What is a Net Group?

A net group is simply a list of single-sign-on Usernames. This net group association between single-sign-on Usernames allows an administrator of a net group to add or remove users from the net group very quickly and easily.

How Net Groups are Used

Net groups are primarily used for two functions: sending email to a selected group of users and controlling access to Network File Storage.

To send email to the users in a net group, simply send an email message to the net group designation within Active Directory. This will automatically send the email message to everyone who is a member of that net group.

For instance, IT Communications often sends announcements for review to the IT Network Engineers net group prior to release to the general campus, usually when there will be a scheduled network outage for a specified building. By sending the announcement to be reviewed to the net group, all the network engineers can voice their input on the announcement before it is released.

Net groups can also be used to control access to a specified folder within Network File Storage. This is primarily useful for departmental volumes, departmental web volumes, and research volumes. Individual users generally do not have much need to provide access to a folder within their network file storage to a group of users (unless doing so for a class, for instance).

For instance, within the IT departmental volume, various groups within IT can control access to their information based on a net group. The IT managers all belong to a certain net group within IT and can therefore restrict access to confidential or high-level information within the IT departmental volume to only those IT staff who are empowered to view that information by the nature of their job. Anyone who is promoted to or hired in as a manager within IT will be added to that net group and will therefore have the appropriate level of privileged access to information.

Net Group Management Application

All net groups are managed and maintained through the application linked below. You will need your single-sign-on Username and password in order to access this application. If no net groups are available for you to administer, then you do not have any administrative privileges on a net group.

Net Group Management Application (single-sign-on Username and password required)

• Adding a single-sign-on Username to a net group will automatically grant that single-sign-on Username permissions to the Network File Storage volume associated with that net group.
• Administrative control over the net group membership is set/determined at net group creation time.
• The Help Desk can add or remove members from a net group as well

Net Group Membership

Visit the link below to see what net groups you are currently a member of (single-sign-on Username and password required).

Analyze User Application (single-sign-on Username and password required)

• Enter your single-sign-on Username.
• Select Net Group Membership from the list of menu options.
• A list of net groups will be displayed below the menu options.

Each net group listed will indicate the level of permissions you have with that net group. Net group names take the form -, where is one of three basic categories: admin, editor, or reviewer.

• -admin : You have full editorial control over content in the Network File Storage volume associated with the net group. You also have full Access Control List / permissions control over the Network File Storage volume(s) associated with the net group.
• -editor : You can modify content within the Network File Storage volume associated with the net group. You cannot add or remove other users nor can you modify other users' permissions.
• -reviewer : You can only view the contents of the Network File Storage volume associated with the net group. You cannot modify any existing content, add new content, or remove any content. You cannot add or remove other users nor can you modify other users' permissions.

Creating New Net Groups

To create a new net group (for instance, to manage Network File Storage access to a research volume), contact the IT Help Desk for assistance.

Please specify at least two single-sign-on Usernames to have administrator privileges for net group management.