ITCSDocs Logo

Creating and Using Protection (pts) Groups for IFS

U-M Information Technology Central Services * S4033 * January 2004

NOTE: This document is also available in these formats: Microsoft Word | Adobe Acrobat PDF

A protection group -- or pts group -- is similar to an e-mail group except that it is used for assigning access rights to Institutional File System (IFS) folders instead of for sending e-mail. A pts group is a group of uniqnames -- and sometimes of other pts groups, too. You use pts groups in conjunction with Access Control Lists (ACLs) to control access to IFS directories and folders.

For example, you might create a pts group that includes all the people who work on the web site belonging to a particular student organization. You can then set ACLs to give all the people in that pts group full access to the IFS directory -- and all the folders in it -- where the web pages reside. As new students join the organization, you can add them to the pts group, and as other students graduate, you can remove them from the group. This simplifies things so you don't have to change ACLs on every folder every time group membership changes.

This document tells you how to create, use, and change pts groups. For instructions on setting access privileges, see Using Access Control Lists (ACLs) With IFS Directories and Folders (S4111).

Table of Contents

pts Group Names

The format for the name of any pts group is <creator's uniqname>:<name of group>. For example, if your uniqname were bjensen and you created a pts group so a few of your friends could have access to some files in one of your IFS folders, you might name it bjensen:friends.

Connect to the Login Service to Enter pts Commands

To create and work with pts groups, you need to enter pts commands (see list in the next section of this document). You can do this from the Login Service.

  1. Use secure software to connect to the Login Service (login.itd.umich.edu).

  2. At the login prompt, enter your uniqname and press the Return key.

  3. At the AFS Password prompt, enter your UMICH password and press Return.

  4. Enter any pts command at the % prompt.

  5. When you are finished, enter logout at the % prompt and quit or exit the software you used to connect to the Login Service.

pts Commands

Enter any of these commands at the % prompt on the Login Service. When you see <youruniqname>, substitute your own uniqname, and do not type the angle brackets. When you see <name of pts group>, substitute the name of the group, and do not type the angle brackets.

NOTE: You must be an owner of a pts group to make changes to or delete it.

To do this . . . Enter this command . . .
Create a pts group of which you are the owner pts creategroup <youruniqname:name of pts group>

The first part of the command can be abbreviated to pts cg.

For example, if your uniqname were bjensen and you wanted to create a pts group called bjensen:docs, you would enter:

pts cg bjensen:docs

Add an individual or a pts group to a pts group pts adduser <uniqname or name of pts group you want to add> <name of pts group>

The first part of the command can be abbreviated to pts ad

Remove an individual or a pts group from a pts group pts removeuser <uniqname or name of pts group you want to remove> <name of pts group>

The first part of the command can be abbreviated to pts rem

Change the owner of a pts group pts chown <name of pts group> <new owner's uniqname or name of pts group that will be the owner>

The first part of the command can be abbreviated to chown

Delete a pts group pts delete <name of pts group>

The first part of the command can be abbreviated to pts del

List information about a pts group (for example, owner, creator, and so on) pts examine <pts group name or uniqname>

The first part of the command can be abbreviated to pts e

List all pts groups owned by a given uniqname or pts group pts listowned <uniqname or name of pts group>

The first part of the command can be abbreviated to pts listo

List all pts groups of which a given uniqname is a member or list all members of a given pts group pts membership <uniqname or name of pts group>

The first part of the command can be abbreviated to pts m

Display list of pts commands available pts help

Tips for Using pts Groups

Remember to add yourself

You are not automatically a member of any group you create. If you want to be included in a pts group you create, you need to add yourself with the adduser command.

Groups can own groups

It's often helpful to share ownership of a pts group, especially one that is large or that changes frequently, so that more than one person can make changes when needed. You do this by making a pts group the owner of the group rather than an individual.

For example, you might create a pts group of three or four people who have been designated to administer a web site and name the group webadmin. Then use the chown command to change ownership of the group from your uniqname to the webadmin group. You (or anyone else in that group) could then create a larger group (owned by webadmin) called webmembers that includes those people who have access to the web site's files to update them. The members of webadmin could then share administration of the webmembers group, making changes as needed.

Getting a Group IFS Directory

You can use pts groups with your IFS home directory and the folders inside it and with other directories and folders in IFS. You can also arrange to have a group IFS directory, either as a shared work space or as a means of publishing on the web. To get a group IFS directory, contact the ITCS Accounts Office at 764-8000. You will need to fill out a form, then the directory will be created and a directory name assigned to your group. The form can be downloaded from the web; see IFS Group or Course Home Directory Application (R1132).

For details about using your IFS home directory or a group directory to publish on the Web, see the Create Your Own UM Web Page instructions.

Additional Resources

Visit ITCS's Information System to obtain ITCS computer documentation and other resources. A list of relevant documents follows:

We welcome your comments; please send e-mail.

ITCS's Online Help Desk provides a variety of computing help resources.

For further help with pts groups and IFS, send e-mail or phone (734) 764-HELP.