HP UX Common Internet File System (CIFS) Client/Server Software Determine Locking Requirement

Appendix B Sales Tool: Locking Technology Examples

Hewlett-Packard Sales Force personnel must understand the customer’s operating environment in order to accurately assess their file locking requirements. HP’s competitors have been very effective in misinforming potential customers about the necessity of cross- platform CIFS/NFS file locking. It is critical that the Sales Force personnel determine if a customer needs file locking, and then what level of file locking (if any) is required.

B.1 Determine Locking Requirement

HP-UX 11 CIFS/9000 / NFS File Server & Storage

Files Accessed by	Files Accessed by
Windows Clients	NFS Clients

Shared CIFS/NFS

File Access

Filename	rwx	ACL	Data Mgt	Locking Needed?
Filename1	Read only	No ACL	No data management	NO
Filename2	Read/Write	ACE on ACL	No data management	NO
Filename3	Read/Write	No ACL	PDM, Clearcase , etc…	NO
Filename4	Read/Write	No ACL	No data management	YES – Locking Needed

1.Are there files or directories that will be accessed by both CIFS and NFS?

2.How many files or directories, and what kind of data?

3.Will clients have write access to the files or directories?

4.Are there ACLs on the file or directories that manage client access?

5.Is there a data management application that administers access (Clearcase or PDM server)?

Answering these questions will help to educate the customer about the realistic exposure to data corruption that exists within their operating environment due to concurrent CIFS/NFS cross-platform file access. In most cases the actual existing need for cross-platform file locking will be rare. HP Sales Force personnel must emphasize this point.

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