Mobile Home Directory: Setting a relative location for various sub-nets

Question Summary:
1) Is it possible to define a home directory for mobile account users that is relative to the host's subnet?
2) How does one accomplish #1 if possible?
Details
Setup
Users access hosts on three LAN networks connected through the WAN via Branch-Office VPN connections (persistant VPN tunnels that connect our LANs)
If User1 from LAN1 travels to LAN2, User1 has difficulty working, because the mobile account definition points to a host on LAN1 for HomeDirectory syncing, so all files are synced across a slow (5Mb/s) connection shared by all other users.  For some users (The CEO, for example), this sync entails transferring Gigs of personal data, so the Mobile Sync across the VPN literally takes several days, if it completes at all.
My ideal setup would allow User1 from LAN1 to access a host at a relative location as apposed to an absolute location.  In other words, if LAN1 has the home folder at 192.168.76.23:/HomeFolders/User1, then when User1 moves to LAN2, the HomeFolder becomes 192.168.78.23:/HomeFolders/User1. Regardless the subnet, the User account would be defined in such a way that the HomeFolder would be sought at 192.168.X.23:/HomeFolders/shortUserId
These home folders between the hosts 192.168.76.23 and 192.168.78.23 on LAN1 and LAN2, respectively, could be kept in sync during off hours so that at the beginning of each shift, all files are in all three locations ready for local use, fast access, and more importantly, fast home-syncing during the work day.
Equipment
OS X Yosemite running on various iMac and MacBook hardware configurations.
OS X Server 4 running OD replicas and local DNS's on each LAN.
Ample space for redundant data storage on all networks.
Question
How do I define a HomeDirectory as a relative location to the Mobile Account Users host machine or host machine IP address?
Alternatively, is there a way that I can define a HomeDirectory using a Fully Qualified Domain Name so that I can use the local DNS server to force the redirect?
Previously Tried Idea(s)
Using the same Bonjour Computer Name
On one test, I tried to trick the system by setting the name of the HomeDirectory computer to the same name on all networks. The thought behind this is that, when looking at the HomeDirectory path, the address is defined by the computer name, so if the local computer name matches, the system will automatically point to the host that is on the current LAN, as apposed to the host of the same name on the previous LAN.
This failed due to the fact that the system providing the HomeDirectory storage is the same system that is providing OD replica services, and OD replication requires that each system have a unique name.

Hi,
Yes my home directory is set
more /etc/passwd
sfsys1d:x:301:201:sys1 dev sftp user:/interfaces/dev/system1:/usr/bin/csh
when i log in they go to this directory, through a shell and through ftp ( haven't checked sftp yet)
However i can still go up directories and see what is in the directories above
the permissions are set as below
drwx------   3 root
sshusers  
3 Sep  6 08:38 interfaces
drwx--x---   3 root
sshusers  
3 Sep  6 15:49 dev
drwxr-----   5 sfsys1d sshusers  
7 Sep 19 14:52 system1
I have tried various other permission 700, 710, 740 etc and they all give different results but not the correct one.
The best I have managed to get so far is that they cannot list the files in the other directories, however if they know the names they can still go to them,  this also didn;t work in the windows ftp client, as it just showed the file/dirs anyway.
Thanks
Kerry

Similar Messages

  • Leopard Client Tiger server mobile home directory not working... hmmm

    Mobile home directory is not working for my leopard clients with my tiger server.
    I can log in via the Apple server account that is set for mobile.
    On my tiger clients it prompts me to confirm my mobile account on log in and everything works fine if i unplug the network cable.
    on my leopard clients no prompt at log in. so i go to account under system prefs and see that the account says mobile..and i click on make mobile account in the account pane in system prefs says will reboot and make account.. prompts for password for mobile account i put it in and then it says there was an error in making mobile account and then it takes me back to the main log in window.
    every client i have on leopard does this...
    am i missing something?
    thanks in advance,
    Jesse

    Tiger server can control mobile account syncing and other features present on Tiger clients.
    See this post for some more info on setting Leopard mobile account preferences on Tiger servers:
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6829482&#6829482

  • Why can't I set a relative date for a recurring event in calendar on my ipod touch?

    why can't I set a relative date for a recurring event in calendar on my ipod touch?

    Because The Calendar app does not support it. There are apps in the App store that do.

