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2.5.2 Access a File in a Domain

  • Article

Context of Use: When the User wants to access a particular file within a domain DFS namespace, these access file operations can be implemented.

Use case diagram for Access a file in a domain

Figure 6: Use case diagram for Access a file in a domain

Goal: This use case demonstrates a typical user interaction with the File Access Services System by means of an application, in which the user reads, creates, or modifies a file on a file server, within a domain DFS namespace.

Actors

  • Application

The Application is the primary actor that triggers this use case. The Application is a program that is used to create, open, read, write and/or delete files on the file server. It interacts with the File Access Services System through the file client.

  • Authentication Services

The Authentication Services is a supporting actor, which is used for authentication purposes.

  • Active Directory Service

The Active Directory Service is a supporting actor. The File Access Services System stores DFS namespace information in an Active Directory-based system. Additionally, the File Access Services System locates its DFS Service component with Directory Services on the domain controller, and discovers the DFS Service by first locating the domain controller and then attempting to connect with the DFS Service on the same computer.

  • File Client

The File Client is a supporting actor that implements client-side protocol components and consumes the file services that are offered by the file server.

  • SMB File Service

The SMB File Service is a supporting actor that is internal to the File Access Services System and implements server-side protocol components and the file services that are consumed by the File Client.

Stakeholders

  •  Users

The User is the person who requires remote file access in order to read, create, or modify files on another computer. The User is external to the File Access Services System and interacts with the File Access Services System through the Application.

Precondition

  • The User has a UNC path ([MS-DTYP] section 2.2.57) to a domain DFS namespace, of the form \\domain name\share name, and wishes to explore within that namespace by means of an application, which can be a command line or graphical user interface.

  • The DFS namespace contains a DFS link that refers to an SMB file service.

Main Success Scenario

Trigger: The User opens an Application to access file on the remote file server within a DFS namespace.

  1. The application uses the supplied UNC path (\\domain name\share name) to call List Files in a Shared Directory (section 2.5.5.3) to enumerate the files, directories, and their attributes in the namespace root directory. The application then displays the enumerated list. In response to the User selecting one of the displayed directories, the application displays a list of files in the selected directory, by repeating the call using the new UNC path \\domain name\share name\directory-name. This time, the application traverses a DFS link during the Open a File in an SMB File Share (section 2.5.5.4) step of List Files in a Shared Directory.

  2. The Application initiates the open action on the user-selected file by using Open a File in an SMB File Share.

  3. The Application uses the file handle to read the contents of the file and renders the file contents for the User, using Perform File Operation (section 2.5.5.5).

Post Condition

The User is able to access a file on a file server, within a domain DFS namespace.

Extensions

None.