The files you create and use exist on a filesystem.  There are many kinds of filesystem, and they can be found on a range of platforms, from flash drives to cloud services.  Understanding what filesystems you are using and which ones are available is important for protecting your data and working efficiently.

CS Networked Filesystem

Managed CS computers have a local filesystem and they also mount a shared, department-wide, networked filesystem.  Files on the networked filesystem are accessible to any user with sufficient permissions, from any machine that can mount the filesystem.  Those files are also backed up, several times a day, as snapshots.  And they are mirrored to a remote site as part of the University's disaster recovery strategy.  Our networked filesystem services are provided by CIS, using their EMC Isilon clustered filesystem.

Filesystem Layout

A local computer filesystem is organized as a tree of directories (also known as folders) and files.  Networked filesystem mounts can occur anywhere in this tree, and it is not always obvious to users when they are working on a "local" file or a "remote" one.  The CS Department employs a standard filesystem layout on all managed machines.

Filesystem Access

There are several ways to access (mount) our networked filesystem:

• NFS (Network File System)
  Managed Linux systems use persistent system-wide NFSv4 mounts.
• SMB (Server Message Block)
  SMB (or CIFS) provides per-user mounts and can be utilized on unmanaged and personal machines.  Access is limited to Brown campus networks.
• SSHFS (SSH Filesystem)
  SSHFS is a client-side filesystem that uses SSH to access a user's files on another system and present them as a filesystem mount.  You will need to install and configure it on your computer.

Other Ways To Access Remote Files

Here are some other ways that you can share your files with yourself (on different machines) and others:

• Cloud Mirror
  • Google Drive - Stream files to and from the cloud using google's client software.
• Remote Copy
  • scp - Copy files across a network.
  • rsync - Efficient, robust file synchronization, slight learning curve involved.
• Git
  • Use git over ssh to fetch and push your work.

Sharing Files

There are many ways to share files with colleagues and friends.  We won't mention email here, since it is the least efficient and/or least secure method.

Sharing With Everyone

• Put it on the static CS website.
• Put it on our anonyous FTP server.

Sharing With Certain People, Off-Campus

• Use the static CS website with restrictions or with a password.
• Use our anonymous FTP server (see the Guest Accounts section).
• Share a file from Google Drive.

Sharing With Brown or Brown CS Users

• Use a Google Team Drive.
• Sharing with CSers?  Use our networked filesystem (this page!)