Specifications

Glossary 97
drop box A shared folder with privileges that allow other users to write to, but not
read, the folder’s contents. Only the owner has full access. Drop boxes should be
created only using AFP. When a folder is shared using AFP, the ownership of an item
written to the folder is automatically transferred to the owner of the folder, thus giving
the owner of a drop box full access to and control over items put into it.
everyone Any user who can log in to a file server: a registered user or guest, an
anonymous FTP user, or a website visitor.
export In the Network File System (NFS), a way of sharing a directory with clients on a
network. TBD for RAID context.
file server A computer that serves files to clients. A file server may be a general-
purpose computer that’s capable of hosting additional applications or a computer
capable only of serving files.
file system A scheme for storing data on storage devices that allows applications to
read and write files without having to deal with lower-level details.
File Transfer Protocol See FTP.
FTP File Transfer Protocol. A protocol that allows computers to transfer files over a
network. FTP clients using any operating system that supports FTP can connect to a file
server and download files, depending on their access privileges. Most Internet browsers
and a number of freeware applications can be used to access an FTP server.
group A collection of users who have similar needs. Groups simplify the administration
of shared resources.
guest user A user who can log in to your server without a user name or password.
home directory A folder for a user’s personal use. Mac OS X also uses the home
directory, for example, to store system preferences and managed user settings for
Mac OS X users.
host Another name for a server.
host name A unique name for a server, historically referred to as the UNIX hostname.
The Mac OS X Server host name is used primarily for client access to NFS home
directories. A server determines its host name by using the first name available from
the following sources: the name specified in the /etc/hostconfig file
(HOSTNAME=some-host-name); the name provided by the DHCP or BootP server for
the primary IP address; the first name returned by a reverse DNS (address-to-name)
query for the primary IP address; the local hostname; the name “localhost.”