Samba Server

Samba Server is the Linux implementation of SMB, or

Server Message Block. It is utilized for network sharing
of files and printers.

Samba is released under the GNU General Public

License

The name Samba comes from SMB (Server Message

Block), the name of the standard
 samba is a free software re-implementation of
SMB/CIFS networking protocol, originally
developed by Australian Andrew Tridgell. As of
version 3,
 Samba provides file and print services for
various Microsoft Windows clients and can
integrate with a Windows Server domain, either
as a Primary Domain Controller (PDC) or as a
domain member. It can also be part of an
Active Directory domain.
 Samba runs on most Unix and Unix-like
systems, such as Linux, Solaris, AIX and
the BSD variants, including Apple's Mac
OS X Server.
 Samba is the protocol by which a lot of PC-
related machines and share files and printers,
and other information.
 Operating systems that support this natively
include Windows 95/98/NT, OS/2, and Linux,
and add on packages that achieve the similar
thing are available for DOS, Windows, VMS, Unix
of all kinds, MVS, and more.
 Protecting an unpatched
Samba server

 Limiting the number of concurrent

connections
 Using host based protection
 Using a firewall
 Upgrading Samba
 Advantages

 Free and open-source

 Portable across multiple platforms
 Allows for easier networking of Windows
workstations to computers running other
platforms
 Disadvantages

 SMB is still developing, so maintaining

compatibility with Microsoft's
implementation is a constant battle
 Threat of legal action against commercial
users of Samba