Mac OS X Server: Avoid spaces and long names in network home directory name and path
Summary
To provide service to all types of clients, the complete pathname of a network home directory must not exceed 89 characters. This affects Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) and Network File System (NFS) home directories, for example.
If the absolute path from the client to the network home directory on the server contains more than 89 characters, certain types of clients cannot connect. For example, a client using automount with an LDAP-based AFP home directory may not be able to access its home directory.
Products Affected
Mac OS X Server 10.4.7, Mac OS X Server 10.4, Mac OS X Server 10.3, Mac OS X Server 10.5
To resolve or avoid the issue, be sure that the full path to the network home directory does not exceed 89 characters. The solidus or "slash" (/) counts as a character.
Spaces in the Path
Mac OS X Server version 10.5 and later support spaces in the full path. Mac OS X Server version 10.4 and earlier do not support spaces in the full path.
For 10.3 through 10.3.4
The number of characters is calculated by adding these three items:
- The length of the user's hostname (corresponds to "hostname.domain.dom" in example below)
- The length of the absolute pathname of the home directory share point ("/Volumes/homeDirectories/share/")
- The number 39 (for "/private/var/automount/Network/Servers/")
This example absolute path is exactly 89 characters:
/private/var/automount/Network/Servers/hostname.domain.dom/Volumes/homeDirectories/share/
For 10.3.5 through 10.4.x
The mount path in 10.3.5 through 10.4.x is shorter than in earlier versions, so you have more characters to work with (but still a maximum of 89). The number of characters is calculated by adding these three items:
- The length of the user's hostname (corresponds to "hostname.domain.dom" in example below)
- The length of the absolute pathname of the home directory share point ("/Volumes/homeDirectories/share/")
- The number 25 (for "/private/Network/Servers/")
This example absolute path is exactly 75 characters:
/private/Network/Servers/hostname.domain.dom/Volumes/homeDirectories/share/
For 10.5 or later
The mount path changes in Mac OS X Server version 10.5 Leopard, so you have more characters to work with. The number of characters is calculated by adding these three items:
- The length of the user's hostname (corresponds to "hostname.domain.dom" in example below)
- The length of the absolute pathname of the home directory share point ("/Volumes/homeDirectories/share/")
- The number 17 (for "/Network/Servers/")
This example absolute path is exactly 67 characters:
/Network/Servers/hostname.domain.dom/Volumes/homeDirectories/share/