[cvsnt] Re: Setting up a CVSNT server to allow remote access

[Glen Starrett]

Dan Evans wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I work for a web design/hosting company that specialises in eCommerce
> sites. We have recently purchased a new PC to use as a file server
> and additional workstation when required. There are two of us here at
> the office who need to access the files, and we also have a
> programmer and a graphic designer in Russia (using Linux, so I assume
> SSPI is out?) who would also need access.

Try sserver instead.  It's encrypted and easy to set up.  You can use 
SSPI with Linux client, but it's the older and much less secure NTLMv1 
client.

> 
> As there are several of us frequently making small changes to the
> files, CVS seems like the ideal way of keeping track of everything. I
> have installed CVSNT and tortoiseCVS on the fileserver and have
> successfully created a repository, and been able to check out, edit
> and check back in files locally. I am, however, deeply confused about
> setting CVSNT up to allow remote access, both from other computers on
> the office network and from remote systems over the internet.

Read the docs and get to know your system before you depend on it.  CVS 
is an excellent tool for doing what you say, but there is a (not too 
bad) learning curve.  In brief:

--XP Home won't work, nor Win9x.
--Port 2401 is where all CVS traffic external to the PC will come 
through (unless you change it).  Open that port on the firewall(s) for TCP.

> 
> My first question is which protocol would be most suited to my
> requirements? pserver seems like the most straightforward, but not
> very secure. SSH then? How would I go about setting that up? (the
> pages I've found dealing with SSH and CVS seem to all be from the
> point of view of the client).

SSH on Windows is a PITA to set up from what I understand.  sserver is 
what you want, and use SSPI locally within your office (sserver will 
work in all cases if you just want to stick with one for simplicity).

> 
> I don't quite get how to create new user accounts either... I've been
> looking at
> http://www.cvsnt.org/wiki/InstallationTips#head-fad19a88cd941707f4c04be56fcbff5d2eb270aa
> but it seems slightly contradictory and unclear. Maybe someone knows
> a good site that explains NT users, groups etc. clearly as I think it
> is these terms that are confusing me.

Create NT users on the server box and log in with those credentials.  If 
you need help with that then consult NT admin sites (Comp management > 
Users and Groups > New user, something like that).


Regards,

-- 
Glen Starrett