2.5.1 Access a File in a Workgroup

  • Article

Context of Use: When a user wants to read, create, or modify a file on a remote computer that is part of a workgroup, these file access operations can be implemented through the SMB or NFS protocols.

Use case diagram for Access a file in a workgroup

Figure 5: Use case diagram for Access a file in a workgroup

Goal: This use case demonstrates a typical User interaction with the File Access Services System, by means of an application, to read, create, delete or modify a file on a file server in a workgroup.

Actors

  •  Application

The Application is the primary actor that triggers this use case. The Application is a program that is used to create, open, read, write, and delete files on the file server. It interacts with the File Access Services System through the file client. The Application is referred to by using the qualifier "SMB" or "NFS" when it is necessary to distinguish the underlying network protocol used by application instances.

  • Authentication Services

The Authentication Services is a supporting actor that is used for authentication purposes.

  • Browser Service

The Browser Service is a supporting actor that maintains a current list of domains, workgroups, and servers on the network. It can supply that list to clients on request. The Browser Service is encapsulated with the local master browser and backup browser. The File Access Services System uses the protocols described in [MS-BRWS], [MS-BRWSA], and [MS-RAP] to access the Browser Service in order to discover nearby computers that can host file shares.

  • File Client

The File Client is a supporting actor that both implements the client role of the FAS protocols and consumes the file services that are offered by the SMB file service.

  • SMB File Service

The SMB File Service is a supporting actor that implements the server role of the FAS protocols and the file services that are consumed by the File Client. The SMB file service is commonly known as a file server.

Stakeholders

  •  User

The User is the person who requires remote file access in order to read, create, modify, or delete files on another computer. The User interacts with the File Access Services System through the Application.

Preconditions

  • The User has the name of a file to be found on the file server. The User wishes to explore the workgroup by means of an application, which can be a command line or graphical user interface.

  • The file server supports SMB Access Protocols.

The file server, the computer running the browser service, and the application are part of the same workgroup.

Main Success Scenario

Trigger: The User opens an Application to access a file on the remote file server.

  1. The Application displays a list of file servers available in the workgroup, and their properties (the List File Servers use case is discussed in section 2.5.5.1).

  2. The Application displays a list of file shares on the selected file server (the List Shares use case is discussed in section 2.5.5.2).

  3. The Application displays a list of files and directories in the user-selected share, which enumerates the files and directories, and their attributes, in the root directory of the share (the List Files in a Shared Directory use case is discussed in section 2.5.5.3).

  4. The user selects a file to access, and the Application initiates an open action on that file (the Open File in an SMB File Share use case is discussed in section 2.5.5.4).

  5. The Application uses the file handle obtained from the previous step to read the contents of the file and render the file contents for the User (the Perform File Operations Using SMB use case is discussed in section 2.5.5.5).

Post Condition

The User is able to access a file on a file server in a workgroup.

Extensions

None.