3.4 ClearCase and Native File-System Permissions

ClearCase maintains data for VOBs and views in special directory trees in the native file system on each VOB and view host. These special directory trees are the VOB storage directory and the view storage directory. ClearCase creates the VOB storage directory when you create a VOB and the view storage directory when you create a view.

ClearCase manages all access to the VOB and view storage directories; users never read from or write to these directories directly. The VOB and view storage directories have native file-system permissions, but ClearCase itself creates and maintains these permissions. Although ClearCase stores objects subject to access control in these directories, you must manage ClearCase access control using the mechanisms described in this chapter.

WARNING: Never change native file-system permissions on the directories and files in any VOB storage directory or view storage directory tree.

If you have inadvertently changed permissions on a VOB or view storage directory, you may be able to repair the damage using ClearCase tools. See Chapter 35, Repairing VOB and View Storage Directory ACLs on Windows.

A snapshot view directory is a native file-system directory tree that contains copies of ClearCase versions and file-system objects that are not under ClearCase control. The owner of a snapshot view can manage native file-system permissions on these files. For example, the view owner can add or remove group write permission for files in a snapshot view directory that are not under ClearCase control.

Like a dynamic view, a snapshot view also has a view storage directory, which may or may not be located within the snapshot view directory. ClearCase creates and maintains the view storage directory for a snapshot view, just as it does for a dynamic view. Never change native file-system permissions on the view storage directoryfor a snapshot view.