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7 <h1 class="head0">Preface</h1>
10 <p>You are reading a book about Samba, a software suite that networks
11 Windows, Unix, and other operating systems using
12 Windows' native networking protocol. Samba allows
13 Unix servers to offer Windows networking services by matching the
14 filesystem and networking models of Unix to those of Windows. Samba
15 acts as a bridge between the two systems, connecting the
16 corresponding parts of their architectures and providing a
17 translation wherever necessary.</p>
19 <p>Bridging the gap between systems as dissimilar as Windows and Unix is
20 a complex task, which Samba handles surprisingly well. To be a good
21 Samba administrator, your abilities must parallel
22 Samba's. For starters, you need to know basic Unix
23 system and network administration and have a good understanding of
24 Windows filesystems and networking fundamentals. In addition, you
25 need to learn how Samba fills in the "gray
26 area" between Unix and Windows. Once you know how
27 everything fits together, you'll find it easy to
28 configure a Samba server to provide your network with reliable and
29 high-performance computational resources.</p>
31 <p>Our job is to make all of that easier for you. We do this by starting
32 out with a quick and yet comprehensive tour of Windows networking in
33 <a href="ch01.html">Chapter 1</a>, followed by tutorially-oriented
34 <a href="ch02.html">Chapter 2</a> and <a href="ch03.html">Chapter 3</a>, which tell you how to set up a minimal Samba server
35 and configure Windows clients to work with it. Most likely, you will
36 be surprised how quickly you can complete the required tasks.</p>
38 <p>We believe that a hands-on approach is the most effective, and you
39 can use the Samba server you build in <a href="ch02.html">Chapter 2</a> and <a href="ch03.html">Chapter 3</a> as a test
40 system for trying out examples that we show and describe throughout
41 the book. You can jump around from chapter to chapter if you like,
42 but if you continue sequentially from <a href="ch04.html">Chapter 4</a>
43 onward, by the time you finish the book you will have a
44 well-configured production Samba server ready for use. All you have
45 to do is add the appropriate support for your intended purpose as we
46 explain how to use each feature.</p>
50 <div class="sect1"><a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-SECT-1"/>
52 <h2 class="head1">Audience for This Book</h2>
54 <p>This book is primarily intended for Unix administrators who need to
55 support Windows clients on their network, as well as anyone who needs
56 to access the resources of a Windows network environment from a Unix
57 client. While we assume you are familiar with basic Unix system
58 administration, we do <em class="emphasis">not</em> assume you are a
59 networking expert. We do our best along the way to help out with
60 unusual definitions and terms.</p>
62 <p>Furthermore, we don't assume that you are an expert
63 in Microsoft Windows. We carefully explain all the essential concepts
64 related to Windows networking, and we go through the Windows side of
65 the installation task in considerable detail, providing examples for
66 both Windows 95/98/Me and Windows NT/2000/XP, which are significantly
67 different. For the Unix side, we give examples that work with common
68 Unix operating systems, such as Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, and Mac OS
76 <div class="sect1"><a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-SECT-2"/>
78 <h2 class="head1">Organization</h2>
80 <p>Here is a quick description of each chapter:</p>
82 <p><a href="ch01.html">Chapter 1</a> introduces Samba and its capabilities,
83 then describes the most important concepts of NetBIOS and SMB/CIFS
84 networking. Finally, we give you a quick overview of the daemons and
85 utilities that are included in the Samba distribution.</p>
87 <p><a href="ch02.html">Chapter 2</a> covers configuring, compiling,
88 installing, setting up, and testing the Samba server on a Unix
91 <p><a href="ch03.html">Chapter 3</a> explains how to configure Microsoft
92 Windows 95/98/Me and Windows NT/2000/XP clients to participate in an
95 <p><a href="ch04.html">Chapter 4</a> explains the ins and outs of Windows NT
96 domains and how to configure Samba to work in a network set up as a
97 Windows NT domain.</p>
99 <p><a href="ch05.html">Chapter 5</a> describes methods for accessing SMB
100 shares on the network from Unix client systems.</p>
102 <p><a href="ch06.html">Chapter 6</a>
103 gets you up to speed on the structure of the Samba
