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AFS File-Transfer: Mac Desktop

To increase security and reduce risk, Stanford is sunsetting its WebAFS service that is used to upload and download files to AFS.

To optimize AFS and make sure it is serving its intended functions, UIT has also taken these actions:

  • UIT no longer automatically provisions new faculty and staff members with AFS user volumes. New faculty or staff who need a personal user volume must submit a Help request.
    • This change does not impact existing AFS directories or the process for adding permissions for new individuals to those existing directories. Your existing space and everything in it remains intact.
    • This change does not impact the auto-provisioning of new AFS user volumes for students and postdocs.

​Class volumes do not expire and are kept indefinitely. This is an official academic policy, and any change to this policy must be considered by the Faculty Senate.

File transfer applications

The following secure methods for publishing, posting, and transferring files over the Stanford network are available.

  • AFS mounting: OpenAFS for Stanford
    Note: For macOS versions 10.12 and later, AuriStor File System is the replacement for OpenAFS.
  • SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol: Fetch

Note: Stanford does not support unsecure FTP. 

Publishing using OpenAFS (Mac)

OpenAFS for Stanford is used to mount directories in AFS to your Mac's desktop, the same way you would work with other network volumes. Anyone with a full service SUNet ID can access their own AFS space, or space in other user directories, group, and department directories, provided they have been granted the necessary permissions.

Notes:

  • OpenAFS/AuriStor FS for Mac is available for download at OpenAFS for Stanford. The Instructions tab on this page has links to information about installing, mounting, permissions,and connecting/disconnecting with OpenAFS.
  • You should be logged in to Kerberos before launching the OpenAFS. Kerberos is already built-in to Mac OS X but Kerberos Commander configures Kerberos for use with the Stanford network.
  1. On your hard drive, navigate to Applications > Stanford > AFS and launch the AFS Controller to display the Mount AFS Volume window.
    Note: You may want to create a shortcut to the AFS Controller and put it in the dock.
     
  2. If you are not logged in to Kerberos, an "unable to get AFS token" message displays. Click OK. A dialog box will display, asking if you want to obtain a token. Click Yes.

    prompt to get AFS token
     
  3. Enter you SUNet ID and password and click OK.

    log in to Kerberos to get AFS token
     
  4. When the Mount AFS Volume window displays, select the AFS space where you wish to publish items from the Mount Volume belonging to drop-down list box.
     
    • To publish to your personal web space, select My Home.
    • To publish to someone else's personal web space, select User.
    • To publish to a class web space, select Class.
    • To publish to a group web space, select Group.
    • To publish to a departmental web space, select Department.
       
    mount AFS volume
     
  5. Enter the appropriate directory name and click the Mount button. (You do not need to enter a directory name for My Home.)

    mount directory
     
  6. An alias to the selected network folder will mount on your desktop. You can now drag and drop files from your computer to the network drive to publish them.
    Note: Be sure to place files you wish to publish to the web inside the WWW folder to make them accessible to others.

    network folder

Publishing using Fetch (Mac)

Fetch is a Mac application that allows users to securely transfer files between computers using a format called SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol). It is used to move HTML, graphic, and other files from a personal computer to the server computers which will make them available on the web.

The Stanford community can download and use Fetch free of charge with a SUNet ID and password..

To download Fetch:

  1. Go to the Fetch page to download the software.
     
  2. Follow the Fetch installation instructions.

Using Fetch to publish files to a personal web folder

  1. Launch Fetch.
     
  2. The New Connection dialog box will appear. If it does not, choose New Connection under the File menu.
     
  3. Enter the following in the New Connection dialog box:
    • Hostname: enter cardinal.stanford.edu.
    • Username: enter your SUNet ID.
    • Connect using: select SFTP.
    • Enable encryption: this is automatically checked when SFTP is selected.
    • Password: enter your SUNet ID password.
    • Add to keychain: unchecked.
       
    settings for setting up a new connection
     
  4. Click Connect.
     
  5. Select the WWW folder and click the Put icon in the tool bar.

    Note: You can double-click the WWW folder if the directory you wish to publish to is inside of this folder.

    WWW folder in AFS
     
  6. Locate the file to be uploaded from your computer to the server and click Put to publish the file.

    upload a file from your computer

Note: You can drag-and-drop to and from your desktop to the folder as an alternative to the Put and Get methods.

Using Fetch to publish files to Dept or Group web folders

  1. Launch Fetch
     
  2. The New Connection dialog box will appear. If it does not, under the File menu, choose New Connection.
     
  3. Enter the following in the New Connection dialog box:
    • Hostname: enter cardinal.stanford.edu.
    • Username: enter your SUNet ID.
    • Connect using: select SFTP.
    • Enable encryption: this is automatically checked when SFTP is selected.
    • Password: enter your SUNet ID password.
    • Add to keychain: unchecked.

    settings for setting up a new connection​
     
  4. Click Connect.
     
  5. In the Fetch menu bar, click Go > Go to Folder. Enter the AFS path of your group or department web folder and  click OK. 
    Examples:  /afs/ir/group/group_name/WWW (group folder); /afs/ir/dept/department_name/WWW (department folder)

    enter the AFS path to a group or department folder
     
  6. Click the Put icon in the tool bar.
     
  7. On your computer, locate the file to be uploaded to the server and click Put to publish the file.

    upload a file from your computer

Notes

Note: Web directory names generally are in all lowercase and are always only one word. If two or more words are needed, they may be made into one word or separated by a dash or underscore ("newfolder," "new-folder," or "new_folder," but not "new folder"). In other words, you cannot use a space for directory names.

Deleting files and directories (folders) in Fetch:

  1. Select the file or directory you want to delete.
     
  2. Click the Delete icon on the Fetch tool bar. (You can also delete a file or folder by dragging it to the trash.)
     
  3. You will be prompted to confirm that you wish to delete the file/directory.

For information and help with the icons on the Fetch dialog window, in the Help menu, click Fetch Help.

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