows drive letter, e.g. U:
Works with any software that uses drive letters
Is consistent across all Windows versions
Caches files for good performance
Gives good status information
Does not require repeated logons
WebDrive
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Developed by South River Technologies
Affordable site license (~ US$ 5,000)
Site license permits home use
Proprietary
Transitional
Personal vs. Lab Use
• UofC developed two different distros: one for
personal workstations and one for shared
workstations
• Personal version can be “always connected”
• Shared version requires logon/logoff
• Can integrate with OS logon/logoff with pGina
• Both available to users at no charge
Demonstration
• Webdisk Client
• Webdisk Wrapper
• Native XP functionality
A Successful Project
• Meets project objectives
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Easy to use
Extensible design
Uses secure protocols
Works in Windows, Macintosh, and Linux
Robust and easy to manage
Standards based
Inexpensive
• Excellent uptake and feedback
Creative Uses
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Project repositories
Avoid sending documents by email
Laptop backups
Travelling bookmarks and preferences
Moving files between home and office
Personal homepages
… and of course, no more diskettes!
Lessons Learned
Webdisk is a new way of looking at things…
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Everything is a web page
Your files are available everywhere
You are always connected
No worries about backup, synchronization, duplication
Don’t send – share!
Webdisk Future
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Used by all students, faculty, and staff
Grow in conjunction with storage needs
Available in all campus labs
Improved OS integration
WebDAV-enabled applications
Versioning
Document management
More Information
http://www.ucalgary.ca/it/webdisk