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Microsoft borrowed from IBM (SMB was IBM).

What SaMBa implements is a pseudo clone of the Microsoft enhancement of
[url=http://www.javvin.com/protocolSMB.html]IBM SMB: Server Message Block protocol[/url]. Microsoft?s enhancements to the protocol (biased perspective) can be seen in the [urrl=http://www.usenix.org/publications/library/proceedings/ana97/summaries/callahan.html]1997 UseNix Summaries[/url]:
Microsoft Networking Support. Microsoft utilizes a Server Message Block (SMB) protocol and typically layers that on top of the NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, and NetBIOS over TCP/IP protocols. The SMB protocol supports dynamic dialects, which makes it easy to support new features that come after the protocol was originally designed-the features are simply negotiated at connect time. The SMB protocol is well documented, but the latest additions that Microsoft has made, such as adding the concept of a Domain (a collection of principles and objects), are not publicly available. This, like NDS for Novell, means that freely available ports of the new features may take a considerable amount of time before they are available, if they ever are.
For client services using TCP/IP only, there is a program written by Poal-Kr. Engstad and Volker Lendecke called SMBFS. This is implemented via a kernel module as well as an smbmount program. The program allows the mounting of SMB shared files, but no domain support. To attach to shared printers, the samba program (defined under the server section) can be used. Michael did not mention any commercially available programs that implemented the SMB protocol.
For server-based services on TCP/IP only, there is a program written by Andrew Tridgell called SAMBA. This program allows the Linux host to share directories as well as printer queues. It can join and/or manage any browser lists. It can be a WINS server. Because the new Domain structure is not documented, it does not support any of those functions. Along with this program is a freely available package from the Internet Software Consortium called DHCPD, which allows Windows95 clients to successfully obtain IP addresses via the network. A number of members of the audience had had excellent success with the combination of SAMBA, SMBFS, and DHCPD for integrating Linux into Microsoft environments.
It is unfortunate for the free software community that Microsoft has kept its Domain additions to the protocol private. A reference port of the new features would surely be added quickly should the specifications of the protocol enhancements be made available.
Microsofts version of SMB is [url=http://www.microsoft.com/mind/1196/cifs.asp]CIFTS: Common Internet File System[/url], which Samba tries to emulate. Osreinstall is either confused, does not go back far enough in his research, or is completely clueless and blinded (or a combination).

Posted by: B.O.F.H.   Posted on: 12/27/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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