What is Jsmith's effective access if he is a member of a group that has been denied all access to a folder?

Jsmith's effective access to the folder is determined by the permissions associated with his user account and the groups he is a member of. If Jsmith is part of a group that has been explicitly denied all access to the folder, this denial takes precedence over other permissions he may have.

In access control systems, explicit deny permissions typically override any allow permissions. Therefore, regardless of Jsmith’s other potential permissions or group memberships that might grant him access, the explicit denial from the group ensures that he cannot access the folder at all. Thus, Jsmith effectively has been denied all access to the folder.

Understanding the principles of permissions management, particularly the concept that deny permissions take precedence, is crucial for effectively managing access controls in a server environment.