Device Allocation (Overview)

The device allocation mechanism enables you to restrict access to a peripheral device, such as a CD-ROM. You manage the mechanism locally. If device allocation is not enabled, peripheral devices are protected only by file permissions. For example, by default, peripheral devices are available for the following uses:

• Any user can read and write to a diskette or CD-ROM.

• Any user can attach a microphone.

• Any user can access an attached printer.

Device allocation can restrict a device to authorized users. Device allocation can also prevent a device from being accessed at all. A user who allocates a device has exclusive use of that device until the user deallocates the device. When a device is deallocated, device-clean scripts erase any leftover data. You can write a device-clean script to purge information from devices that do not have a script. For an example, see Writing New Device-Clean Scripts.

Attempts to allocate a device, deallocate a device, and list allocatable devices can be audited. The audit events are part of the ot audit class.

For more information on device allocation, see the following:

• Managing Device Allocation (Task Map)

• Device Allocation

• Device Allocation Commands