SAMBA Server configuration in Linux

[kuldeep]

Samba provides a stable and highly compatible file and print sharing service that allows a Linux node to act as a client, a member server, or even a Primary Domain Controller (PDC) or a member of an Active Directory (AD) service on Microsoft-based networks. Samba interacts with Microsoft's CIFS built on the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol.

Samba is installed through the samba rpms :
[CODE]

# yum install samba*

Samba Server

Samba is build on two daemons (smbd, nmbd) and one service (smb) which control the daemons.

smbd
The smbd server daemon provides file sharing and printing services to Windows/Linux clients. It is also responsible for user authentication, resource locking, and data sharing through the SMB protocol. The ports on which the server listens for SMB traffic are TCP ports 139 and 445. It is controlled by the smb service.

nmbd
The nmbd server daemon understands and replies to NetBIOS name service requests such as those produced by SMB/CIFS in Windows systems. It also participates in the browsing protocols that make up the Windows Network Neighbourhood view. The port that the server listens to for NMB traffic is UDP port 137. The nmbd daemon is controlled by the smb service.

/etc/samba/smb.conf

This is the main configuration file and is plenty of comments that explain every option. The following is a basic samba server configuration that just exports the printers and /home dir to all Windows/Linux neighbours.

# cat /etc/samba/smb.conf

[global]
# Set the workgroup name (samba domain) to RHEL6-WG.
workgroup = RHEL6-WG
server string = Samba Server Version %v

# Samba name for this server, is the name controlled by nmbd daemon
netbios name = rhel6

; interfaces = lo eth0 192.168.12.2/24 192.168.13.2/24
; hosts allow = 127. 192.168.12. 192.168.13.

# --------------------------- Logging Options -----------------------------
# logs split per machine
log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
# max 50KB per log file, then rotate
max log size = 50

# ----------------------- Standalone Server Options ------------------------
# Use local system accounts for authentication. To create the samba user 'john'
# use the command 'smbpasswd -a john' an set the same password as on the system.
# To remove john account on samba server 'smbpasswd -x john'

security = user
passdb backend = tdbsam

# --------------------------- Printing Options -----------------------------
# Use CUPs for printing

load printers = yes
cups options = raw

; printcap name = /etc/printcap
#obtain list of printers automatically on SystemV
; printcap name = lpstat
; printing = cups

#============================ Share Definitions ==============================
# Export /home and printers

[homes]
comment = Home Directories
browseable = no
writable = yes
; valid users = %S
; valid users = MYDOMAIN\%S

[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/spool/samba
browseable = no
guest ok = no
writable = no
printable = yes

There is a tool that can be used to verify the smb.conf configuration : 'testparam'.

# testparm /etc/samba/smb.conf

Load smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.conf

rlimit_max: rlimit_max (1024) below minimum Windows limit (16384)
Processing section "[homes]"
Processing section "[printers]"
Loaded services file OK.
Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE
Press enter to see a dump of your service definitions

[global]
workgroup = RHEL6-WG
server string = Samba Server Version %v
log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
max log size = 50
cups options = raw

[homes]
comment = Home Directories
read only = No
browseable = No

[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/spool/samba
printable = Yes
browseable = No

Now samba is ready to be started.

# /etc/init.d/smb restart
# chkconfig smb on

.
Samba Client

The following is a list of the samba client utility than can be used. For this section consider the node rhel6 (192.168.1.10) configured as the samba server defined on 'Samba Server' section and the samba client utilities are launched from node01 (192.168.1.101) against samba server on rhel6.
smbclient

It displays the samba shares exported from a Samba server.

[CODE]
node01> smbclient -L 192.168.1.10 -U john

Enter john's password:
Domain=[RHEL6-WG] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.5.4-68.el6]

Sharename Type Comment
--------- ---- -------
IPC$ IPC IPC Service (Samba Server Version 3.5.4-68.el6)
john Disk Home Directories

Domain=[RHEL6-WG] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.5.4-68.el6]

Server Comment
--------- -------

Workgroup Master
--------- -------
[/CODE]
The samba server account 'john' generated before with the command 'smbpasswd -a john' has been used to list the samba shares. For 'john' user the share 'john' that corresponds to /home/john on rhel6 server is available.
mount

Standard mount command can be used in order to mount remote samba shares on a client using the option '-t cifs'.

node01> mount -t cifs //192.168.1.10/john /mnt -o username=john

Password:
node01> ls -lrt /mnt
total 10024
-rw-r--r--. 1 john john 10240000 Feb 22 23:08 file
-rw-r--r--. 1 john john 21820 Feb 26 13:47 install.log

Windows client

Of course a Windows node connected to the same LAN as the samba server can access to the samba server as it was a Windows node ...