UMD Active Directory

What's Inside

Quick Links

Accessing Files

Requesting File Storage/Access

P: Drive:
Personal folders (P: drive) are created on request for faculty or staff who have workstations on Active Directory.

To request a personal folder for youself, complete the online form at: AD Manage Files.

N: Drive:
Shared folders (N: drive) are created for each department that has workstations on Active Directory. Access to department shared folders must be requested by the person in the department who manages the folder data.

To request or update access to a shared folder, the data owner should complete the online form at: AD Manage Files.

File storage on the Active Directory (AD) file server provides secure, backed up data storage for faculty and staff. Personal file storage (P: drive) is set up for those who have a computer on Active Directory. Shared file storage (N: drive) is set up for departments.

You can access data stored on the AD file servers from any computer on the University network.

On computers that have been added to AD, the N: and P: drives will be automatically mapped when you sign in to your computer with your AD credentials.
On computers that have not been added to AD, to access files you will need to type in the full folder path, including the AD server name (details below).

Note that to access AD data files from any wireless network or from off campus, you must first sign in to the UMD VPN service.

Following are details on how to access AD data files from:

Windows Computer - On Active Directory
Windows Computer - Not On Active Directory
Macintosh Computer - Not On Active Directory

Windows Computer - On Active Directory

If you have a Windows computer that has been added to Active Directory:

If you are on UMD wireless or off campus, sign in to UMD's VPN service.
The AnyConnect VPN client allows you to sign in to the UMD VPN service immediately on starting up your computer (prior to signing in to AD). For details, see: Connect to VPN Prior to Signing In
Sign in to the computer with your AD credentials (your Internet/email name and password).
Under My Computer, you should see the following AD drives:

Shared (N:) Shared Network data
Home (P:) Personal data

Windows Computer - Not On Active Directory

If you have a Windows computer that has not been added to Active Directory:

Sign in to the computer as usual (with your workstation account and password).
If you are on UMD wireless or off campus, sign in to UMD's VPN service.
Select START - Run
Type in one of the following and select OK:

\\umd-sharefiles.ad.umn.edu (to access the \dept\common\ folder)
or
\\umd-homefiles.ad.umn.edu (to access your personal folder)
When prompted to authenticate, enter your Internet/email name and password as follows:

User Name: username@ad.umn.edu (For example: jdoe0011@ad.umn.edu)

Password: your Internet/email password
Select the appropriate department or home folder.

Macintosh Computer

If you have a Mac OS 10.6.x or newer^* computer (see sidebar for information on older versions):

Open up Finder.
Select "Connect to Server" and choose GO (or use the "command+k" key combo).
Type the path for the folder you want to access:

smb://umd-sharefiles.ad.umn.edu (to access shared department folder /dept/common/)
or
smb://umd-homefiles.ad.umn.edu (to access your personal folder /home/jdoe/)
When prompted, authenticate with your Internet/email (x.500) user name and password.
Select the volumes to mount. Shared folders are listed by collegiate unit and then department; personal folders are listed by home1 or home2.

To add these paths to your Favorite Servers (so that you don't have to type it out each time):

Type in the path (for example: smb://umd-homefiles.ad.umn.edu/home1/username)
Click the + sign just to the right to save the path.

Rev: 03.1.13 sab