[CentOS] Re: Samba Update -- why UNIX SMB clients suck (indirect answer)

[Bryan J. Smith]

[ This is an indirect answer to your question that might be OT, but I
feel I must make it. ]

On Sun, 2005-08-07 at 17:06 +0200, Support wrote:
> Hi all,
> we have CentOS 3.3 running here on our Samba server. Problem is, that we 
> need to mount samba shares on our Win2003 server.
> Is there a way to install (new) samba-3.1 rpms for CentOS 3.3? tia!

That opens a can of worms.

1.  SMB mounts per-user, not per-system

SMB does not mount per-system, it mounts per-user.
So anything you mount is tied to the user that mounted it.

2.  SMB is Windows client native, not UNIX-like

The smbfs VFS "hack" in Linux (and virtually _no_ other UNIX) is not a
pretty sight.  Especially given the fact that mounting is a _kernel_
level operation.  You do not want to put the stability of a server at
the mercy of a non-native mount.

If at all possible, only use the "smbclient" function to transfer files
from SMB shares, especially native SMB (at least Samba has some UNIX
services).

- Consider Services for UNIX (SFU)

Alternatively, consider installing Services for UNIX (SFU) on your
Windows Server 2003 system.  That will give you:  
 A.  An NFS Service so you can mount "system-wide" (all users)
 B.  An NIS Service to synchronize and map users/groups

The SFU NFS service will be far more native to your Linux client and
allow multiple users to access files as themselves.  It will also give a
more formal way to synchronize Windows and UNIX users/groups.

- Automounter Recommended

BTW, I'd use the kernel automounter ("autofs" command, /etc/auto.*
files) when mounting any other servers on a server system.  That way the
mounts are only made when the data is actually accessed (and
disconnected after 30-300 seconds of inactivity).

-- 
Bryan J. Smith     b.j.smith at ieee.org     http://thebs413.blogspot.com
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