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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!dalcs!aucs!paul
From: paul@aucs.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Networking software
Message-ID: <382@aucs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Jun-87 08:43:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: aucs.382
Posted: Tue Jun 23 08:43:55 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Jun-87 06:14:55 EDT
Reply-To: paul@aucs.UUCP (Paul Steele)
Distribution: na
Organization: School of Computer Science, Acadia Univ., Nova Scotia
Lines: 36

We will soon be placing an order for a 15-Mac lab.  We will be using 
Mac SE's and a combination of PhoneNET and Kinetics Appletalk/Ethernet
gateway.  The last decision we have to make is selecting the appropriate
network software.  What we need is a network that provides usernames/passwords
so users can have their own private area on the server's disk.  The
only software which we have looked at so far is MacJanet, which was developed
at the University of Waterloo.  This is being considered since it was designed
with the university environment in mind and has some features which makes
account management in a student environment easier.  For example, it 
is possible to set up 30 accounts for a particular course and then be
able to delete the 30 accounts with one command at the end of the term
without having to delete the thirty accounts individually.  It has many
account management features which are well suited to our needs.  It does
not have account expiry dates, which would also be useful.

The only other network we have considered is TOPS mainly because of its
PC linkability.  I know TOPS is very popular, and I would like to here
from anyone who is using it and has any useful information.  The things
I am mainly interested in is controlling users' access to the network
(using passwords or other mechanisms).  We don't want students accidently
coming across a copy of their professor's exam due to a lack of network
security.  I am all too familiar with security problems since I wrote most
of the software controlling access to our ancient CP/M network (TurboDOS).
I would also like to see a network prevent user's from copying system and
application software from the network server to their own floppies (for 
obvious reasons).  MacJanet's read-only volumes with locked/protected
programs effectively prevents software theft (although it isn't foolproof).

What about Appleshare and MacServe?  ANY comment from net-land would be
most welcome.  Thanks.


Paul H. Steele      UUCP:      {seismo|watmath|utai|garfield}!dalcs!aucs!Paul
Acadia University   BITNET:    {Paul|phs}@Acadia
Wolfville, NS       Internet:  {Paul|phs}%Acadia.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
CANADA  B0P 1X0     PHONEnet:  (902) 542-2201x587