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+<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"><title>Introduction</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="samba.css" type="text/css"><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.68.1"><link rel="start" href="index.html" title="The Official Samba-3 HOWTO and Reference Guide"><link rel="up" href="index.html" title="The Official Samba-3 HOWTO and Reference Guide"><link rel="prev" href="TOSHpreface.html" title="Preface"><link rel="next" href="introduction.html" title="Part I. General Installation"></head><body bgcolor="white" text="black" link="#0000FF" vlink="#840084" alink="#0000FF"><div class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="3" align="center">Introduction</th></tr><tr><td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="TOSHpreface.html">Prev</a> </td><th width="60%" align="center"> </th><td width="20%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="introduction.html">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr></div><div class="preface" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title"><a name="IntroSMB"></a>Introduction</h2></div><div><div class="author"><h3 class="author"><span class="firstname">John</span> <span class="othername">H.</span> <span class="surname">Terpstra</span></h3><div class="affiliation"><span class="orgname">Samba Team<br></span><div class="address"><p><code class="email"><<a href="mailto:jht@samba.org">jht@samba.org</a>></code></p></div></div></div></div><div><p class="pubdate">June 29, 2003</p></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="IntroSMB.html#id2518268">What Is Samba?</a></span></dt><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="IntroSMB.html#id2465849">Why This Book?</a></span></dt><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="IntroSMB.html#id2465953">Book Structure and Layout</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>“<span class="quote">
+A man's gift makes room for him before great men. Gifts are like hooks that can catch
+hold of the mind taking it beyond the reach of forces that otherwise might constrain it.
+</span>” --- Anon.
+</p><p>
+This is a book about Samba. It is a tool, a derived work of the labors
+of many and of the diligence and goodwill of more than a few.
+This book contains material that has been contributed in a persistent belief
+that each of us can add value to our neighbors as well as to those who will
+follow us.
+</p><p>
+This book is designed to meet the needs of the Microsoft network administrator.
+UNIX administrators will benefit from this book also, though they may complain
+that it is hard to find the information they think they need. So if you are a
+Microsoft certified specialist, this book should meet your needs rather well.
+If you are a UNIX or Linux administrator, there is no need to feel badly you
+should have no difficulty finding answers to your current concerns also.
+</p><div class="sect1" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="id2518268"></a>What Is Samba?</h2></div></div></div><p>
+ Samba is a big, complex project. The Samba project is ambitious and exciting.
+ The team behind Samba is a group of some thirty individuals who are spread
+ the world over and come from an interesting range of backgrounds. This team
+ includes scientists, engineers, programmers, business people, and students.
+ </p><p>
+ Team members were drawn into active participation through the desire to help
+ deliver an exciting level of transparent interoperability between Microsoft
+ Windows and the non-Microsoft information
+ technology world.
+ </p><p>
+ The slogan that unites the efforts behind the Samba project says:
+ <span class="emphasis"><em>Samba, Opening Windows to a Wider World!</em></span> The goal
+ behind the project is one of removing barriers to interoperability.
+ </p><p>
+ Samba provides file and print services for Microsoft Windows clients. These
+ services may be hosted off any TCP/IP-enabled platform. The original deployment
+ platforms were UNIX and Linux, though today it is in common use across
+ a broad variety of systems.
+ </p><p>
+ The Samba project includes not only an impressive feature set in file and print
+ serving capabilities, but has been extended to include client functionality,
+ utilities to ease migration to Samba, tools to aid interoperability with
+ Microsoft Windows, and administration tools.
+ </p><p>
+ The real people behind Samba are users like you. You have inspired the
+ developers (the Samba Team) to do more than any of them imagined could or should
+ be done. User feedback drives Samba development. Samba-3 in particular incorporates
+ a huge amount of work done as a result of user requests, suggestions and direct
+ code contributions.
+ </p></div><div class="sect1" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="id2465849"></a>Why This Book?</h2></div></div></div><p>
+ There is admittedly a large number of Samba books on the market today and
+ each book has its place. Despite the apparent plethora of books, Samba
+ as a project continues to receive much criticism for failing to provide
+ sufficient documentation. Samba is also criticized for being too complex
+ and too difficult to configure. In many ways this is evidence of the
+ success of Samba as there would be no complaints if it was not successful.
+ </p><p>
+ The Samba Team members work predominantly with UNIX and Linux, so
+ it is hardly surprising that existing Samba documentation should reflect
+ that orientation. The original HOWTO text documents were intended to provide
+ some tips, a few golden nuggets, and if they helped anyone then that was
+ just wonderful. But the HOWTO documents lacked structure and context. They were
+ isolated snapshots of information that were written to pass information
+ on to someone else who might benefit. They reflected a need to transmit
+ more information that could be conveniently put into manual pages.
