Managed Path Naming Attribute Specifications

File Dynamics traditionally uses the sAMAccountName attribute values for naming managed paths for user and group collaborative policies. The Managed Path Naming Attribute (MPNA) provides more granular control over how managed paths are named for user and group collaborative policies. Each MPNA Action Block applies to either a User/User Auxiliary policy type or a Group Collaborative policy type. You can link one or more policies to an appropriate MPNA Action Block to control which attribute applies for naming the managed path as well as the Groom and Vault paths.

The MPNA doesn't apply to Dynamic Template Folders that are created as part of the collaborative template processing. These folders are not managed per se and will continue to be named based on the sAMAccountName attribute.

As with the sAMAccountName attribute, values should be unique for the attribute you choose for an MPNA Action Block or policy in order to avoid naming collisions in the file system as you manage storage with File Dynamics. If you choose an attribute other than sAMAccountName for a MPNA Action Block or policy, ensure that the process used to populate the attribute’s values can guarantee unique values for the storage objects being managed by that policy. If duplicate values occur for the policy, it is possible for related storage management events to go pending because the target path is not available.

Rules

The following are rules specific to managed path naming attribute specifications.

General

The MPNA is configured through an MPNA Action Block. For procedures on creating an MPNA Action Block, see Creating a Managed Path Naming Attribute Action Block.

  • If you do not configure an explicit MPNA Action Block, a private Action Block applies in which the sAMAccountName is used for user and group collaborative policies.
  • An MPNA Action Block can be linked only to policies that match its type. An MPNA Action Block can be one of the following policy types:
    • User/User Auxiliary
    • Group Collaborative
  • After you link an MPNA Action Block to one or more policies, you cannot change the block's policy type without first removing the policy links.

    • The list of available attributes for an MPNA Action Block depend on its associated policy type. The User/User Auxiliary policy type displays only attributes for the User object class. The Group Collaborative policy type displays only attributes for the Group object class.

  • Only single-valued domain-replicated, stored attributes are eligible to be chosen as the MPNA.
  • Multi-valued domain-replicated, stored attributes are not eligible to be chosen as the MPNA. One example is the Description attribute:

    • https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms675492(v=vs.85).aspx

  • Constructed and non-replicated attributes are not eligible to be chosen as the MPNA. See Attributes:

    • https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms675155(v=vs.85).aspx

    • A constructed attribute has values that are computed from normal attributes for read, or affects the values of normal attributes for writes. For example, canonicalName and allowedAttributes are non-stored, constructed attributes.
    • Non-replicated attributes are stored on each domain controller, but are not replicated. For example, badPwdCount, Last-Logon, and Last-Logoff are non-replicated attributes.

  • MPNA does not support auxiliary classes and their attributes.

Groom and Vault Paths

A Groom or Vault path follows the MPNA for the policy's managed path. For example, if Policy 1’s MPNA is the employeeNumber attribute, the attribute's value is used in the managed path and in the path for a Groom or Vault action.

  • Policy 1 Managed Path for user Keith whose employeeNumber attribute is “123456789”: \\Server1-dns-name\Share1\Users\123456789
  • Policy 1 Vault or Groom Path for user Keith whose employeeNumber attribute is “123456789”: \\Server9-dns-name\Vault\Users\123456789

Event Processing

The MPNA is retrieved from Active Directory during Create events and when it is time for an event to calculate the best target path based on the MPNA and other policy leveling and distribution criteria. If the MPNA has not yet been populated (such as if the MPNA value is blank or the attribute doesn’t exist), the event will go pending until the MPNA has a value.

The Event Monitor watches for changes to the MPNA. When the attribute’s value changes, a Rename event is generated.

If you unlink a policy from an MPNA Action Block, and link it to a different MPNA Action Block, you will need to issue the Enforce Paths Management Action to enforce policy compliance.

Management Actions

If you modify the MPNA Action Block to use a new attribute, you must run an Enforce Paths management action to bring the affected objects’ managed paths into compliance with the policy.