There are cardinal rules to effective network design that cannot be broken with impunity. The most important rule: Simplicity is king in every well-controlled network. Every part of the infrastructure must be managed; the more complex it is, the greater will be the demand of keeping systems secure and functional.

Keep in mind the nature of how data must be shared. Physical disk space layout should be considered carefully. Some data must be backed up. The simpler the disk layout, the easier it will be to keep track of backup needs. Identify what backup media will meet your needs; consider backup to tape, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, or other offline storage medium. Plan and implement for minimum maintenance. Leave nothing to chance in your design; above all, do not leave backups to chance: backup, test, and validate every backup; create a disaster recovery plan and prove that it works.

Users should be grouped according to data access control needs. File and directory access is best controlled via group permissions, and the use of the “sticky bit” on group-controlled directories may substantially avoid file access complaints from Samba share users.

Inexperienced network administrators often attempt elaborate techniques to set access controls on files, directories, shares, as well as in share definitions. Keep your design and implementation simple and document your design extensively. Have others audit your documentation. Do not create a complex mess that your successor will not understand. Remember, job security through complex design and implementation may cause loss of operations and downtime to users as the new administrator learns to untangle your knots. Keep access controls simple and effective, and make sure that users will never be interrupted by obtuse complexity.