Webdisk Storage Anywhere, Anytime for Everyone
Presented at Educause, 2003 Copyright 2003, Jeremy Mortis and Harold Esche.
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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
Project Objective
Provide a better way for students to manage files
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Not very functional prior to Windows XP• Inefficient• Difficult to troubleshoot• Only works with UNC-aware software• Requires repeated logons
“Webdisk Client”
• 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
• 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
A Successful Project
• Meets project objectives• 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
• 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…
• 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
• 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