Read this before using ACLs!

While Access Control Lists (ACLs) can be useful in certain scenarios, there are also reasons why you might choose not to use them in openmediavault (OMV). Here are some considerations:

1. Simplicity:
   • Using traditional Unix permissions (chmod and chown) is simpler and may be sufficient for many use cases. If your file and folder access requirements can be adequately managed with basic permissions, introducing ACLs might add unnecessary complexity.
2. Compatibility:
   • Some applications or services may not fully support ACLs. If the tools or software you are using on openmediavault are not designed to work seamlessly with ACLs, it could lead to unexpected behavior or issues.
3. User Familiarity:
   • If you and your users are already familiar with Unix permissions and find them sufficient for managing access, introducing ACLs may not provide significant benefits and could potentially lead to confusion.
4. Risk of Misconfiguration:
   • ACLs offer a higher level of granularity, but they also come with an increased risk of misconfiguration. Setting up complex ACLs without a clear understanding of how they work may result in unintended access restrictions or permissions.
5. Performance Considerations:
   • While the impact on performance might be minimal, ACLs can introduce some overhead compared to traditional Unix permissions. If performance is a critical factor for your file server, it's worth considering whether the benefits of ACLs justify any potential impact.
6. Limited Use Case:
   • If your use case is straightforward, with a small number of users and simple access requirements, ACLs might be overkill. In such cases, traditional permissions may be more than sufficient.
7. Maintenance Overhead:
   • Managing ACLs can require additional effort in terms of documentation, training, and ongoing maintenance. If the benefits of ACLs don't align with your specific needs, the additional administrative overhead may not be justified.
8. Documentation and Support:
   • Ensure that the version of openmediavault you are using provides stable and well-documented support for ACLs. In some cases, using bleeding-edge features may come with potential issues, so it's important to verify the reliability and support for ACLs in your specific environment.

Ultimately, the decision to use ACLs in openmediavault depends on your specific use case and requirements. If the advantages of ACLs align with your needs, and you are prepared to manage the additional complexity, they can be a powerful tool for fine-grained access control. However, if your requirements are met with traditional permissions, sticking to simplicity might be the better choice.

If you have used ACLs and things aren't working correctly, they can be reset with the openmediavault-resetperms plugin.