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What are the differences between NTFS and Share permissions?

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Applies to

  • ONTAP 9
  • CIFS

Answer

NTFS Folder/File permissions differ from Share permissions in several ways.

  • Share permissions are set on the Common Internet File System Protocol (CIFS) share.
    • These are configured on the filer and apply only to users accessing the  CIFS share via the network.
    • Share permissions are configured by the storage device's administrator.
    • They are independent of the NTFS Folder/File-level permissions.
  • NTFS Folder/File-level permissions are set on the individual files and folders stored on the NetApp filer (or any CIFS-capable storage device).
    • These permissions can be set by the owner of the folder/file or by the Windows administrator.
    • These permissions can be applied to either users or groups
      • The permissions are cumulative, in that permissions specified at the user and at the group level are both considered when verifying access.
      • *The most restrictive permissions apply.
  • When a user requests access to a folder/file on a CIFS share, the share permissions are checked first.
    • If the user has access based on the share-level permissions, the folder/file level NTFS permissions are then checked.
    • If the user has access, the file/folder data is provided to the user.
  • It is a best practice to have NTFS Folder/File level permissions be more restrictive than share-level permissions.

Additional Information

How to understand NTFS permissions within a Windows environment

 

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