PASS CIFS Gateway Service, simultaneous editor lock problem

Starting 7 a.m. on Friday, April 13, users who share the editing of files via the PASS CIFS Gateway service may see a problem where the second editor is not warned that the file is already being edited, allowing the chance for loss of edited content when both editors save the document. Prior to this change, the second editor was warned.

Information Technology Services (ITS) discovered this problem today during supplemental testing of the update which was applied last Friday, April 13 as per alert-2296. As the update contains other changes which should not be reverted, ITS staff have investigated the update set for the specific change that caused the problem to find a remedy and apply it.

The PASS CIFS Gateway service is accessed via win.pass.psu.edu, smb.pass.psu.edu, cifs.pass.psu.edu and other names.

Users who do not share concurrent editing of files need not worry about this problem.

During the regularly scheduled maintenance window (5:00-7:00 a.m.) tomorrow, Tuesday, April 17, ITS staff will apply a configuration change to the PASS CIFS Gateway service that is expected to counteract this problem.

More information: PASS CIFS Gateway Service, simultaneous editor lock problem