+ </p><p>
+ The original HOWTO documents were written by different authors. Most HOWTO
+ documents are the result of feedback and contributions from numerous
+ authors. In this book we took care to preserve as much original content as
+ possible. As you read this book you will note that chapters were written by
+ multiple authors, each of whom has his own style. This demonstrates
+ the nature of the Open Source software development process.
+ </p><p>
+ Out of the original HOWTO documents sprang a collection of unofficial
+ HOWTO documents that are spread over the Internet. It is sincerely intended
+ that this work will <span class="emphasis"><em>not</em></span> replace the valuable unofficial
+ HOWTO work that continues to flourish. If you are involved in unofficial
+ HOWTO production then please continue your work!
+ </p><p>
+ Those of you who have dedicated your labors to the production of unofficial
+ HOWTOs, to Web page information regarding Samba, or to answering questions
+ on the mailing lists or elsewhere, may be aware that this is a labor
+ of love. We would like to know about your contribution and willingly receive
+ the precious pearls of wisdom you have collected. Please email your contribution to
+ <a href="mailto:jht@samba.org" target="_top">John H. Terpstra (jht@samba.org)</a>.
+ As a service to other users we will gladly adopt material that is technically accurate.
+ </p><p>
+ Existing Samba books are largely addressed to the UNIX administrator.
+ From the perspective of this target group the existing books serve
+ an adequate purpose, with one exception now that Samba-3 is out
+ they need to be updated!
+ </p><p>
+ This book, the <span class="emphasis"><em>Official Samba-3 HOWTO and Reference Guide</em></span>,
+ includes the Samba-HOWTO-Collection.pdf that ships with Samba.
+ These documents have been written with a new design intent and purpose.
+ </p><p>
+ Over the past two years many Microsoft network administrators have adopted
+ Samba and have become interested in its deployment. Their information needs
+ are very different from that of the UNIX administrator. This book has been
+ arranged and the information presented from the perspective of someone with previous
+ Microsoft Windows network administrative training and experience.
+ </p></div><div class="sect1" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="id2465953"></a>Book Structure and Layout</h2></div></div></div><p>
+ This book is presented in six parts:
+ </p><div class="variablelist"><dl><dt><span class="term">General Installation</span></dt><dd><p>
+ Designed to help you get Samba-3 running quickly.
+ The Fast Start chapter is a direct response to requests from
+ Microsoft network administrators for some sample configurations
+ that <span class="emphasis"><em>just work</em></span>.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Server Configuration Basics</span></dt><dd><p>
+ The purpose of this section is to aid the transition from existing
+ Microsoft Windows network knowledge to Samba terminology and norms.
+ The chapters in this part each cover the installation of one type of
+ Samba server.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Advanced Configuration</span></dt><dd><p>
+ The mechanics of network browsing have long been the Achilles heel of
+ all Microsoft Windows users. Samba-3 introduces new user and machine
+ account management facilities, a new way to map UNIX groups and Windows
+ groups, Interdomain trusts, new loadable file system drivers (VFS), and
+ more. New with this document is expanded printing documentation, as well
+ as a wealth of information regarding desktop and user policy handling,
+ use of desktop profiles, and techniques for enhanced network integration.
+ This section makes up the core of the book. Read and enjoy.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Migration and Updating</span></dt><dd><p>
+ A much requested addition to the book is information on how to migrate
+ from Microsoft Windows NT4 to Samba-3, as well as an overview of what the
+ issues are when moving from Samba-2.x to Samba-3.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Troubleshooting</span></dt><dd><p>
+ This short section should help you when all else fails.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Reference Section</span></dt><dd><p>
+ Here you will find a collection of things that are either too peripheral
+ for most users, or are a little left of field to be included in the
+ main body of information.
+ </p></dd></dl></div><p>
+Welcome to Samba-3 and the first published document to help you and your users to enjoy a whole
+new world of interoperability between Microsoft Windows and the rest of the world.
+</p></div></div><div class="navfooter"><hr><table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"><tr><td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="TOSHpreface.html">Prev</a> </td><td width="20%" align="center"> </td><td width="40%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="introduction.html">Next</a></td></tr><tr><td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">Preface </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="index.html">Home</a></td><td width="40%" align="right" valign="top"> Part I. General Installation</td></tr></table></div></body></html>
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