Including external data (network/external drive) in website directory

I spent an hour trying to articulate this post and the subject as it is difficult for me to describe. Suggestions for better wordings are welcome.

I have a few web applications on my server that require data (such as a music collection folder in the example I am about to supply) and that data IS NOT on the server. I want to figure out how to make that work.

Example: ampache. If you haven't heard of it, ampache is an online music player/streamer. You login, select the song/playlist/stream you want and ether listen though your browser or stream to the music player of your choice. But for ampache to serve up music it needs music. The files are in two network locations (my pc and my girlfriends pc) and the combined size would take up much more space on the server than I am comfortable with. I already have those two computers automounted in /%pcname%/. I attempted to make a sym-link to the music directory of those pcs in my html folder but ampache will not follow them (yes, I have follow symlinks turned on in my config). I thought about changing the mount point to html but that means I am sharing a lot of files I don't particularly want to. They might not be immediately exposed but one could get to them if they tried.

I have an external drive (usb) that could fit all the music files if I were to transfer them. However, it is also my backup/portable tools drive. If I did transfer the music files to the drive I would still be in the same place. Do I mount the whole drive to html? but that would make my data available to anyone that knew where to look.

So I do not know what to do and I am having a hard time even explaining the situation. I think my problem is that this is a very non-standard config I am trying to build.

No, very standard.
If they are already mounted as part of the filesystem than that is most of the job done.
Make sure that your webserver user (www-data or whatever) has appropriate permissions to the dir/files.

Originally Posted by descendant_command Make sure that your webserver user (www-data or whatever) has appropriate permissions to the dir/files.

I think this is the problem I am having. Specifically permissions. I am finding it very difficult to chose the correct permissions and set the correct owners on various parts of my install. I thought I understood permissions but now I think I might know only enough to cause myself problems. I am going to have to google up some tuts on permissions.

Thank you for your reply.