Setting up user home directories

Specifying home directory paths

About home directory paths

You can specify multiple home directory paths. Data ONTAP searches the home directory paths in the order you specify them for the directory that matches the user name. It stops searching after the matching directory is found.

About home directory path extensions

You can add an extension to the home directory path if you do not want users to access the top level of their home directories. The extension specifies the subdirectory that is automatically opened when users access their home shares. An example of adding an extension is shown in Specifying home directory paths from the command line.

Ways to specify home directory paths

You can specify home directory paths in either of the following ways:

Using the command options cifs.home_dir
Using the /etc/cifs_homedir.cfg file

The options cifs.home_dir command allows you to specify home directory paths as a comma separated list. The list has a limit of 255 characters, including the commas. Alternatively, you can specify up to 1,000 path names in the /etc/cifs_homedir.cfg file.

Where Data ONTAP searches for home directory paths

Data ONTAP searches first for home directory paths specified using the options cifs.home_dir command. If Data ONTAP finds paths specified from the command line, Data ONTAP ignores any paths in the cifs_homedir.cfg file. If there are no existing paths that were specified using options cifs.home_dir, Data ONTAP searches for home directory paths in the cifs_homedir.cfg file.

Specifying home directory paths from the command line

To create home directory paths from the command line, complete the following steps.

Step	Action
1	Create directories to use as home directory paths. Example In the /vol/vol0 volume, create a directory named enghome, and in the /vol/vol1 volume, create a directory named mktghome.
2	Enter the following command to designate the directories created in Step 1 as the paths where Data ONTAP searches for user home directories: *options cifs.home_dir pathname,...* Example 1 options cifs.home_dir /vol/vol0/enghome,/vol/vol1/mktghome Result When a CIFS user connects to the filer, Data ONTAP searches the /vol/vol0/enghome path and the /vol/vol1/mktghome path for the user's home directory. If found, it offers the directory as a share to the user. If the path name includes a home directory path extension, use the following format: home_dir_path/%u%/extension home_dir_path is the home directory path. extension is the name of the subdirectory that you want users to access. Example 2 options cifs.home_dir /vol/vol0/enghome/%u%/data Result When a CIFS user connects to the filer, Data ONTAP searches the /vol/vol0/enghome path for the user's home directory. If found, it offers the data directory in the user's home directory as the home share. The share name does not reflect the extension; it is the same as if an extension were not used. Note You can enter home directory paths up to a limit of 255 characters, including the commas.

Step

Action

Create directories to use as home directory paths.

Example

In the /vol/vol0 volume, create a directory named enghome, and in the /vol/vol1 volume, create a directory named mktghome.

Enter the following command to designate the directories created in Step 1 as the paths where Data ONTAP searches for user home directories:

options cifs.home_dir pathname,...

Example 1

options cifs.home_dir 
/vol/vol0/enghome,/vol/vol1/mktghome

Result

When a CIFS user connects to the filer, Data ONTAP searches the /vol/vol0/enghome path and the /vol/vol1/mktghome path for the user's home directory. If found, it offers the directory as a share to the user.

If the path name includes a home directory path extension, use the following format:

home_dir_path/%u%/extension

home_dir_path is the home directory path.

extension is the name of the subdirectory that you want users to access.

Example 2

options cifs.home_dir 
/vol/vol0/enghome/%u%/data

Result

When a CIFS user connects to the filer, Data ONTAP searches the /vol/vol0/enghome path for the user's home directory. If found, it offers the data directory in the user's home directory as the home share. The share name does not reflect the extension; it is the same as if an extension were not used.

Note
You can enter home directory paths up to a limit of 255 characters, including the commas.

About the default cifs_homedir.cfg file

Data ONTAP creates a default cifs_homedir.cfg file in the /etc directory when CIFS starts, if the file does not already exist. Changes to this file are processed automatically whenever CIFS starts. You can also process changes to this file using the command cifs homedir load.

Specifying home directory paths in cifs_homedir.cfg

To specify home directory paths in the /etc/cifs_homedir.cfg file as the paths where Data ONTAP searches for user home directories, complete the following steps.

Step	Action
1	Create directories to use as home directory paths. Example In the /vol/vol0 volume, create a directory named enghome.
2	Open the /etc/cifs_homedir.cfg file for editing.
3	Enter the home directory path names created in Step 1 in the /etc/cifs_homedir.cfg file, one entry per line, to designate them as the paths where Data ONTAP searches for user home directories. Note You can enter up to 1,000 path names.
4	Enter the following command to process the entries: cifs homedir load [-f] `-f` forces the use of the new paths.

Effect of changing home directory paths with open files

You can change the home directory paths at any time using either the options cifs.home_dir command or by changing the entries in the cifs_homedir.cfg file. However, if a user has open files in a home directory path that you remove from the list, Data ONTAP displays a warning message and requests a confirmation for the change. If you use the -f flag with the cifs homedir load command, you will not receive a warning message before the new path names take effect. Changing a directory path that contains an open file terminates the connection to the home directory.

Displaying the list of home directory paths

To display the current list of home directory paths, complete the following step.

Step	Action
1	Enter the following command: cifs homedir