Specifications

22 Chapter 1 Overview of File Services
The Apple ACL Inheritance Model
The Apple ACL inheritance model defines four options that you can select or deselect
in Workgroup Manager to control the application of ACEs (in other words, how to
propagate permissions through a directory hierarchy):
Mac OS X Server propagates ACL permissions at two well-defined times:
• By the kernel at file or folder creation time—When you create a file or folder, the
kernel determines what permissions the file or folder inherits from its parent folder.
• By administrative tools after creating an explicit ACE—For example, after you set ACL
permissions for a folder, Workgroup Manager propagates the new permissions to the
applicable descendants.
The figure below shows how Workgroup Manager propagates two ACEs (managers and
design_team) after ACE creation. Bold text represents an explicit ACE and regular text
an inherited ACE.
Inheritance option Description
Apply to this folder Apply (Administration, Read, and Write) permissions to this folder
Apply to child folders Apply permissions to subfolders
Apply to child files Apply permissions to the files in this folder
Apply to all descendants Apply permissions to all descendants
1
1
If you want an ACE to apply to all descendants without exception, you must select the “Apply to child folders” and
“Apply to child files” options in addition to this option. See “ACL Inheritance Combinations” on page 23 for more
information.
managers
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Docs Design Notes
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Lander
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