TABLE OF CONTENTS Windows, Linux, and OpenVMS systems have been invading each others' turf for the last 10 years. Managers and other "normal" people just expect not only that they will play together nicely, but that they will be able to share files, disks, and printers. This is a simple goal, if an unreasonable request!
There are other disk-sharing protocols, such as NFS in the UNIX world or DFS in the VMS world, but Windows has had the edge by sheer numbers, so its SMB protocol is much more likely to be used between different operating systems.
Windows NT and Windows 2000 server systems, with some client licenses, provide disk and printer sharing plus authentication to use the resources. What was required was Open Source tools on other operating systems to provide integrated file, print, and authentication.
From those humble needs SAMBA was created. SAMBA has become a GNU-licensed, Open Source disk-sharing and printer-sharing network protocol that will let your Linux, OpenVMS, or UNIX systems participate in a Windows workgroup, NT 4.0 domain, or Windows Enterprise domain. The software is distributed for free at http://www.samba.org for OpenVMS and Linux. SAMBA is included as part of the standard RedHat 7.3 distribution.
All of this is managed through a protocol suite currently known as the Common Internet File System (CIFS). This name was introduced by Microsoft and provides some insight into its hopes for the future. At the heart of CIFS is the latest...
