Buchan Milne
2002-Oct-24 12:33 UTC
[Samba] Always use the native protocol of the client -- WAS: How Samba let us down
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 | Message: 1 | To: Jay Ts <jay@jayts.cx> | Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 15:36:09 -0400 (EDT) | From: "Bryan J. Smith" <b.j.smith@ieee.org> | Cc: John H Terpstra <jht@samba.org>, jra@dp.samba.org, | chris@devidal.tv, Mathew McKernan <mathewmckernan@optushome.com.au>, | samba@lists.samba.org, samba-technical@lists.samba.org | Subject: [Samba] Always use the native protocol of the client -- WAS: How Samba let us down | | | Quoting Jay Ts <jay@jayts.cx>: | |> My experience here is that smbfs isn't perfect, but works pretty |> well, and I *really* like it! Without smbfs, I end up having to |> run to the Windows system to transfer files. (Sorry, but smbclient |> just doesn't "do it" for me. It works, but is really inconvenient.) | Performance of smbclient-based frontends also doesn't match that of smbfs. It's like comparing FTP to NFS. | | Production networks should use NFS for UNIX clients. NFS peacefully co-exists | with Samba just fine. I have been using it on both Solaris and Linux for over 6 | years. Of course, I have always supported production engineering environments | -- and need network filesystem access to be a little more "mission critical" | than something for just "basic file transfers." | | Which brings me to my "rule of thumb" ... | _Always_ use the native protocol of the client. If your server is capable of doing that sufficiently well. | | For a UNIX client, use NFS. Otherwise expect case and codepage issues (let | alone it makes it much nicer for home directory mounts and the automounter ;-). | | For a Windows client, use SMB. Otherwise expect Windows fits. ;-P | | For a [pre-X] Mac client, use Ethertalk. Otherwise expect special file fits. | | And so forth ... | | If your server platform doesn't have a service that supports a protocol (or does | a poor job *COUGH*NFS on NT*COUGH*), don't use that platform as a server. ;-P ie, Unix desktops don't belong in windows-based networks???? | P.S. Please no "NFS is insecure" comments being that CIFS "password equivalent" | exchange is just as bad. ;-P But you have to at least sniff packets to get a password equivalent. Give a user root on their own box with NFS mounts, and they can do what they like ... without having to sniff passwords. | | P.P.S. With that said, Kerberos+OpenAFS is always a nice "universal" network | filesystem as well. | With how much cost in setup? I think some people still haven't realised the following. - -Unix needs to grow on the desktop, or it will die a slow death (just like Netware is doing, and mainly for the same reasons). - -To grow on the desktop, unix desktops need to be able to be integrated into all existing networks with minimal additional expenditure. - -To be integrated into the majority of current networks, that means being able to network with windows (almost) as easily as windows clients. Winbind + smbfs are currently (almost) feasible for this. Using smbclient-type access (for example, smb:// urls in KDE) just doesn't do it. Secondly, try setting up Kerberos and replicated directory services on the unix of your choice or windows 2000, and tell me which one is easier. Buchan - -- |----------------Registered Linux User #182071-----------------| Buchan Milne Mechanical Engineer, Network Manager Cellphone * Work +27 82 472 2231 * +27 21 8828820x121 Stellenbosch Automotive Engineering http://www.cae.co.za GPG Key http://ranger.dnsalias.com/bgmilne.asc 1024D/60D204A7 2919 E232 5610 A038 87B1 72D6 AC92 BA50 60D2 04A7 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQE9t+j+rJK6UGDSBKcRAv5+AKC+57AoWd6scK3O77NvmLCsoJ7OzwCglLLu 3erF1XX+HKaLHP+1Ln/a7e0=xXee -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----