Mapping CS Home Directories Using SAMBA (SMB)

Intro to SAMBA

SAMBA, as used in our CS Dept., is a method of mapping the dept's Grad Net user home directories (residing on our Linux-based home directory file server) to Windows and MacOS-based computers. Basically, you can map your Linux home directory to, for example, some lettered drive on your Windows system. (The actual protocol used is called SMB, which stands for Server Message Block. You may also see or hear it as the term SMB/CIFS.)
As an example, on our CS Grad Network, a home directory such as /users/mary can be mapped onto a Windows system as drive H: or drive M: or whatever drive letter is available. The drive letter used is arbitrary.

Who Can Use This Capability In CS To Map Their CS Linux Home Directory?

Currently, this feature is only available to faculty, researchers, postdocs, staff, and instructors with CS Grad Net Linux accounts.

How To Map Your CS Grad Net Home Linux Directory USING SAMBA/SMB

Currently, to map your Linux home directory, you'll need a seperate SAMBA account created:
If you are faculty, a researcher, a postdoc, staff, or an instructor with CS Grad Net Linux account, then...
  • Send an email to support@cs.jhu.edu to schedule stopping by to see one of us to have a special SAMBA account created, and you will need to create a SAMBA password to use at that time. (This seperate SAMBA account works in conjunction with your CS a Linux Grad account to provide access to your Linux Grad account home directory.)
Once the account is created:
  • Make sure your system is residing somewhere on the JHU network. You must have a JHU-based IP (plugged in network, Hopkins Wifi, VPN, etc.)
  • If your system is outside of JHU, then you need to first become part of JHU's JHPulse VPN (using Junos Pulse or similar.)
  • On your Windows or Mac system, use its appropriate drive mapping command/configuration to map a share that we will provide you when you create your account.
Typically, use the following mapping tools:
Windows: Windows Explorer -----> Tools -----> Map network drive
MAC: Finder ----> Go ----> Connect to Server
In both cases, the server name is rtfm.cs.jhu.edu and the share would simply be your username.
e.g. in Windows:
\\rtfm.cs.jhu.edu\mary
(notice the use of back slashes.)
or on mac:
smb://rtfm.cs.jhu.edu/mary
(notice the use of forward slashes.)