samba - Jun 2004 - Locking Problems

Hi

 

In addition to printing problems, we seem to have problems with locking.
We have a few shares that hold MS Access databases for PC client
applications.  We set these up using 'oplocks = no' and also tried
'strict locking = yes'.  However, when loading the database on one PC,
we got application errors saying that other users were using the system.
We set 'oplocks = yes' and were able to run the applications.  However,
the users had application errors mid way through the day (corrupted
database) and we had to restore from a safe copy.  We spoke with the
application provider, and they've sent us a file called 'oplock.knn'
that they advised us to run on all Windows XP clients to stop this sort
of corruption.  The only thing is, they were unable to tell me what
modifications it makes to the registry.

 

Basically, I'd like to know what Samba settings to use (in the [global]
and share parts) to have secure and corruption-free multi-user access to
files and databases.  Or is there no easy answer?

 

Thanks

 

David

On Mon, Jun 28, 2004 at 05:46:46PM +0100, David Nash
wrote:
> 
> In addition to printing problems, we seem to have problems with locking.
> We have a few shares that hold MS Access databases for PC client
> applications.  We set these up using 'oplocks = no' and also tried
> 'strict locking = yes'.  However, when loading the database on one
PC,
> we got application errors saying that other users were using the system.
> We set 'oplocks = yes' and were able to run the applications. 
However,
> the users had application errors mid way through the day (corrupted
> database) and we had to restore from a safe copy.  We spoke with the
> application provider, and they've sent us a file called
'oplock.knn'
> that they advised us to run on all Windows XP clients to stop this sort
> of corruption.  The only thing is, they were unable to tell me what
> modifications it makes to the registry.
> 
>  
> 
> Basically, I'd like to know what Samba settings to use (in the [global]
> and share parts) to have secure and corruption-free multi-user access to
> files and databases.  Or is there no easy answer?
What version of Samba ? Firstly, ensure there are no oplocks on the
share holding the multi-user db. Seconly, ensure you have strict locking
enabled (on by default in 3.0.x). Thirdly, and most importantly, ensure
you have the *very* latest redirector hotfixes for the clients accessing
the db. I don't know of any locking bugs in the Samba code (we have some
quite extensive torture tests we pass) but I do know that the redirector
code in many Windows clients needs patches.

Jeremy.