CentOS - Aug 2005 - Samba Update

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!

On 8/7/05, Support <support at ev-theol.uni-bonn.de>
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!
First I'd recommend upgrading to CentOS 3.5, as it has a number of
security fixes not in 3.3.
Second, and mostly for clarification, the samba 3.0.9 included with
centos 3.5 works like a champ with win2003server. Is there any
specific reason you need 3.1?

Lastly, yes you can install samba 3.1 rpms on the system, but this
will break from RHEL3 compatibility and you won't get security updates
for the 3.1 rpms unless you install those yourself also.


--
Jim Perrin
System Administrator - UIT
Ft Gordon & US Army Signal Center

[ 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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