Hello,
I come from an SGI and Sun UNIX background, where the admin needs to do some good group and file management planning, and creates accounts giving groups of users a main project group (thus, their primary GID), and perhaps adding them to other groups as well. The users' individually (default login mode - no newgrp) created files are safe from tampering and destruction, but can be viewed by members only in their group. The Linux default requires the user to explicitly share every file he creates, since every new user has a unique GID.
I'm having some trouble finding any discussion that relates the pros and cons of the Linux method, and I know some of the issues must revolve around the duties and experience level of shared groups one might create.
I'd like to hear people's thoughts - I'm sure it is evident from the first paragraph that I lean towards the UNIX method, because I can foresee administrative nightmares (depending on which of my previous jobs I model after :-), but before I work with our other Sysadmins on our relatively new linux systems, I'd like to know what I am up against. I am willing to be swayed to stay with the Linux default….I do have workarounds in mind to avoid relying on users to remember to share their work to the correct group.
Thanks,
Julie Myhre