  • Mobile home directory issues on updated clients

    As I am testing out leopard server, I found that virtually every service isn't quite ready for prime time. That is at least in the advanced mode, which is strange as it that was the only mode the old server versions came in.
    I am wondering if anyone has been able to do the following (in advanced mode only):
    1. In WGM, set the mobility preference background sync of a user to an interval greater than 1 hour (let's say every 4 hours).
    Then use a client (maybe even upgraded from Tiger)and sync in that same interval.
    All the clients I have tested still sync to the previously set 1 hour intervals and when going into the mobility settings (System Preferences: Accounts: Mobile Account: Settings), all other intervals are grayed out. In WGM, mobility settings are set to merge with clients.
    2. Too bad that the Directory Utility auto discovery tool doesn't work for advanced mode servers, so it has to added manually, but I have not been able to get SSL to work. Kerberos works fine and it's all I need but I still like the client configured for SSL.
    Always comes up saying the the server doesn't support directory connections via SSL. SSL however is configured on LDAP (via self-signed cert) and no firewall setting is in the way. Or so I believe as the leopard client firewall functionality is a bit of a mystery to me.
    Sorry about my rants; I am actually quite excited about several of the new server features as they address many longstanding shortcomings. At least it looks like 10.5.1 is on its way. Thanks!
    Wolfman

    Wolfman wrote:
    I have not been able to get SSL to work. Kerberos works fine and it's all I need but I still like the client configured for SSL.
    Always comes up saying the the server doesn't support directory connections via SSL. SSL however is configured on LDAP (via self-signed cert) and no firewall setting is in the way. Or so I believe as the leopard client firewall functionality is a bit of a mystery to me.
    The CN attribute (Common Name) of the SSL certificate you use in LDAP must be equal to the fully qualified domain name of the server, in order for SSL to work.
    If that isn't the problem, the logs may offer more information, especially if you increase the verbosity of slapd logs...

  • Please help with Home Directory and changing drive location

    Hi there.
    I read some tutorials on moving the home folder to another drive (all went fine), but there are some things I don't quite understand.
    I did a fresh Lion install (from SnowLeopard) and decided only to migrate my user data, but no folder data, so every folder in my home directory was completely empty (desktop, movies etc). When I first tried to move my home directory to a new Hard Drive I wrongly assumed that since all those folders were empty I didn't need to copy the home folder manually, just change the location. But when I restarted the computer everything was gone. So I followed the instructions more carefully the next time and manually copied my home folder over to the other HD first (even though every folder contained in the home dir says no data), and that is when I noticed it was copying 26gb of data. So where is this data stored, and what is it? Obviously it's important as on my Mac all my user data was gone, but aren't my settings and mail etc in my Library?
    There seems to be no "show hidden data" etc for my Home dir. So there must be somethign about the Home directory (in the users folder) that I don't quite understand?
    I  have 26gb of data hiding somewhere (when I do 'get info' on the home directory in the user folder, it says 26gb used, but all my folders are empty) and it would be handy to know what this is and the best way to manage it for future backups.
    also - can I now completely delete the old home Dir from my System (SSD) drive since it's all on my other HD? All the folders are empty, but it still shows 26gb!
    thanks for your help
    Joel

    Hi Ari,
    Welcome to discussions!
    Unable to access your home directory... In what way? Via FTP? If so, how about deleting the file you made:
    cd /etc
    sudo rm ./ftpchroot
    Or do you mean something else?
    John

  • How to set "same relative location" as default

    Currently my default is set "current users desktop"
    but can I change this setting to "same relative location
    so each time I open ARD I don't have to change this?
    Thank you,
    todd

    I've not been able to find a way, though putzing with Automator makes me think there is a way to create a workflow where you choose the desired computer(s) in ARD and then run a copy workflow in which you've saved "Same relative location" as a parameter.
    Perhaps someone better schooled in Automator might take on the task.

  • How can one set a default location for the pictures on the hard drive?

    Since Windows normally places the pictures on a typical drive as "My Pictures" about four or five levels down from the root, any effort to import picture files into Lightroom requires multiple clicks to drill down to the "My Pictures" then (for example) year, month, date, etc.
    Can I define a location as the default starting point to find the pictures?  I don't see how to put that into presets. Or can a key shortcut be created to go straight to c:/users/name/mypictures/2013/April15 etc?
    Steve Board

    dj is right. Any Folder can be a picture folder.
    Create a root level folder and add it to your Pictures Library in Windows.  It will show up with all the scattered pictures from other programs. It can even be a different dirve if you like.  You  can even specify one to be the default save location for pictures in this dialog.
    Navigate to Pictures in your Libraries in Windows Explorer Right Click and select Properties.
    Message was edited by: Rikk Flohr forgot the instructions...

