Chapter 4 Cross-Platform File Access

In mixed networks of Windows and UNIX computers, certain ClearCase operations may require a Windows or UNIX computer to access the file system of a different type of computer. ClearCase supports several protocols that allow a Windows computer to access the file system of a UNIX computer and also provides for more limited access by UNIX computers to ClearCase data in Windows file systems. The following protocols-some of which can only be enabled using a software from a third party (neither Rational nor the computer vendor)-may be used.

• ClearCase File Server (CCFS) - The ClearCase File Server is a TCP/IP-based file transfer mechanism included with ClearCase. It provides snapshot views with access to VOB data. It does not support dynamic views. For information about CCFS, see ClearCase File Server.

• NFS client products - NFS client products for Windows NT are available from several vendors. These products allow Windows NT computers to access UNIX file systems using the NFS protocol, which all UNIX computers support. You install an NFS client product on each Windows NT computer from which you want to access UNIX VOBs and views. For more information about which NFS client products ClearCase supports and how to configure them, see NFS Client Products.

• SMB server products - The SMB (Server Message Block) protocol is the native protocol that Windows computers use for network file-system access. SMB servers that run on UNIX computers allow Windows computers to access UNIX VOBs and views using native Windows protocols. You install an SMB server product on each UNIX VOB or view server you will access from a Windows NT client. For more information about which SMB server products ClearCase supports and how to configure them, see SMB Server Products

Table 3 lists the protocols that ClearCase clients can use to access VOB data. Table 4 lists the protocols that ClearCase clients use to access view_server storage. In these tables, protocols native to their respective computer platforms are labeled "Native."CCFS is included in ClearCase. All other protocols require third-party software support.

NOTE: When a view has been created with the -ngpath option and both the client and server platforms are running ClearCase 4.1 or later, Windows 98 and Windows Me platforms can access view data on UNIX, and UNIX snapshot views can access view data on Windows NT using the native ClearCase RPC mechanism. This configuration is found most often in ClearCase LT communities.

Table 5 lists the protocols used by a view_server process to access VOB data.