QuickTime Streaming Server 2.0: Setting Up Authentication

Setting Up Authentication

QuickTime Streaming Server comes with two authentication modules you can use to control access to streamed media files.

• QTSSAccessModule
  This module lets you set up access to QuickTime streaming services, but not to any other services on your Mac OS X Server.
• QTSSFilePrivsModule
  This module lets you set up access to QuickTime streaming services using Mac OS X Server's built-in file access and user and groups database.

Users must have QuickTime Player 4.1 or later to access a media file for which authentication is enabled. The user must enter his or her user name and password to view the media file. Users who try to access a media file with an earlier version of QuickTime installed will see an error message:
"401: Unauthorized."

Note: Authentication modules control access to media streamed from your server. It does not control access to media you relay. Access to media streamed from a relay server must be set up by the administrator of the relay server.

Enabling or Disabling an Authentication Module

To enable an authentication module, copy it to the QuickTime Streaming Server modules directory, which is located at /usr/sbin/QTSSModules.

To disable an authentication module, remove it from the modules directory, and copy it to another directory, such as the /usr/sbin/QTSSModules(Disabled) directory.

When you install QuickTime Streaming Server, QTSSAccessModule is enabled, and the QTSSFilePrivsModule is disabled. If you want to enable the QTSSFilePrivsModule, move it from the /usr/sbin/QTSSModules(Disabled) directory to the modules directory.

Setting Up an Authentication Module

After you've enabled the module you want to use, you need to set up access.

If you are using QTSSAccessModule, set up an access file and user and group files.

If you are using QTSSFilePrivsModule, use NetworkManager to set up users and groups, then set up file access.