  • Airport setting up the location for find my ipohne

    i want to set up the location so that i can use the find my iphone and have it show up on a map displaying where it is

    how can set up my iCloud account on an iPhone

  • Forward/ back button for various sub-folders

    Hello all,
    Here's the scenario.....
    I have a forward and back button that load several images in a sub-folder that load to a UIloader....
    next_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, nextImage);
    function nextImage2(evtObj:MouseEvent):void{
    imageNumber++;
    LargeImageLoader.source = "portfolio/UIloader/bike/00"+imageNumber+".jpg";
    checkNumber();
    back_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, backImage);
    function backImage2(evtObj:MouseEvent):void{
    imageNumber--;
    LargeImageLoader.source = "portfolio/UIloader/bike/00"+imageNumber+".jpg";
    checkNumber();
    Since I have multiple sub-folders for my portfolio, I was wondering how to apply these same buttons to other sub-folder image paths without needing to create a pair of forward/back buttons for each sub-folder.
    Thanks!

    It's not entirely clear to me, but what I think you need to do for what I think you are saying you want to do would be to make the folder targeting (portfolio/UIloader/bike/, et al) a variable as well.  The only missing link is what you would use to redefine the folders.
    Your next/prev buttons can't be that smart unless you have some conditional logic that helps them realize a particular imageNumber range belongs to a particular folder.  If your images have the same file names (00#.jpg) across the different folders then that won't help.  I believe you would need them to be sequential such that no folder repeats the filenames/numbers of another

  • Misspelled Mobile Home Directory

    Hello,
    I have setup our staff computer with all MHD's, then I am informed that the list of names I was given included a misspelling. What is the best way to rename the WGM account, and the local MHD on the MacBook. Changing long names seems to be easy enough, but I'd really like to get short names changed also.
    Thanks,
    Randy

    Wolfman wrote:
    I have not been able to get SSL to work. Kerberos works fine and it's all I need but I still like the client configured for SSL.
    Always comes up saying the the server doesn't support directory connections via SSL. SSL however is configured on LDAP (via self-signed cert) and no firewall setting is in the way. Or so I believe as the leopard client firewall functionality is a bit of a mystery to me.
    The CN attribute (Common Name) of the SSL certificate you use in LDAP must be equal to the fully qualified domain name of the server, in order for SSL to work.
    If that isn't the problem, the logs may offer more information, especially if you increase the verbosity of slapd logs...

  • Setting default download location for apps

    Ok I found one thread on this but it was never really answered. Im looking for a way to set the location that my apps download to.
    Right now I have no space on my C: drive and would like all my app files to be sent to my D: drive.
    Any help is appreciated, thanks.

    I've checked My N8 (Belle) and 808 (Belle FP1) and can't find anywhere to configure the download location.
    Sorry.

  • Set Default Save Location for All Programs

    What I need is a program that will set the default save folder (in all programs) to the same folder the current file came from.
    If I do a "Save As" I want the folder in the Save dialog box to always be the folder the file is in.
    This was brain-dead easy in OS 9 (General Control Panel, Save Location, Folder That is Set by the Application).
    I cannot find a help file, a preference pane, an add-on program, anything to allow this.
    If anyone can help me, I'd appreciate it.

    Hi,
    Not sure if this is what you want but you might want to look at it
    http://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/

  • Setting different default locations for different file types in iTunes ?

    Point of this post is to find out if there is a way to have iTunes open tv and movie files from my time capsule and open music/music videos from my MacBook pro. I want to set up a network so any computer in the house can watch but have their own music library. Also even though I have 640 gb of space on my HD it's running out fast science I only have HD files I convert into m4v files. Is this possible or do I have to move all my iTunes to the time capsule and set that as the iTunes directory? When I had a PC it could pull up files from an external and from the laptop. Please tell me we didn't give pc's something we don't have.

    bump

  • Portable Home Directory (PHD) not being created for new users

    Creating users in the Workgroup Manager also created their home directories at the time I created it when we were using Leopard 10.5 server.
    But now that it is upgraded to 10.6 server, it doesn't do anything when I create a new user and tell it to "Create Home Now".
    Any idea how to fix this?

    Assuming that the server is properly configured (most importantly DNS) try running sudo createhomedir -a
    and see what that does. In my experience, clicking the create home now button doesn't always work.
    See here for more info on this command.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TA21050?viewlocale=en_US
    Note that this has worked for me on 10.3 to 10.5 Server - I've not tried it with 10.6.
    Jeff

  • Setting a default location for ToDo items created in Mail

    I use Mail for all of my e-mail accounts which includes 1 IMAP account, 1 Exchange account, and 1 MobileMe account. I also use ToDos extensively and often create ToDos from e-mail message and the other shortcuts that Mail provides to do this. My problem is that I end up with ToDos scattered around all of my IMAP accounts since they are added to whichever account I am using when I create the ToDo. Is there a way to configure Mail so that it does not store ToDos on the server but instead always store them On My Mac?

    Hi,
    Look at the Mail's preferences, under Composing. Select where you like to save notes and todos.

Maybe you are looking for