104 configuration file and shows you how to take control of file-sharing
107 <p><a href="ch07.html">Chapter 7</a> introduces name resolution, which is
108 used to convert NetBIOS computer names into IP addresses, and
109 browsing, the method used in SMB networking to find what resources
110 are being shared on the network.</p>
112 <p><a href="ch08.html">Chapter 8</a> continues the discussion of file-sharing options, and
113 covers more advanced functions such as permissions, access control
114 lists, opportunistic locks, and setting up a Distributed filesystem
117 <p><a href="ch09.html">Chapter 9</a> discusses how
118 to set up Samba users, introduces you to Samba security, and shows
119 you how to work with encrypted and nonencrypted passwords.</p>
121 <p><a href="ch10.html">Chapter 10</a>
122 discusses printer setup for sharing Unix printers on the
123 SMB network, and allowing Unix workstations to access SMB shared
126 <p><a href="ch11.html">Chapter 11</a>
127 bundles several miscellaneous topics associated with
128 Samba, such as configuring Samba shares for programmers and
129 internationalization issues.</p>
131 <p><a href="ch12.html">Chapter 12</a> details what to do if
132 you have problems installing Samba. This comparatively
133 large chapter is packed with troubleshooting hints and strategies for
134 identifying what is going wrong.</p>
136 <p><a href="appa.html">Appendix A</a> provides working examples of
137 <em class="filename">smb.conf</em> files for use in configuring Samba for
138 its more common applications. You can easily modify the examples for
139 use in a wide variety of circumstances.</p>
141 <p><a href="appb.html">Appendix B</a> covers each option that can be used in
142 the Samba configuration file.</p>
144 <p><a href="appc.html">Appendix C</a> is a quick reference that covers each
145 server daemon and tool that make up the Samba suite.</p>
147 <p><a href="appd.html">Appendix D</a> explains how to download the latest
148 development version of the Samba source code using CVS.</p>
150 <p><a href="appe.html">Appendix E</a> documents each option that can be used
151 with the <em class="emphasis">configure</em> command before compiling the
152 Samba source code.</p>
154 <p><a href="appf.html">Appendix F</a> includes directions for sharing files
155 and printers with the Server edition of Mac OS X.</p>
157 <p><a href="appg.html">Appendix G</a> is the copyright license under which
158 this book is published.</p>
165 <div class="sect1"><a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-SECT-3"/>
167 <h2 class="head1">Conventions Used in This Book</h2>
169 <p>The following font conventions are followed throughout this book:</p>
172 <dt><b>Italic </b></dt>
174 <p>Filenames, file extensions, URLs, executable files, command options,
180 <dt><b><tt class="literal">Constant</tt> <tt class="literal">width</tt> </b></dt>
182 <p>Samba configuration options, computer names, user and group names,
183 hostnames, domain names, other code that appears in the text, and
184 command-line information that should be typed verbatim on the screen.</p>
189 <dt><b><tt class="userinput"><b>Constant width bold</b></tt> </b></dt>
191 <p>Commands that are entered by the user and new configuration options
192 that we wish to bring to the attention of the reader.</p>
197 <dt><b><em class="replaceable">Constant width italic</em></b></dt>
199 <p>Replaceable content in code and command-line information.</p>
204 <a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-NOTE-82"/><blockquote class="note"><h4 class="objtitle">TIP</h4>
205 <p>This designates a note, which is an important aside to the nearby
208 <a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-NOTE-83"/><blockquote class="note"><h4 class="objtitle">WARNING</h4>
209 <p>This designates a warning related to the nearby text.</p>
217 <div class="sect1"><a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-SECT-4"/>
219 <h2 class="head1">How to Contact Us</h2>
221 <p>We have tested and verified the information in this book to the best
222 of our ability, but you might find that features have changed (or
223 even that we have made mistakes!). Please let us know about any
224 errors you find, as well as your suggestions for future editions, by
227 <blockquote class="simplelist">
229 <p>O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.</p>
231 <p>1005 Gravenstein Highway North</p>
233 <p>Sebastopol, CA 95472</p>
235 <p>(800) 998-9938 (in the United States or Canada)</p>
237 <p>(707) 829-0515 (international/local)</p>
239 <p>(707) 829-0104 (fax)</p>
243 <p>To ask technical questions or comment on the book, send email to:</p>
245 <blockquote class="simplelist">
247 <p><em class="email">bookquestions@oreilly.com</em></p>
251 <p>We have a web page for this book where we list examples and any plans
252 for future editions. You can access this information at:</p>
254 <blockquote class="simplelist">
256 <p><a href="http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/samba2">http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/samba2</a></p>
260 <p>You can also contact Jay Ts, the lead author of this edition, through
263 <blockquote class="simplelist">
265 <p><a href="http://www.jayts.com">http://www.jayts.com</a></p>
274 <div class="sect1"><a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-SECT-5"/>
276 <h2 class="head1">Acknowledgments</h2>
278 <p>We thank Leon Towns-von Stauber for thoroughly researching the use of
279 Samba on Mac OS X and writing material that appears in <a href="ch02.html">Chapter 2</a>, <a href="ch05.html">Chapter 5</a>, and <a href="ch10.html">Chapter 10</a>, as well as the entire <a href="appf.html">Appendix F</a>. We also thank our technical reviewers Sam
280 Johnston, Matthew Temple, Marty Leisner, and Don McCall.</p>
283 <div class="sect2"><a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-SECT-5.1"/>
285 <h3 class="head2">Jay Ts</h3>
287 <p>This book would have been extremely difficult to write if it
288 hadn't been for the copy of VMware Workstation
289 graciously provided by VMware, Inc. I want to thank Rik Farrow for
290 his clarifying comments on security topics related to Samba and
291 Windows, and both him and Rose Moon for their supportive friendship.
292 Thanks also go to Mark Watson for his encouragement and advice on the
293 topic of authoring technical books. Additionally,
294 I'd like to express my appreciation to Andy Oram at
295 O'Reilly for being a supportive, friendly, and
296 easygoing editor, and for offering me terms that I could say yes
297 to—something that a few other publishers
298 didn't even approach. SuSE, Inc. generously provided
299 a copy of SuSE Linux 8.1 Professional.</p>
305 <div class="sect2"><a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-SECT-5.2"/>
307 <h3 class="head2">Robert Eckstein</h3>
309 <p>I'd first like to recognize Dave Collier-Brown and
310 Peter Kelly for all their help in the creation of this book.
311 I'd also like to thank each technical reviewer who
312 helped polish this book into shape on such short notice: Matthew
313 Temple, Jeremy Allison, and of course Andrew Tridgell. Andrew and
314 Jeremy deserve special recognition, not only for creating such a
315 wonderful product, but also for providing a tireless amount of
316 support in the final phase of this book—hats off to you, guys!
317 A warm hug goes out to my wife Michelle, who once again put up with a
318 husband loaded down with too much caffeine and a tight schedule.
319 Thanks to Dave Sifry and the people at LinuxCare, San Francisco, for
320 hosting me on such short notice for Andrew
321 Tridgell's visit. And finally, a huge amount of
322 thanks to our editor, Andy Oram, who (very) patiently helped guide
323 this book through its many stages until we got it right.</p>
329 <div class="sect2"><a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-SECT-5.3"/>
331 <h3 class="head2">David Collier-Brown</h3>
333 <p>I'd particularly like to thank Joyce, who put up
334 with me during the sometimes exciting development of the book. My
335 thanks to Andy Oram, who was kind enough to provide the criticism
336 that allowed me to contribute; the crew at ACE (Opcom) who humored
337 the obvious madman in their midst; and Ian MacMillan, who voluntarily
338 translated several of my early drafts from nerd to English. I would
339 also like to give special thanks to Perry Donham, Drew Sullivan, and
340 Jerry DeRoo for starting and sustaining this mad project. Finally,
341 I'd like to thank Bob Eckstein for a final,
342 sustained, and professional effort that lifted the whole book up to
343 the level that Andy needed.</p>
349 <div class="sect2"><a name="samba2-PREFACE-2-SECT-5.4"/>
351 <h3 class="head2">All</h3>
353 <p>We would especially like to give thanks to Perry Donham and Peter
354 Kelly for helping mold the first draft of this book. Although Perry
355 was unable to contribute to subsequent drafts, his material was
356 essential to getting this book off on the right foot. In addition,
357 some of the browsing material came from text originally written by
358 Dan Shearer for O'Reilly.</p>
367 <hr/><h4 class="head4"><a href="toc.html">TOC</a></h4>